Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Peter's age is never given. How old do you think he is and why?
- How does Ezra Jack Keats capture the wonder of a snowy day?
- Can people who live in warm climates, without snow, relate to this book? Why or why not?
- How important is the setting in The Snowy Day? How would the story be different if it took place in a rural setting? How might Peter's adventures be different? What would remain the same?
- Why is The Snowy Day considered one of the most important or influential books of the 20th century? Do you agree that it deserves that distinction? Why or why not?
- How important is Peter's race in the story? Was it possible, in the U.S. in 1962, to have an African American protagonist in a mainstream children's picture book without having it become a topic of discussion? Why or why not? Is it possible now? Explain.
- If Peter had been presented as a white character, would The Snowy Day be as famous as it now is? Why or why not?