The Caldecott Medal

The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year.

It was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. Together with the Newbery Medal, it is the most prestigious American children's book award.

The Caldecott Medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan in 1937. The scene on the face of the medal is derived from Randolph Caldecott's illustrations for The Diverting Story of John Gilpin, in which Gilpin is astride a runaway horse. The story, in turn, was based on a poem from 1782 by William Cowper. The reverse of the medal depicts another of Caldecott's illustrations, "Four and twenty blackbirds bak'd in a pie."

The Caldecott Medal is not to be confused with the Caldecott Honor citation, which is conferred annually to worthy runners-up.

Caldecott Medal Recipients from 2011 -

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Erin E. Stead
2011 Caldecott Medal Winner

A Sick Day for Amos McGee is a 2010 children's picture book written by Philip C. Stead and illustrated by Erin E. Stead. Erin Stead won the 2011 Caldecott Medal for her illustrations in the book.


Book Review by Kiera Parrott



Philip C. Stead's charming story about a zookeeper and his animal companions is matched beautifully with the elegant pencil drawings and woodblock printings by his wife, Erin. E. Stead. 


From the very start the reader is drawn in by a warm two-page spread that depicts Amos' bedroom. The action that moves the viewer's eye towards the right- Amos stretching as his day begins and his armoire opened invitingly- is complemented by a series of strong vertical lines. There are the wide yellow stripes of the wallpaper and the thin green stripes on his pajamas. The effect is a sense of being enveloped, or better yet, being hugged. It is a feeling appropriate in a story about mutual affection, genuine kindness, and true friendship.


Amos McGee is an older gentleman (in the truest sense of the term) who lives in a little house sandwiched between two high-rise apartment buildings (a nod to Virginia Lee Burton's The Little House, I presume). Each morning after a bit of oatmeal and tea, Amos heads out in a fresh-pressed uniform to begin his workday at the City Zoo. It is clear from the first glimpse that this zoo is atypical: outside the gate, sitting high in a branch of a tree on the sidewalk, sits a monkey as comfortable as can be; inside the gate we can see a giraffe frolicking on the wide lawn. It doesn't appear that these animals reside in the usual enclosures. Indeed, the animals seem to enjoy a life more akin to a fancy retirement community. 


We discover that Amos spends his days playing chess with the elephant, running races with the tortoise, sitting quietly with the shy penguin, soothing the rhino's runny nose, and reading bedtime tales to the owl. It only makes sense that when Amos comes down with a bad cold and cannot make it to work, his animal friends hop on the bus and take care of him in the same gentle, loving way.


Besides the artfully understated beauty of the story and the characters, A Sick Day for Amos McGee stands out from almost all other picture books I've seen this year for the absolute genius in its visual storytelling. Erin E. Stead does not merely illustrate. She breathes life into an already delightful story while adding many more layers of expression.


Stead's attention to the smallest details is what allows the reader/viewer to experience this book many times over and still discover surprises each time: from the miniature bus stop for the mouse to the tie-wearing bird; from the sweet absurdity of Amos' bunny slippers to the depiction of a penguin donning floaties. 


Even Stead's use of woodblock printing to add texture and a bit of color is thoughtful and well-used. It is apparent throughout the work that each pencil line, each color choice, each wrinkle in Amos' face or in the folds of the tortoises' knees, was deliberate and made with a careful eye and a loving hand. Stead has achieved elegance with an organic heart. There is nothing stuffy or too-precise about her lines. Rather, her remarkable drawing skills clearly allow her to bring an incredible warmth and individual personality to each character. The slightly retro feel of Amos' surroundings (his antique stove and pocket watch, the 1950's-esque bus, the lack of any modern technology) combined with the use of white space give the book a pleasant stillness and leisureliness.


Some books come into existence and it seems as if they have (or should have) always existed. They possess something timeless and fundamental. Perhaps they float in that creative ether, just waiting for the perfect author and artist to bring them to life. A Sick Day for Amos McGee is just such a book.

Caldecott Medal Winners from Year 2001 to 2010

The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
2010 Caldecott Medal Winner

The Lion & the Mouse is the title of a 2009 book written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.


Book Review:  by Mary Kate - A Visual Feast


Pencil, watercolor and colored pencils on paper...


That's all that was used to create the new children's book, The Lion & The Mouse. But those simple tools were being wielded in the hands of Jerry Pinkney and that, apparently, was enough. The magical combination of the artist and his skill, of tool and medium has resulted in a masterpiece of beauty and creativity.


Because this retelling of Aesop's fable is presented here with almost no words, it will challenge parents, teachers and others doing the "reading" to find words worthy of doing justice to Pinkney's art. It's just that gorgeous.


I've never encountered Pinkney's work previously and am now looking forward to discovering what other wonders have come from his hands and to collecting and sharing them.


And though it goes against all my beliefs as to how a book should be treated, I'm considering purchasing an additional copy solely to snag the dust jacket and have the cover art matted and framed. I simply can't take my eyes off it!


Highly recommended!





The House in the Night
2009 Caldecott Medal Winner

The House in the Night is the title of a 2008 book by Susan Marie Swanson. Beth Krommes won the 2009 Caldecott Medal for her illustrations in the book.


Review by M. Hart:


The illustrations are fabulously rich and textured; the story is simple and comforting. Highly original and effective use of color -- only black, white, and golden yellow.


We checked this out from the library, and my 5-year-old loves it. Truth be told, I probably love it even more. I'll be buying a copy for our family and several more as gifts.







The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
2008 Caldecott Medal Recipient

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a historical-fiction book written and illustrated by Brian Selznick and published by Scholastic Press. The hardcover edition was released on January 30, 2007, and the paperback edition was released on June 2, 2008. With 284 pictures between the book's 533 pages, the book depends equally on its pictures as it does the actual words. Selznick himself has described the book as "not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all these things." The book won the 2008 Caldecott Medal, the first novel to do so, as the Caldecott Medal is for illustrations. The book's primary inspiration is the true story of turn-of-the-century pioneer film-maker Georges Méliès, his surviving films, and his collection of mechanical, wind-up figures called automata. Selznick decided to add automatons to the storyline after reading Edison's Eve by Gaby Wood, which tells the story of Edison who wanted to create a talking wind up doll. Melies actually had a set of automaton which were either sold or lost. At the end of his life Melies was broke as films went to wide screen in the US. He did work in a toy booth in a Paris railstation, hence the setting. Selznick drew Melies real door in the book. It is reported that Melies did sell some of his films to a company where they ultimately made heels on shoes.


Book Review by John D. Bartone - Objet D'art


THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET is art of a high order. To start with, this book is a beautiful object. The right dust jacket can definitely sell a book. The graphite rendering of Hugo in extreme close-up gracing the book's spine and wrapping around the back cover is what drew me to the bookshelf in the first place. And upon discovering the book's unusual format, I was hooked. The artwork here does not illustrate the text. Rather it advances the plot. It's a little like watching a silent movie and reading title cards...completely appropriate in a story dealing with the origins of cinema.


The story lives up to the promise of the packaging. It is immediately engaging and ultimately touching. Hugo is the orphaned son of a clock-maker, living in the walls behind a Parisian train station, maintaining the station's clocks, stealing bread and milk to survive, stealing nuts, bolts, and gears to complete a project his father was working on when he died. His secret existence is threatened as his life becomes entwined with a bitter, old man and a bookish young girl. It's part graphic novel, part mystery, part coming-of-age. There are echoes of Pinocchio but with a twist as here it is a lonely boy building an automaton father figure.


This is a timeless book about, among other things, time. This is a book for the ages, and a book for all ages. The story, the artwork, the writing style, the overall design, all first rate parts of a greater whole, like the precisely crafted mechanism of a fine Swiss clock.

Flotsam by David Wiesner
2007 Winner of Caldecott Medal

Flotsam is a children's book written and illustrated by David Wiesner. Published by Clarion/Houghton Mifflin in 2006, it was the 2007 winner of the Caldecott Medal.[1] Flotsam is the recipient of David Wiesner's 3rd Caldecott Medal. The book contains illustrations of underwater life with no text to accompany them.


Plot


This book has no words, but is told in pictures. A boy is at the beach and finds an old camera. He takes the film to get it developed, and sees photos of fantastical undersea cities and inventions. The last picture is the most interesting, though: it's of a girl, who is holding a photo of a child, who is holding a photo of a child, who is holding a photo of a child, and so on. The boy figures out that he should take a picture of himself holding this photo. So he takes the picture, and tosses the camera back into the ocean; it is carried across the ocean by a variety of fish and sea life, until it again washes ashore and another child finds it.


Book Review by J. Lee - A Gem of a Book


This book is really a treasure. It will make you and your kids think about the ocean, the past, the future, photography, optics, conservation, and the list goes on! Believe it or not, it isn't really for the very young even though there are no words. The ideas the pictures are trying to convey are fairly complex. Even toddlers who can read would benefit from an adult explaining what is going on and how the story is progressing. Still, babies might enjoy just looking at some of the beautiful art. I think you will love "reading" it to your children.







The Hello, Goodbye Window
2006 Caldecott Medal Winner

The Hello, Goodbye Window is the name of the 2005 book and the window in the book. It was written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Chris Raschka and won the 2006 Caldecott Medal. It tells, from a little girl's point of view, how she has so much fun seeing and playing with her grandparents through this specific window.


Book Review by Tee C. Royal


Narrated by a young girl, THE HELLO, GOODBYE WINDOW is an endearing story that details the importance of a very special window and the grandparents who live on the other side of it. The little girl uses the window to greet her grandparents, play games, look out at the world, and wave goodbye at the end of her trip.


I enjoyed THE HELLO, GOODBYE WINDOW and its view of the relationship between children and their grandparents. The drawings are almost kid-like scribbles that give the story a more child-like appeal, complementing the narration. The colors are bright and craftily tell the story of those passing the windows, Poppy's harmonica playing, the dark blue/black sky and the stars that inhabit it. Juster does a wonderful job of showing the world through the eyes of a child and her connection of all things important to the kitchen window. Additionally, teaching children about interracial families (depicted in the drawings, not the words) is a good way to introduce those children of mixed heritage.

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
2005 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Kitten's First Full Moon is a 2004 book by Kevin Henkes that won the 2005 Caldecott Medal. It talks about a small kitten who has never seen the moon before, and mistakes it for milk, bringing about a number of mishaps for Kitten, including eating a bug and drinking lots of water.


The book is in black and white and typeset in sans-serif. The idea came from a line in another book by Henkes, "The cat thought the moon was a bowl of milk." Henkes gradually expanded on that for Kitten's First Full Moon.


Review by Soaring Heart - Great Book for Beginning Readers


This cute story of a kitten thinking the full moon is a big bowl of milk and her wriggling, tumbling, chasing, climbing, and leaping after it reminds me of childhood imagination, curiousity, exploration and discovery. Kitten's First Full Moon has a fun underlying message of encouragement to go after our dreams! Usually children love colorfully illustrated books. Kitten's First Full Moon, done in black and white with variations of gray shades, grants it to stand out in memory as being different and enables it to receive greater attention, as it is a story that occurs at night. (So black and white makes sense.)


The bold, thick black lettering on starch white paper makes it easy for a child to read with confidence. The sentences are of varying length and the story is written so that it keeps children turning pages to find out what the kitten will do next. The many changes of illustrations from one on a full page, to five long ones, to a two page spread with only one small picture on each and more, adds to the visual interest of KFFM. The Caldecott Medal Winner of 2005. Enjoy it! Soar!








The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein - 2004 Caldecott Medal Recipient

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is a 2003 children's book by Mordicai Gerstein that won the 2004 Caldecott Medal. It tells the true story of Philippe Petit, a man who walked between the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City on August 7, 1974 on a tightrope.


It was adapted into an animated short film with the same name in 2005 for Weston Woods Studios by Michael Sporn, narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal. The film received the Audience Choice Award for best short film at the 2005 Heartland Film Festival, [3] and the award for Best Short Animation Made for Children at the 2006 Ottawa International Animation Festival. It is included as an extra on the DVD of the Oscar-winning documentary Man on Wire.










My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann
2003 Caldecott Medal Recipient

My Friend Rabbit is a 2002 book by Eric Rohmann. Released by Roaring Brook Press and Millbrook Press, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 2003.


Eric Rohmann's book, "My Friend Rabbit," is about a mouse and a rabbit that are very good friends. Rabbit is the friend that is always getting into trouble, and mouse is the friend that always stands by Rabbit's side. In this story, Mouse lets Rabbit play with his new airplane, to which Rabbit gets the airplane stuck in a tree. Rabbit thinks he has the solution as he drags all the animals over to the tree and has them stand head to toe to reach the airplane. However, when the animals plunge to the ground, they are very unhappy with Rabbit. But, Mouse still loves Rabbit, and lets him fly away with him on his airplane.


Book Review by Crazyaboutchildrenslit:


In the book, "My Friend Rabbit," Eric Rohmann uses hand colored relief prints for the illustrations. I love the bold colors Rohmann uses in the illustrations to portray a joyful and energetic plot. Beyond coloring, I love Eric Rohmann's use of line in this story. He uses dotted and loopy lines to let the reader follow the airplanes path. I think children will love following the lines of the airplane's path.


I really enjoyed the use of line on the page with all the animals stacked up to reach the airplane. I think kids will enjoy turning the book to see how high the animals stretched up towards the tree.









The Three Pigs by David Wiesner
2002 Caldecott Medal Winner

The Three Pigs is a book by David Wiesner. Released by Clarion/Houghton Mifflin, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 2002, Wiesner's second of three honors.


The plot begins to follow the traditional story of the Three Little Pigs, but soon the three pigs are blown from the pages of the storybook. Wiesner said, on the backflap of the book, that this book was inspired by the pigs at the end of his previous Caldecott book, Tuesday.








So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George
2001 Caldecott Medal Recipient

So You Want to Be President? is the title of a 2000 book by Judith St. George. It featured a comprehensive guide to the Presidents of the United States. David Small won the 2001 Caldecott Medal for his illustrations of the book.


This book lists many facts about presidents, and some vice presidents including their occupation before office, education, and family.

Caldecott Medal Recipients from 1991 to 2000

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
2000 Caldecott Medal Winner

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is the title of a 1999 book by Simms Taback that won the 2000 Caldecott Medal. The main character is Joseph, a 40-something Jewish farmer, who has a little striped overcoat. When it is old, Joseph makes it into a little jacket and so on until he makes it into a button. Then Joseph loses the button and makes a story out of it. The moral of the story is "you can always make something out of nothing."


The story has die-cut illustrations consisting of watercolor and collage. Readers of the story say that Joseph greatly resembles Simms Taback.


Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is based on the Yiddish song I Had a Little Overcoat. Barbara Kiefer, chair of the Caldecott Award Committee, commented, "Vibrant rich colors, playful details, and skillfully-placed die cuts contribute to the books raucous merriment that takes this Yiddish folk song far beyond the simple words."









Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin / Mary Azarian - 1999 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Snowflake Bentley is a book written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrated by Mary Azarian. Released by Houghton Mifflin, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1999. The book is about Wilson Bentley, the first known photographer of snowflakes.


Review by R. D. Allison:


This children's book, illustrated by Mary Azarian, won the 1999 Caldecott Medal for best illustrations in a book for children. It is the story of Wilson A. Bentley (1865-1931) of Jericho, Vermont, who had a passion for studying snowflakes. Having developed a technique for photographing snowflakes, he spent years collecting and giving lectures in the midst of running his farm: a true farmer-scientist. He even wrote a text called Snow Crystals. He noted the six sidedness of most crystals and a few three-sided. One wonders what he would have said upon hearing that some researchers in the late 1990s had found two identical snowflakes since he had never been able to find two that were alike. This book is a celebration not only of the man but of our love and interest in the natural world. Children will enjoy this book with its magnificent woodcuts immensely.












Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky
1998 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Rapunzel is a book by Paul O. Zelinsky retelling the Brothers Grimm "Rapunzel" story. Released by Dutton Press, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1998.


Book Review by E. R. Bird


The winner of the Caldecott Medal, "Rapunzel" is one of the most lush and beautiful stories ever created for children. Carrying many of the distinctive Zelinsky elements (staggered perspectives, reoccurring background characters, gorgeous lighting, etc.) the book is a joy to look at. Each picture evokes the spirit of the Renaissance, from the first tableau (the husband and wife feeling her pregnant stomach in contentment) to the last (the loving family poses with the cherubim-like children). The text is a little more racy than your average children's picture book.


Zelinsky doesn't shy away from the fact that Rapunzel is pregnant when the witch learns of her illicit relations, though he does legitimize the girl's newfound glow with a hasty "marriage" of the prince to Rapunzel in her tower. Sans priest, no less. The book is also remarkable for the dramatic shift that occurs in the character of the witch. A scowling ghoul in one picture, she transforms into an almost nunlike character when receiving the little Rapunzel baby. One might well ask what happens to the witch after she casts Rapunzel and her prince into the desert, but Zelinsky doesn't feel this is worth discussing.


A perfect book for storytelling, as the pictures are colorful and easy to see from a distance. Would pair well with his other oil painted fairy tale "Rumplestiltskin".








Golem by David Wisniewski
1997 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Golem is a 1996 picture book written and illustrated by David Wisniewski. With illustrations made of cut-paper collages, it is Wisniewski's retelling of the Jewish folktale of the Golem, with real people, real places, and a lengthy one-page background at the end.


The story is set in year 1580 in Prague, and the Jews are being persecuted. Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the town rabbi, can think of nothing more than creating a being out of mud and bringing it to life, using the holy name of God, to protect them. Once the Golem stops the persecution, Rabbi Loew erases the letters on the Golem's head, making the Golem "sleep the dreamless sleep of clay". The ending is ambiguous, ending with the words: "But many say he could awaken. Perhaps when the desperate need for justice is united with holy purpose, Golem will come to life once more." This retelling is one of the few retellings in which the Golem has a name-it is Joseph.


Book Review by Ivy


Golem is a gorgeously illustrated, well-written, and educational tale, with deep connections to Jewish tradition and faith. However, the story is also very sad and distressing, especially for those who are impressionable or sensitive. I suggest that parents review this book carefully, looking through their children's eyes, before sharing it even with teenagers; likewise, I suggest they be prepared for some nearly unanswerable questions.


The book retells the legend of Rabbi Leow and the Golem he created from clay to protect the Jews of Prague during a time of danger for them. Anti-semitic factions within the city were spreading rumors that Passover matzoh was made with the blood of Christian children; this rumor, called the Blood Lie, led to attacks and abuses of the defenseless Jews. Already, the story is a deeply distressing one, too upsetting for the average child. It gets worse, though - the Golem, who calls Rabbi Leow 'Father,' protects and saves the Jews, and then begs the Rabbi not to kill him. Leow does anyway. While the message here is one about the wise use of power, it was mostly lost on our family, since at that point everyone was crying too hard to think at all.


There's no doubt that the book is well presented. It's beautiful, with cut-paper illustrations that seem to spring off the page. However, even these gorgeous pictures cast a pall; they are grim in tone and appearance, at times giving a hellish cast to a story that needed no further embroidering in that department. The novel medium - photographs of cut paper - and the success with which it is used do merit the Caldecott Medal.


However, unlike most Caldecott books, this one is not for casual or entertainment reading, nor is it for children. I can't emphasize this enough. I would never read this book with children younger than 12, or ones unfamiliar with Jewish history; even as it is, I more than half regret sharing it, despite its beauty, depth, and educational value. It provoked some painful questions (in particular, about the cruelty of all people, including Rabbi Leow) and left us all depressed.









Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
1996 Caldecott Medal Winner

Officer Buckle and Gloria is the name of the 1995 story and main characters of the story by Peggy Rathmann that won the 1996 Caldecott Medal. It talks about a police officer (Officer Buckle) getting a dog named Gloria. Until that time, whenever Officer Buckle tried to tell schools about safety everyone fell asleep.


Then, unbeknownst to Officer Buckle (literally, behind his back), Gloria does tricks to demonstrate safety rules, and Gloria is a big success. When Officer Buckle finds out that the schoolchildren are so enthusiastic because of Gloria, he refuses to teach safety and a huge accident happens. A letter from a sweet girl, named Claire, convinces Officer Buckle to start teaching again. In the end, Officer Buckle and Gloria go to many schools and teach the students about safety together.


Book Review by V. Cappel


Officer Buckle & Gloria is great children's book for all ages. It is about a police officer that gets ignored by the children while he is reciting some important safety rules. But when he retrieves a dog named Gloria things change for Officer Buckle. This book is written by Peggy Rathmann. The new 2001 first lady (Laura Bush loves this book as well. She loves to take this book to schools when she visits.


My favorite part in the book is when Gloria was imitating a safety rule while officer Buckle was telling the safety: SAFETY TIP # 99 DO NOT GO SWIMMING DURING ELECTRICAL STORMS.I also love the part when Gloria did a flip in air in a class room.


I would recommend this terrific children's book to any kid in K- 4 gr.. Part of the book might need to be read to kindergartners and maybe first graders. Second and forth graders would love to read this hilarious book. This book also teaches kids some very important safety rules as well.

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting
1995 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Smoky Night is a 1994 children's book by Eve Bunting. It tells the story of a Los Angeles riot and its aftermath: two people who previously disliked each other working together to find their cats. In the end, the cats teach their masters how to get along. 


The book made the list of One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century compiled by the Staff at the School Library Journal. They added the book to the list as paving the way towards the genre of serious picture books.


David Diaz's acrylic, collage-like illustrating of the tale earned the book the 1995 Caldecott Medal.


Book Review by K. Wilson


Smoky Night tells the story of a young boy and his mother living in one of the neighborhoods where the Los Angeles riots broke out in the early 1990s. As they watch the rioting from their window, the mother discusses candidly the details of what is happening with her son. When their apartment building catches on fire, they must evacuate and move to a shelter for the night. They are forced to interact with their neighbors who are of different races and they learn the importance of focusing on similarities instead of differences. 


This book gives a good overview of what life was like for a child at this moment in history. I would recommend it for ages 11 through 14. The complex issues the story brings up about prejudice and racism would be appropriate for children in this age group who are beginning to analyze moral issues.


The book should be used in a school setting. It would be appropriate to read the book as part of a discussion on racism or race riots. The paintings in the book were made in acrylics on Arches watercolor paper. The backgrounds, which are collages made up of objects related to the story, were created and photographed by the illustrator. The artwork is unique and fits the text perfectly. For example, when in the story the boy views people stealing cereal from the market, the background is a photograph of actual cereal, and when the boy views someone stealing clothes from the dry cleaners, the background is a photograph of clothing on hangers in plastic bags.






Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
1994 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Grandfather's Journey is a book by Allen Say. Released by Houghton Mifflin, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1994. The story is based on Say's grandfather's voyage from Japan to the United States and back again.


Book Review


Allen Say's book is a sensitive and poignant story of a Japanese man who came to explore America around the turn of the century. Enraptured by the beauty of the country, he brings his bride to California and proceeds to build his life there. At times, however, he grows wistful for his homeland and longs to return. Finally, the desire to return to to his homeland overcomes him and he goes back to the small village where he was born. The years pass, his children grow up and have children, and he begins to long for the beauty of his second home, so he plans a trip. A war errupts, however, and he is never able to revisit the United States.


Beautifully illustrated and sensitively told, Grandfather's Journey demonstrates the strong emotions evoked by one man's love for two countries and two cultures. The story also demonstrates that it is possible to love two countries equally well and to discover that as soon as you are in one, you long for the other. The book also presents a refreshing retelling of Japanese-American relations. The book raises an awareness of the immigrant experience in a tone that is both simple and subtle.








Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully - 1993 Caldecott Medal Winner

Mirette on the High Wire is a children's book by Emily Arnold McCully, which won the Caldecott Medal in 1993.


Mirette lives in a boardinghouse in France. One day her life is changed by a man named Bellini, a famous tightrope walker, who teaches Mirette how to walk on a tightrope.


Book Review by Charles Ashbacher


Confidence in yourself is everything when your occupation is a dangerous one. Generally, once you lose it, getting it back is impossible. In this book, a retired tightrope walker named Bellini has lost his courage and is staying at a boarding house. Mirette is a young girl who works at the boarding house and she watches him walk on a rope that is only a few feet off the ground. She begs him to teach her how to walk the tightrope, but Bellini refuses. Not to be denied, she learns on her own and so he agrees to teach her. They become friends and she learns of his incredible feats. When she asks him why he retired, he tells her of his lost courage. Bellini is eventually persuaded to walk again but his courage fails after he begins. Mirette then comes to his aid, showing him that he can still perform as the Great Bellini.


The theme of this book is an important one for children. Even talented people can lose their confidence and everyone suffers from an occasional lack of confidence. Children, with their zest for life and irrepressible optimism can often be the catalyst for recovery and Mirette proves to be a courageous girl who also exhibits an intense desire to succeed. It is easy to see why this book received awards for excellence.

Tuesday by David Wiesner
1992 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Tuesday is a book by David Wiesner. Released by Clarion Books, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1992.


The story, told in detailed illustrations with only a few captions, concerns frogs who mysteriously rise out of their pond on floating lily pads as the sun sets on a Tuesday evening. The flying frogs invade a nearby village and have a number of encounters with the startled residents before dawn arrives.


The book was later adapted into a short animated film in 2000, and was directed by Geoff Dunbar and produced by Paul McCartney. It was included as part of The Paul McCartney Animation Collection DVD in 2004.


Book Review by Kathy Baldauf


The richly hued and elaborately detailed watercolor illustrations by David Wiesner effectively serve the dual purpose of being the main vehicle for the story, and captivating and entertaining the reader with humorous vignettes. Tuesday is a fanciful story about the mischief that occurs one Tuesday night when frogs get an unexpected surprise as they discover the ability to float in the air on their lily pads.


This sturdy hardcover edition doesn't even contain as many words as the number of double-page illustrations that Wiesner uses to tell his tale. The story begins before the title page with three illustrations set in panels separated and framed by white space, giving it the feel of a graphic novel. Wiesner continues to use graphic novel-like panels to tell the story, occasionally giving the reader a close-up view of the action with a picture-in-picture effect.


The tranquility and realism of Wiesner's rural, small town backgrounds makes the spectacle of flying frogs, and the mischief they make, particularly humorous. Wiesner is very careful in his use of color to indicate the passage of time, a technique that is especially important when the text consists primarily of infrequent updates on the time-of-day.


Although some adult readers may be uncomfortable with the lack of text in this story, the whimsical details of the illustrations could inspire some imaginative conversation about what's happening on each page. The pre-reader will have ample opportunity to interact with this story by explaining what they see in the illustrations. This book is recommended for ages 2 - 6.

Black and White by David Macaulay
1991 Caldecott Medal Winner

Black and White is a book by David Macaulay. Released by Houghton Mifflin, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1991. The book contains four different illustrated stories told at once, two on the left hand page and two on the right. Each story has a distinct artistic style; however, they all share similar characters, themes and plot elements leading the reader to believe that the four stories may or may not be one story told from different points of view. The overall effect is rather similar to that of the film Rashomon.


Book Review by E. R. Bird


I enjoyed this book. Not knowing what to expect, my husband and I read each of the four stories individually. After finishing one we'd start over and begin with another. Macauley should be lauded for the different modes of art he employs, if nothing else. The watercolor illustrations of a boy on a train differ nicely from the pen and ink drawings of the two kids and their crazy parents. Most enjoyable, perhaps, is the series of train station commuters, waiting for the train and slowly going mad.


Kids will enjoy following the escaped criminal (complete with black mask and black & white striped shirt) as he runs from story to story throughout the book. This would not read especially well to a large group of children, seeing as how the pictures are particularly small and difficult to follow from a distance. Also some of these stories lack words altogether. But individual children will enjoy finding new and different details in each of the four tales. Altogether, a fascinating book.

Caldecott Medal Recipients from 1980 - 1990

Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story by Ed Young - 1990 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China is a book by Ed Young. Released by Philomel, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1990.


Book Review by Laura Harmon


Lon Po Po is an adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood from China. In Young's version the mother leaves her three children for the day, Shang, Tao, and Paotze, to visit their grandmother on her birthday. While the mother is gone a wolf, dressed as their grandmother, Po Po, comes to try to eat them. The oldest daughter Shang is clever and outsmarts the wolf. The relevance of this folk tale to the article Strong Women in Appalachian Folktales is the importance of the female protagonist.


A female protagonist in a folktale is a rarity. Male protagonists over shadow females in twentieth century tales. Shang is the female protagonist in Lon Po Po. Not only does she defeat the wolf but she outsmarts him as well. It is important that she is portrayed as the clever heroin so that contemporary children have more positive role models than the heroines in the best-known traditional fairytales (225). In Lon Po Po, the wolf does not fool Shang as little red riding hood was in the European tale. Shang realizes from the start that the wolf is trying to trick her. When she asks the wolf about his fur and his claws she is simultaneously planning a way to get rid of him. Appalachian folktales are tales that were adapted in America. Many made the female protagonist stronger than the previous European version. Ed Young readapted the tale of little red riding hood in the same way. In the original European version the wolf eats the grandmother. There are no women in this Chinese rendition that fall victim to the wolf.


Folktales inevitably change when retold by another culture. However, there are some similarities in the way that Appalachian folktales and Chinese folktales changed. They both highlight the strengths of female characters and give them an even bigger role than their original one.

Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman
1989 Caldecott Medal Winner

Song and Dance Man is the title of a 1988 book by Karen Ackerman and illustrated by Stephen Gammell. It won the 1989 Caldecott Medal. The plot deals with a grandfather who tells his grandchildren about his adventures on the stage.


Book Review


This delightful book written by Karen Ackerman depicts a fun and loving relationship between a grandfather and his grandchildren. The children are delighted with their grandfather's antics and his tales of a time long ago when he was young, dancing on the vaudeville stage. The book depicts the grandfather as an energetic and vivacious elderly person and a joy for his grandchildren. Young children will love the vibrant and colorful llustrations by Stephen Gammell which add a sense of excitement and reality to the story.


Note to teachers: This book can be used in a unit pertaining to family and would be an excellent source for teaching another area of diversity, the elderly.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
1988 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Owl Moon is a 1987 children's picture book by Jane Yolen, illustrated by John Schoenherr. The book won many awards, most notably being the Caldecott Medal for its illustrations, and has appeared on the show Reading Rainbow. Owl Moon has been translated into more than a dozen foreign languages, including French, German, Chinese, and Korean. A song by Bruce O'Brien is about this book.


Yolen described the book as, "a positive family story. It's about a girl and her father. Usually stories of a little girl are with her mother. It is gentle yet adventurous, quiet yet full of sound".


Book Review by Kristen Arnold


Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen, is a wonderfully told story. It is a perfect story to read aloud and share with children at bedtime. John Schoenherr tells the story through pictures beautifully. They could almost exist alone. Children will love this heartwarming story about a very special night.


The story is about a little girl and her fathering going owling one winter night. In search of the magnificent and elusive owl, they have to be silent and brave going deep into the dark and scary woods. The story says that words are not important when you go owling, you only need hope. This story depicts the special relationship of a child with her father.


This story reflects a theme that children will understand. Nearly every child has something that they share with their father. In this story their was no conversation between the father and daughter, but it was still a special moment in time that the two will cherish forever. This story will show to children that it is not the words that make a special memory, but it is being together that makes it so special.


The illustrations are truly exquisite. They are done in watercolor and they capture every detail of their journey. He uses space to convey a silent mood and to show the greatness and bigness of the woods. They add a important element to the story.


Owl Moon is a wonderful story, well deserving of the caldecott award. It will be enjoyed by the young and old alike.

Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks
1987 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Hey, Al is a book written by Arthur Yorinks and illustrated by Richard Egielski. Released by Farrar Press, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1987.


Book Review


"Paradise lost is sometimes heaven found" is the closing line in Hey, Al, a wonderful book that has a timeless moral for both kids and adults. Al is a janitor who is not happy with how is life is going. He lives in a room with his dog, Eddie, who is also not happy with his situation. One day a bird appears at the window promising to bring them to a better place, "no worries, no cares". Of course, something that sounds that good probably isn't.


This book is definitely an entertaining story. The pictures are colorful and very detailed. Kids will love looking at them and pointing out all the different birds and laugh at the silly transformation that Al and Eddie go through. I think they will also get the story, that what you have is usually better than what you lust for. Everyone, at some point in their life, dreams about something better. This book is a great reality check for us, giving a serious message in a kid's book.

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
1986 Caldecott Medal Winner

The Polar Express is a 1985 children's book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, a former professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. It was adapted as a Oscar-nominated motion-capture film in 2004.


The book is now widely considered to be a classic Christmas story for young children. It was praised for its detailed illustrations and calm, relaxing storyline. In 1986, it was awarded the Caldecott Medal for children's literature. The book is set partially in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the author's home town. It is published in both soft and hard-copies.


Book Review


"On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound -- a sound a friend had told me I'd never hear ...." And so begins one the of the most beautiful stories of all time. Although I am now a senior in college, The Polar Express has remained the most valued and cherished book in my ever-expanding library. A childhood Christmas gift, Chris Van Allsburg's timeless masterpiece has become a fixture at our family gatherings each and every holiday season. Every member of the family, from the youngest to the oldest, appreciates it's simple but elegant story-telling style illustrated by the soft and soothing silhouettes of Van Allsburg's full-color art.


The Polar Express is the story of a young boy and his magical journey aboard a mythical train to the North Pole. The reader is taken along this incredible ride and rediscovers the true joy and pure spirit of a child at Christmas. Van Allsburg's beautiful illustrations become as important to the story as the words themselves. These life-like pictures encourage children of ALL ages to explore their own imaginations and to become active participants in the young boy's journey. In the end, the young boy has grown into an old man, but the spirit of Christmas still rings for him, "... as it does for all who truly believe." I hope you enjoy this book half as much as I do.

Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges - 1985 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Saint George and the Dragon is a book written by Margaret Hodges and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. Released by Little, Brown, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1985.


Book Review by Jack


My mom found this book at the bookstore and was enchanted by the incredibly detailed, illuminating illustrations. Being a fan of fantasy stories, she skimmed it in the bookstore and as Grammy was on a buying spree for her only grandchild, this book also was purchased.


Surprisingly for mom, I loved this book! I'm fascinated by the story, particularly the lamb and dwarf carrying food and the dragon's injured tail. I will sit quietly as it is read aloud, though I occasionally ask where the dragon is during the slow beginning. I am not alarmed by the violence (perhaps due to not understanding it fully?) though I clearly recognize that George "cut off his tail," and have suggested bandaids for it. I do get a little bored with all the marriage talk at the end, though.


Mom recommends this book, with the caveat that it is a little wordy for young readers and though trying to stay true to the story while keeping it brief, does not capture as much of the motivation/emotion behind the actions. In addition, there are some passages that could have been written with more fluid language that is just as or more vivid. Tired mom has tripped over some passages before.


She has now read this book at least daily for the past week and a half and is in search of other dragon books, hopefully with dragons on every page.

The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Blériot by Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen - 1984 Caldecott Medal Recipient

The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Blériot is a book by Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen. Released by Viking Press, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1984.


Book Review


As others have noted, it IS a quiet book, but my children (3rd grade, 2nd grade, and pre-K) enjoyed it very much (although my 3rd grader, looking over my shoulder, said it was just 3 stars because he isn't that interested in planes - ahem).


Anyway, I used this book as part of a short aviation unit study this summer after we came back from Nags Head - we studied the Wright Brothers, Amelia Earhart, and Louis Bleriot.


I absolutely love the illustrations in this book, the author uses a fairly muted palate, and we used butcher paper, various brown paints, and white paint applied with sponges and cotton balls to make our own plane-lost-in-the-clouds picture.


We also used the book to discuss persistence & passion (the Wright Brothers made 3 trips to Kitty Hawk before they were successful, but Louis Bleriot had - if memory serves me correctly, which admittedly it hasn't been doing lately - 8 or 9 "failures" before he was successful building his plane). We also discussed France, being an inventor, the English Channel & the Chunnel, and Roman Numbers.


I think the beautiful illustrations, combined with the book's encouraging and REAL LIFE message of learning from your mistakes and not giving up when you are trying to achieve your dreams, makes this book a worthwhile addition to any child's library. As the mother of a somewhat perfectionist daughter, I can't have too many books like this on my bookshelf.

Shadow by Marcia Brown
1983 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Shadow is a translation of the poem La Féticheuse by French writer Blaise Cendrars. The book was released by Scribner and illustrated by Marcia Brown. It was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1983, Brown's third honor.


Book Review by B. Ackley


In (...) I used to look at the large posters displayed in the school library showing the various Newberry and Caldecott Award winners. On the Caldecott poster the small picture of Marcia Brown's "shadow" always stood out from the other books. When we were asked to check out a book I was always dismayed to discover that "Shadow" was not available in our library. Having finally read it some 13+ years later the bold use of color and and word play make it as appealing now as it did on a poster in elementary school.


Marcia Brown has translated the poem from the french language and has used an African theme to illustrate some of the literal and more abstract ideas regarding shadows. Through the words and pictures we see the playfulness and darker aspects of shadows. The pictures are so fantastic and rich, truly a great way to introduce African culture to younger audiences.


I agree with other reviews that the illustrations of this book do have at times a darker, ominous look to them. While the illustrations brilliantly complement the text some younger children could be frightened by them. As with any book, preview the book first to make sure it is appropriate for your child.


Overall I was very impressed with "Shadow", the cover alone still a vivid memory from those days of staring at that Caldecott poster in (...). A beautiful picture book and one that truly deserves a proper look.

Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
1982 Caldecott Medal Winner

Jumanji is the title of a 1981 children's illustrated short story and fantasy story written and illustrated by the American author Chris Van Allsburg. It was made into a 1995 film of the same name. Both the book and the movie are about a magical board game that implements real animals and other jungle elements as the players are playing the game. The troubles which the players have to overcome appear in real life, not only in the board game. "Jumanji" is a combination of "jungle" and "magic".


Fritz, a bull terrier in all of Chris Van Allsburg's books, appears as a toy dog on wheels in the third illustration.


Book Review by Nadia


Jumanji is a great book! I am 23 years old now and I still remember the day my 2nd grade teacher read Jumanji to my class. I was hanging on her every word and the illustrations were absolutley amazing. This was in the year 1987 and up to that point I had never seen pictures so vividly and immaculately rendered. Jumanji was unlike any other book that I had read because it was fun, exciting, adventurous, and also eerie which added to the intrigue. I was very disappointed by the movie interpretation of it, because it's nothing like the real thing.

Fables by Arnold Lobel

1981 Caldecott Medal Recipient

Fables is a book by Arnold Lobel. Released by Harper Collins, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1981. Fables takes stories using animals and organizes them from A to Z.

Book Review by Stacey Lynn


Fables is a collection of fables that the author made up himself. They aren't the traditional fables of the world, but they still all contain a moral lesson. Each story is about animal characters, which makes the stories very enchanting.


Each story is very short and is contained within the borders of one page each. This is a good quality for a short story book because a story can be told in a very short amount of time. The whole book does not have to be read in order for the reader to benefit from it. The meaning of every story is stated at the bottom of every page. This is an advantage to the reader because they do not have to read the entire story to figure out if they want to read that particular fable.


Each fable is accompanied by its own colorful illustration. The illustrations are large and cover the entire page opposite the fable that it belongs to. Some of the illustrations are rather humorous and get the reader's attention before they even begin reading the story.
This would be a good book to have in a younger aged classroom. The stories are short so the reader is not bogged down by a long drawn out story. They are also humorous and are sure to get a laugh out of any youngster.

Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall and Barbara Cooney - 1980 Caldecott Medal Winner

Ox-Cart Man is the title of a 1979 book written by Donald Hall and illustrated by Barbara Cooney. It won the 1980 Caldecott Medal. The book deals with an 18th century farming family that uses an ox-cart to take their goods to market, where they make the money to buy the things they need.


Ox-Cart Man was originally published in an October 3, 1977 edition of The New Yorker as a Donald Hall poem. Hall revised the poem greatly to create the children's book and chose Barbara Cooney for its illustrations (Cooney was the illustrator of another Caldecott Medal-winning book, Chanticleer and the Fox.) The poem and book are cyclical.


This book was featured on a Season 2 episode of Reading Rainbow.


Book Review by SKC Teacher


The journey of a settler who packs up his cart with surplus that was grown, handmade, and raised on a farm in historical New England. The story takes the reader through what a family has to do to survive during this time period and what each part the family had in that survival. From a historical perspective an awesome book. With the love of history that I have on a personal note this story gives me clues to my own ancestors survival needs. I have two copies of this book one at home and one in my classroom. 


Very detailed illustrations, very accurate information on the settler's way of life and need for trading or selling off goods that the family helped make. The portrayal of the family with no electricity and providing their own means of survival. The story tells us that the farmer travelled ten days to reach the village of Portsmouth. I would've like to know which direction he came from, whether he had to travel from the south, the north or the west of the village. I would've also like to have know what he saw and who he might have met along the way.


Classroom Activities I do with this book:


Math - Seasons, Sequencing, Money, Trading/Selling, Time Art - Draw the seasons, quilts, weaving, looms, broom making, Science - Make candles, grow a potato from a seed, make maple sugar.


Social Studies - 13 Colonies, Mapping Skills, Clothing, Occupations, Cooking


Reading - Write a sequel or pre-story to this book, illustrate one aspect of story or write about who he might have met along the way and which direction he came from.