Keats Kollections

Ezra Jack Keats

Jack Ezra Keats (1916-1983) was a celebrated American author and illustrator of children's books. He grew up in a poor Polish-Jewish family with immigrant parents in Brooklyn, New York. Ezra received three art school scholarships after high school, but instead he worked to help support his family and took art classes whenever he could. Among the jobs he held were with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as a mural painter and at Fawcett Publications, illustrating backgrounds for the Captain Marvel comic strip.

Following his service in World War II, he changed his last name from Katz to Keats to avoid anti-semitism and to find work in the book publishing industry. He is best known for his diverse and inclusive storytelling, and "A Snowy Day" remains one of his most famous works. Keats received numerous awards for his contributions to children's literature and was known for paving the way for more inclusive and diverse children's literature.

Legacy

In 1963, this book would go onto recieve the Caldecott Medal. In an article by the Atlantic, it is recognized that, "the high-profile nature of the Caldecott Medal means that the book still has wide distribution, outlasting many of its contemporaries" and that "to this day, nearly every American library that houses children’s books buys at least one copy of The Snowy Day, making it widely available to young American readers everywhere." Keats's intention in creating The Snowy Day was to break down barriers. He wanted a book that would “lead all children to genuine self-acceptance.” He was deliberate about making Peter Black, while at the same time, seeking to present a protagonist who could be seen as any child, not defined by his skin color.

Keats also has other honorable legacies that follow him. He designed the UNICEF's first set of greeting cards in 1966. He also received the University of Southern Mississippi's Silver Medallion for Outstanding Service in the Field of Children's Literature in 1980. He was induction into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame in 2015, post-humously.

Other awards include the Library of Congress Books of the Year for "In a Spring Garden" in 1965, the Caldecott Medal Honor Book for "Goggles!" in 1970, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for illustration for "Hi, Cat!" in 1970, the School Library Journal’s Best Books for "Apt. 3" and "The King’s Fountain" in 1971, and the Children’s Choices Award by International Reading Association and the Children’s Book Council for "The Trip" in 1977.