The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Do you know this children's book? The Snowy Day is a classic in the field of Children's Literature, it even won The Caldecott Medal. My three-year-old son enjoys reading this book and he'll even read it to you, if you prefer.

After many read throughs I got stuck on two pages towards the end of the book....it just isn't written well. And those of you that know me well are probably chuckling because you know that I'm not a grammar expert, by any stretch. But this one section is just not right and I can't figure out how a prominent author/illustrator go by with it. Maybe that's why he got by with it---he was so good that the publisher let this one slide, who knows. All I know is that everytime I read these two pages I get irked a little more. It's like I expect the words to change magically before I flip the page.

Here's the irritating text:

"He told his mother all about his adventures while she took off his wet socks. (turn page) And he thought and thought and thought about them."

Anyone else think those two sentences are not grammatically correct? Do you see why it rubs me wrong? Am I way off my rocker? You don't get it, do you?

The way it's worded, it sounds like he's thinking and thinking about his WET SOCKS!!!

Read the text again---do you see it now? Let me know what you think.....in the meantime read this classic to your children--they'll love it.

Back to my book---

J Renee