Ezra Jack Keats’ joyful picture book, The Snowy Day, will be honored on a set of postage stamps later this year. The U.S. Postal Service will showcase four stamps of “main character Peter exploring and playing in his neighborhood while wearing his iconic red snowsuit.”
The Snowy Day remains one of the most beloved and influential children’s picture books. It is a Caldecott Award-winning classic that transports readers into a snowy world of wonder. Published during the 1960s civil-rights era, the story focuses on Peter and his adventures in the season’s first snowfall. Although Peter’s race is never directly addressed, his portrayal is recognized as a milestone in racial representation, and he becomes the first African-American protagonist in a full-color children's picture book.