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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Caldecott Medal - A Prestigious Children's Book Award

by Karen Gallagher


image source: wikipedia

If you see a golden, circular emblem on a children's book, then chances are you are looking at a title that has received the highly-esteemed Caldecott Medal. While teachers, librarians, and experts in children's literature recognize the prestige associated with the Caldecott Medal, others may not truly appreciate this highly regarded, much coveted award.

These facts about the Caldecott Medal will provide a little insight into one of the most important awards given to a children's book:

• The Caldecott Medal was named after a nineteenth century English illustrator named Ralph Caldecott.

• The Caldecott Medal is awarded once a year by the Association for Library Service to Children, part of the American Library Association.

• The Caldecott Medal is given to the artist of the most distinguished picture book for children.

• The artist must be an American citizen or resident.

• Only one Caldecott Medal is awarded annually and it receives the gold medal.

• There are usually a few runners-up in a given year that are granted Caldecott Honor status and receive the silver medal.

When a committee reviews books for consideration of the Caldecott Medal, the members consider both the artistic technique and the pictorial interpretation of the plot. Keep in mind that the Caldecott Medal is not based on the written text, but the actual artistic rendering of the story.

The next opportunity you have to read a Caldecott Medal book with a child, take a few moments to really appreciate the artistic work. You might even ask your child to tell you the story by looking at the pictures alone. In doing so, you will both slow down and enjoy the work of art that should have a permanent spot on your child's bookshelf.

Caldecott Medal Winners, 1938 - Present

2008:The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

2007: Flotsam by David Wiesner

2006: The Hello, Goodbye Window Illustrated by Chris Raschka, written by Norton Juster

2005: Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

2004: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

2003: My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

2002: The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

2001: So You Want to Be President? Illustrated by David Small; text by Judith St. George

2000: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

1999: Snowflake Bentley, Illustrated by Mary Azarian; text by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

1998: Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky

1997: Golem by David Wisniewski

1996: Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann

1995: Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz; text: Eve Bunting

1994: Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say; text: edited by Walter Lorraine

1993: Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully

1992: Tuesday by David Wiesner

1991: Black and White by David Macaulay

1990: Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young

1989: Song and Dance Man, illustrated by Stephen Gammell; text: Karen Ackerman

1988: Owl Moon, illustrated by John Schoenherr; text: Jane Yolen

1987: Hey, Al, illustrated by Richard Egielski; text: Arthur Yorinks

1986: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

1985: Saint George and the Dragon, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman; text: retold by Margaret Hodges

1984: The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot by Alice & Martin Provensen

1983: Shadow, translated and illustrated by Marcia Brown; original text in French: Blaise Cendrars

1982: Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

1981: Fables by Arnold Lobel

1980: Ox-Cart Man, illustrated by Barbara Cooney; text: Donald Hall

1979: The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble

1978: Noah's Ark by Peter Spier

1977: Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; text: Margaret Musgrove

1976: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; text: retold by Verna Aardema

1975: Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott

1974: Duffy and the Devil, illustrated by Margot Zemach; retold by Harve Zemach

1973: The Funny Little Woman, illustrated by Blair Lent; text: retold by Arlene Mosel

1972: One Fine Day, retold and illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian

1971: A Story A Story, retold and illustrated by Gail E. Haley

1970: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

1969: The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, illustrated by Uri Shulevitz; text: retold by Arthur Ransome

1968: Drummer Hoff, illustrated by Ed Emberley; text: adapted by Barbara Emberley

1967: Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness

1966: Always Room for One More, illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian; text: Sorche Nic Leodhas, pseud. [Leclair Alger]

1965: May I Bring a Friend? illustrated by Beni Montresor; text: Beatrice Schenk de Regniers

1964: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

1963: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

1962: Once a Mouse, retold and illustrated by Marcia Brown

1961: Baboushka and the Three Kings, illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov; text: Ruth Robbins

1960: Nine Days to Christmas, illustrated by Marie Hall Ets; text: Marie Hall Ets and Aurora Labastida

1959: Chanticleer and the Fox, illustrated by Barbara Cooney; text: adapted from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales by Barbara Cooney

1958: Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey

1957: A Tree Is Nice, illustrated by Marc Simont; text: Janice Udry

1956: Frog Went A-Courtin', illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky; text: retold by John Langstaff)

1955: Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper, illustrated by Marcia Brown; text: translated from Charles Perrault by Marcia Brown

1954: Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans

1953: The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward

1952: Finders Keepers, illustrated by Nicolas, pseud. (Nicholas Mordvinoff); text: Will, pseud. [William Lipkind]

1951: The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous

1950: Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi

1949: The Big Snow by Berta & Elmer Hader

1948: White Snow, Bright Snow, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin; text: Alvin Tresselt

1947: The Little Island, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard; text: Golden MacDonald, pseud. [Margaret Wise Brown]

1946: The Rooster Crows by Maud & Miska Petersham

1945: Prayer for a Child, illustrated by Elizabeth Orton Jones; text: Rachel Field

1944: Many Moons, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin; text: James Thurber

1943: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

1942: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

1941: They Were Strong and Good, by Robert Lawson

1940: Abraham Lincoln by Ingri & Edgar Parin d'Aulaire

1939: Mei Li by Thomas Handforth

1938: Animals of the Bible, A Picture Book, illustrated by Dorothy P. Lathrop; text: selected by Helen Dean Fish

Karen is the owner of The Lollipop Book Club, a company specializing in monthly gifts of books for children. A book arrives each month with a handcrafted lollipop and a personal note from the gift-giver. It is the perfect gift for children's birthdays and holidays. http://www.lollipopbookclub.com

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