The Caldecott Medal

Cheryl YouseColquitt County High School

• What is the Caldecott Medal?

• The Caldecott is given out each year by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

• The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of English illustrator Randolph Caldecott who lived in the 1800’s. This is a book he wrote called “John Gilpin’s Ride.” The medal looks like the pictures from this book.

• In 1937, Rene’ Paul Chambellan designed the Caldecott Medal. It is a bronze medal with the winner’s name and the date engraved on the back.

• Fifteen Librarians who work with children’s books are chosen to be on the Caldecott committee. They read hundreds and hundreds of books so they can decided which one is the best!

picture book:   a book consisting mainly or entirely of pictures, esp. one for children who have not yet learned to read.

True picture books are books in which the pictures help tell the story : the pictures are needed to understand the story

• The first Caldecott Medal was presented in 1938 to Dorothy Lathrop for her book, Animals of the Bible: A Picture Book.

• Medium: black and white lithographs

(Medium means what kind of artwork/how the artwork was made)

2016 Caldecott Winner

• Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear Author: Lindsay Mattick

• Illustrator: by Sophie Blackall

• Medium: Chinese Ink and Watercolor

2015 Caldecott Winner

Author and Illustrator: Dan Santat

Medium: Mixed Media

2014 Caldecott Winner

Author and Illustrator: Brian Floca

Medium: Watercolor

2013 Caldecott Winner

Author and Illustrator: Jon Klassen

Medium: Digital Drawing, Coloring, Watercolor

2012 Caldecott Winner

• Author and Illustrator: Chris Raschka

• Medium: Watercolor

2011 Caldecott Winner

• Author: Philip C. Stead

• Illustrator: Erin E. Stead

• Medium: Pencil, woodblock prints

2010 Caldecott Winner (The Lion and the Mouse)

• Author: Jerry Pinkney

• Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney

• Medium: Watercolor

• (wordless)

2009 Caldecott Winner

• Author: Susan Marie Swanson

• Illustrator: Beth Krommes

• Medium: Scratchboard art

2008 Caldecott Winner• Author: Brian Selznick• Illustrator: Brian Selznick• Medium: Pencil drawings

2007 Caldecott Winner• Author: David Wiesner• Illustrator: David Wiesner• Medium: Watercolor• (wordless)

2006 Caldecott Winner• Author: Norman Juster• Illustrator: Chris

Raschka• Medium: Watercolor

2005 Caldecott Winner

• Author: Kevin Henkes

• Illustrator: Kevin Henkes

• Medium: Gouache (method of painting), colored pencil

2004 Caldecott Winner• Author: Mordecai Gerstein• Illustrator: Mordecai

Gerstein• Medium: Ink and oil

paintings

2003 Caldecott Winner• Author: Eric Rohman• Illustrator: Eric Rohman• Medium: Colored prints

2002 Caldecott Winner• Author: David Wiesner• Illustrator: David Wiesner• Medium: Watercolor

2001 Caldecott Winner• Author: Judith St. George• Illustrator: David Small• Medium: Watercolor, pen and ink, pastel

2000 Caldecott Winner• Author: Sims Taback• Illustrator: Sims Taback• Medium: gouache, watercolor, collage,

pencil, and ink as well as die cutting

1999 Caldecott Winner

• Author: Jacqueline Briggs Martin

• Illustrator: Mary Azarian

• Medium: Woodcut, watercolor

1998 Caldecott Winner

• Author: Paul O. Zelinsky

• Illustrator: O. Paul Zelinsky

• Medium: watercolor, acrylic, oil paint

1997 Caldecott Winner• Author: David

Wisniewski• Illustrator: David

Wisniewski• Medium: Papercut

collage

1996 Caldecott Winner• Author: Peggy

Rathman• Illustrator: Peggy

Rathman• Medium: Watercolor

1995 Caldecott Winner

• Author: Eve Bunting

• Illustrator: David Diaz

• Medium: Collage

Some books each year were called “runners-up”. In 1971, that term was changed to “honor books”.

These medals look like the award except they are silver instead of bronze.

Honor books have great pictures too!

“Interrupting Chicken”, written by Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrated by David Ezra Stein, was an honor book in 2011.

“All the World”, written by Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Marla Frazee, was an honor book in 2010.

“How I Learned Geography”, written by Uri Shulevitz, was an honor book in 2009.

“Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad”, written by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, was an honor book in 2008.

“Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet”, by David McLimans, was an honor book in 2007.

“Hot Air: The Mostly True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride ”, by Marjorie Priceman, was an honor book in 2006.

“The Red Book”, by Barbara Lehman, was an honor book in 2005.

“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” by Mo Willems was an Honor book in 2004.

“The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins” was an Honor book in 2002.

What book will win this year?

• The Caldecott has been presented every year since 1938

Books which have won the Caldecott Medal or an honor medal use pictures to help tell the story, and the pictures are really good!

Look for a Caldecott today.

Bibliography/Sources •Amazon.com, book images.

•Allen County Indiana Public Library, 2007 Mock Caldecott Election

•American Library Association Caldecott Awards.

•Caldecott Winner and Honor Books 1938-2005.

•Huck, Charlotte S. Children’s Literature in the Elementary School. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2001.•In the Artist's Studio by Paul O. Zelinsky.