Ezra Jack Keats

Ezra Jack Keats
Keats, circa 1980
BornJacob Ezra Katz
(1916-03-11)March 11, 1916
East New York, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedMay 6, 1983(1983-05-06) (aged 67)
OccupationIllustrator, writer
Period1949-1983
GenreChildren's picture books
Notable works
Notable awardsCaldecott Medal
1963

Ezra Jack Keats (né Jacob Ezra Katz; March 11, 1916 - May 6, 1983) was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He is best known for The Snowy Day, which won the 1963 Caldecott Medal and is considered one of the most important American books of the 20th century. He wrote 22 books and illustrated at least 70 more in his signature collage art style. Keats is known for introducing multiculturalism into mainstream American children's literature. Keats' works have been translated into some 20 languages, including Japanese, French, Danish, Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, German, Swedish, Thai, Chinese, and Korean.