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Jacob Ezra Katz Born
Ezra Jack Keats born as Jacob Ezra Katz. His parents were polish immigrants of Jewish decent. -
First paid job as Artist
At the age of eight, Ezra won the approval of his father when he was paid twenty-five cents for painting a sign for a local store, providing Benjamin with the hope that his son might be able to earn a living as a sign painter; nevertheless, Ezra was in love with the fine arts. -
Mural Painter
In 1937, he secured a job with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as a mural painter. -
Comic Book Illustrator
After three years, Ezra moved on to work as a comic book illustrator. In 1942, he began work on the staff of Fawcett Publications, illustrating backgrounds for the Captain Marvel comic strip. -
United States Army
Keats entered the service of the United States Army on April 13, 1943. Taking advantage of his skill as an artist, the army trained him to design camouflage patterns. -
Changed Name Jack Ezra Keats
Two years after the war, Jack, in reaction to the anti-Semitic prejudices of the time, legally changed his name to Ezra Jack Keats. It was Ezra’s memory of being a target of discrimination that provided the basis for his sympathy and understanding for those who suffered similar hardships. -
Illustrated first Children's book
In 1954, Jubilant for Sure by Elisabeth Hubbard Lansing was published. The book, set in the mountains of Kentucky, was the first book Keats illustrated for children. Keats, in an unpublished autobiography, stated: “I didn’t even ask to get into children’s books.” In the years that followed, Keats was hired to illustrate many children’s books written by other authors, among them being the Danny Dunn adventure series. -
Co-authored first children's book
My Dog is Lost was Keats’ first attempt at writing his own children’s book. He co-authored the book with Pat Cherr and it was published in 1960. The main character is a boy, newly arrived in New York City from Puerto Rico, named Juanito. Juanito does not speak any English, only Spanish, and he has lost his dog. In searching the city Juanito meets children from different sections of New York, such as Chinatown and Little Italy. Even in this very early book Keats was innovative in his use of minor -
The Snowy Day
In this Caldecott Award winning book, sparkling with atmosphere, a small boy named Peter experiences the joy of a snowy day. First published in 1962, this now classic book broke the color barrier in mainstream children's publishing. It is beloved by children, by their parents, and by their grandparents. The vivid and ageless illustrations, along with the classic text, have earned this book a place in the pantheon of the greatest children’s literature ever produced in this country. -
Peter is created
In the two years that followed, Keats worked on a book featuring a little boy named Peter. An article Keats had clipped from Life magazine in 1940 inspired Peter. “Then began an experience that turned my life around — working on a book with a black kid as hero. None of the manuscripts I’d been illustrating featured any black kids — except for token blacks in the background. My book would have him there simply because he should have been there all along. Years before I had cut from a magazine a s -
Awarded Caldecott Medal
Ezra Jack Keats was award the Caldecott Medal for The Snowy Day in 1963. -
Whistle for Willie
In this charming and delightful sequel to The Snowy Day, an older, and wiser, Peter wants to learn to whistle. Wouldn’t it be the perfect way to call his dog Willie? Peter tries and tries to whistle. Peter tries so hard that his cheeks hurt, and even though no sounds come, he doesn’t give up. With a very light hand, and his legendary illustrations, Keats creates a world in which effort yields results. -
Jennie's Hat
Jennie can hardly wait for the new hat her aunt has promised her, to arrive. "It will be big and beautiful and flowery", she tells herself happily. But when the box comes, there is only a plain hat inside. Jennie works hard to make the best of the situation but her desire for the hat of her dreams is too strong. In the midst of her disappointment, Jennie’s generous spirit goes far toward inspiring others to help her dream come true. -
Peter's Chair
Peter has a new baby sister. First Peter’s father paints Peter’s old cradle pink, then his crib. Then they want to paint Peter's chair! "Let's run away, Willie," Peter says to his dog. And they do. This is a gentle and reassuring story about sibling rivalry. -
A Letter to Amy
Peter is having a birthday party, and he's asked all of his friends to come. But Amy is a special friend because she is a girl--so Peter decides to write her a special invitation. When he rushes out in a thunderstorm to mail it, though, he bumps smack into Amy herself and knocks her to the ground. Will she ever come to his party now? And how will the boys greet a girl? -
Goggles!
Peter has found a rare treasure, a pair of old beat-up motorcycle goggles. He and his best friend Archie are on their way to Archie's front stoop to play with the goggles. Who could have guessed that the neighborhood gang of bullies would want those goggles too! But the bullies don’t understand how hard it is to catch two very bright boys and one crafty dog. -
Hi, Cat!
Archie is walking down the street, eating an ice cream cone. It’s a beautiful day and he is on his way to meet his best friend, Peter. Suddenly Archie is stopped by someone new to his neighborhood, “Hi, cat!" he says. The cat sits, looks Archie up and down, and purrs. It turns out that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Ezra Jack Keats' vibrant palette brings this humorous, fast-paced story to vivid life. -
Apt. 3
The sound of a harmonica floats through the halls of Sam and Ben;rsquo;s tenement. The sweet melodies inspire the brothers to explore the building, filled with the sounds and smells of a diverse city. Finally, the brothers find the source of the beautiful music, along with a blind man, who “sees” with his ears, and the search ends with the beginning of a new friendship. -
Pet Show!
Archie wants to enter his cat in the neighborhood pet show--but the cat has vanished! Though everyone searches for him, he's nowhere to be found. But Archie keeps looking, and looking, even after all the other kids have left him behind. The pet Archie is finally able to enter into the contest isn't the cat, but it is one of the most surprising pets ever! -
Louie's Search
Louie has always wanted a father, and so, he decides to set off in search of one. After looking high and low, Louie stumbles across a music box that has fallen off a junk truck. When he tries to return the box, the truck's angry driver accuses him of being a crook. But when the driver learns that the music box plays more beautifully for Louie than it ever had for him, he gives it to Louie as a gift. And that is the beginning of the end of Louie’s search— -
Keats dies
By the time of Keats’ death following a heart attack in 1983, Keats had illustrated over eighty-five books for children, and written and illustrated twenty-four children’s classics.
