The Caldecott Medal

1. The Caldecott Medal Cheryl Youse Colquitt County High School

2. What is the Caldecott Medal?

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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!

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 2006 Caldecott Winner • Author: Norman Juster • Illustrator: Chris Raschka • Medium: Watercolor

10. 2005 Caldecott Winner • Author: Kevin Henkes • Illustrator: Kevin Henkes • Medium: Gouache (method of painting), colored pencil

11. 2004 Caldecott Winner • Author: Mordecai Gerstein • Illustrator: Mordecai Gerstein • Medium: Ink and oil paintings

12. 2003 Caldecott Winner • Author: Eric Rohman • Illustrator: Eric Rohman • Medium: Colored prints

13. 2002 Caldecott Winner • Author: David Wiesner • Illustrator: David Wiesner • Medium: Watercolor

14. 2001 Caldecott Winner • Author: Judith St. George • Illustrator: David Small • Medium: Watercolor, pen and ink, pastel

15. 2000 Caldecott Winner • Author: Sims Taback • Illustrator: Sims Taback • Medium: gouache, watercolor, collage, pencil, and ink as well as die cutting

16. 1999 Caldecott Winner • Author: Jacqueline Briggs Martin • Illustrator: Mary Azarian • Medium: Woodcut, watercolor

17. 1998 Caldecott Winner • Author: Paul O. Zelinsky • Illustrator: O. Paul Zelinsky • Medium: watercolor, acrylic, oil paint

18. 1997 Caldecott Winner • Author: David Wisniewski • Illustrator: David Wisniewski • Medium: Papercut collage

19. 1996 Caldecott Winner • Author: Peggy Rathman • Illustrator: Peggy Rathman • Medium: Watercolor

20. 1995 Caldecott Winner • Author: Eve Bunting • Illustrator: David Diaz • Medium: Collage

21. 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!

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

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

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

25. What book will win this year? • The Caldecott has been presented every year since 1938

26. 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.

27. 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.