Caldecott Award Winning Literature

1. Caldecott Award Winning Literature By: Kimberlee Vogel

2. 2008 Medal Winner The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick When Hugo's father, a clockmaker, is killed in a fire, he's taken in by his uncle. They live together in a hidden room inside the walls of the Paris train station, where it's his job to maintain the station clocks -- until one night he disappears. Now Hugo is alone, still living inside the station walls, stealing to survive, and still maintaining the clocks so no one will know his uncle is gone. Hugo also works on an automaton, a mechanical man, that his father was trying to restore. He steals parts from a toyshop in the station. When he is caught, the mean store owner takes away his father's notebook and threatens him with arrest. But the old man's hidden past and Hugo's are intertwined, and the secret message hidden in the automaton's workings is only the beginning. Ages 8 and up

3. 2007 Medal Winner Flotsam byDavid Wiesner While digging for crabs, a wave sweeps the boy off his feet and deposits an underwater camera on the sand in front of him. After he recovers, he has the film developed and is captivated by what he finds. Ultimately, he tosses the camera back into the sea, where it's carried away by various creatures until it again washes ashore for a new child to find. Ages 4 and up

4. 2006 Medal Winner The Hello, Goodbye Window illustrated by Chris Raschka written by  Norton Juster A little girl recounts visits to her grandparents' house, which always begin and end with a stop at the Hello, Goodbye Window in their kitchen. Ages 2 and up

5. 2005 Medal Winner Kitten's First Full Moon  illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes Sitting on the stairs, little Kitten sees what she takes to be a small bowl of milk in the night sky, but try as she might, she cannot get to it. She reaches and chases the bowl, but it always eludes her. Climbing up a tree, she sees below what she thinks is an even bigger bowl of milk. Of course, it is the moon and she gets soaking wet when she jumps into its reflection on the water. A real bowl of milk left for her on the porch gives the story a happy ending. Ages 3 and up

6. 2004 Medal Winner The Man Who Walked Between the Towers illustrated and written by Mordicai Gerstein Based on the true story of Philippe Petit, a French street performer living in New York City who specialized in tight rope walking, the events occurred in 1974. Petit decided that he wanted to walk from one of the towers of the World Trade Center to the other. Ages 4 and up

7. 2003 Medal Winner My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann Though he means well, Rabbit's exuberance gets him into trouble at times. Still, his friend Mouse lets him fly his toy plane, which of course ends up in a tree. Rabbit's inventive solution to get the plane down doesn't exactly work ... but wait, not to worry, he has a new idea. Ages 3 and up

8. 2002 Medal Winner The Three Pigs by David Wiesner In this revisitation of the Three Little Pigs, the pigs escape the storyline when the wolf blows down their houses. They visit other fairytale stories and eventually bring their friends home to live in their still-standing brick house. Ages 4 and up

9. 2001 Medal Winner So You Want to Be President? Illustrated by David Small text by Judith St. George This witty and sometimes irreverent book introduces the Presidency and the men who have filled that office, from George Washington to George W. Bush. The book is not organized chronologically. Instead the Presidents are grouped and compared in original and amusing ways. One page organizes the Presidents by first names: your best chance at the Presidency is to be named James! Other pages compare Presidents by physical size, spending habits, previous occupations, leisurepursuits and marital status. The comparisons show the Presidents as real, sometimes flawed, human beings. Ages 6-12

10. 2000 Medal Winner Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback Poor Joseph! His beloved overcoat is old and worn. Clever Joseph! He continues to find ways to ingeniously reinvent his tattered attire. Although Joseph's clothing is patched and worn, the cheerful, vibrant illustrations reveal the true riches in this Yiddish farmer's life. Ages 4 and up

11. 1999 Medal Winner Snowflake BentleyIllustrated by Mary Azarian text by Jacqueline Briggs Martin Everyone believes that no two snowflakes are alike. Why? Because Wilson Bentley spent his life photographing over 6,000 of them, and never found a match. From an early age, Bentley was fascinated by snow and wanted to share its beauty. Jacqueline Briggs Martin's eloquent text and Mary Azarian's colorful woodcuts illustrate his life and convey his enthusiasm for snow. Ages 4 and up

12. 1998 Medal Winner Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky A pregnant woman craves the leafy rapunzel growing in a sorceress's garden. When her husband sneaks into the garden to steal some, the sorceress catches him, and she makes him promise to give his first-born child to her. The sorceress raises infant Rapunzel, and, when the girl turns twelve, imprisons her in a tower. The only way to enter or exit the tower is to climb Rapunzel's long hair, and one day a prince discovers the secret. He climbs, they meet, they marry. When the sorceress learns that Rapunzel is pregnant, she chops off Rapunzel's hair in a rage and banishes her to the wilderness. The next time the prince climbs the tower to his bride, he finds only the sorceress, who tells him he'll never see his wife again. Grief-stricken, he crashes to the ground and is blinded by thorns. A year later, chance reunites him with Rapunzel. Her tears of joy restore his vision. At last they can live happily ever after. Ages 4 and up

13. 1997 Medal Winner Golem by David Wisniewski To combat the persecution of the Jews in Prague, the chief rabbi creates a powerful giant of clay (the Golem). The Golem looks on him as a father, and does all he can to help the Jews fight their enemies. End notes develop the legend further and tell the history of the persecution and repression of Jews. Ages 8 and up

14. 1996 Medal Winner Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann The students at Napville School snooze through Officer Buckle's safety speeches until his new police dog, Gloria, joins the act. Gloria's acting talents suddenly make Officer Buckle the talk of the town. This zany book, illustrated in vibrant color, tickles funny bones while teaching gentle lessons about safety and teamwork. Ages 4 and up

15. 1995 Medal Winner Smoky Night illustrated by David Diaz text: Eve Bunting Is based on the Los Angeles riots. It is told by a little boy home alone with his mother and his cat. His mother tries to explain why people riot and she tries to protect her son from what is going on outside. During the night someone sets their apartment on fire and they have to evacuate. Everyone leaves the building safely, but they cannot find the little boy’s cat. He is upset when they go to the shelter. He is afraid he will never see his cat again. He is thankful and relieved when a fire fighter walks into the shelter carrying his cat and the cat belonging to Mrs. Kim, his neighbor. Ages 6 and up

16. 1994 Medal Winner Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say text: edited by Walter Lorraine This is the story of a Japanese immigrant's journey to America. Allen Say's (author) grandfather came to this country as a young man. The grandfather traveled all over America and saw the mountains, prairies, deserts, and cities. But, he settled in California because he liked it the best. California had mountains, sun, and a seacoast which reminded him of his home in Japan. He returned to Japan to marry and then brought his bride to California. They had a daughter, but then Grandfather became homesick for Japan and his family moved back to Japan. He loves being with his friends in Japan. He loved both countries all the rest of his life. His daughter married and had a son (Allen Say). The story is told as Say remembers his grandfather's life and his own coming to America. Ages 7 and up

17. 1993 Medal Winner Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully A young girl both inspires and learns from a man skilled at walking on wire. Conquering fear, together they perform above the Paris rooftops. Ages 4 and up

18. 1992 Medal Winner Tuesday by David Wiesner In four parallel stories, a boy's reunion with his parents is disrupted by a herd of cows. When the adults waiting for the boy's train grow sillier by the minute, their children wonder what's happened to them. In the end, families are closer together, adults learn to "live" again, and a farmer's stolen cows are returned to be milked Ages 6 and up

19. 1991 Medal Winner Black and White by David Macaulay A robber hides out in a herd of cattle who, in turn, disrupt the passage of a train. At the train station, passengers at first are absorbed in the newspapers they are reading, but as the wait lengthens, they start playing with the newspapers and with each other. A boy, a passenger on the train, witnesses some of the events, but not all of them. Parents, previously staid and distant, have apparently changed, at least temporarily, because of their time spent waiting for the train that day. The book can be frustratingly confusing or, in the proper hands and minds, a challenge and a source of fascination. Ages 5 and up

20. 1990 Medal Winner Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young This powerfully illustrated Chinese variant on the story of Red Riding Hood features three sisters who outsmart Lon Po Po, or Granny Wolf, who is disguised as the girls' grandmother. Ages 4-8

21. 1989 Medal Winner Song and Dance Man illustrated by Stephen Gammell text: Karen Ackerman On a lazy afternoon, Grandpa takes the kids to the attic to regale them with tales of the olden days when he performed on the vaudeville stage. Ages 4 and up

22. 1988 Medal Winner Owl Moon illustrated by John Schoenherr text: Jane Yolen On a clear, still, winter night, a father takes his daughter owling for the first time near their farm. The girl's been waiting a long time to go owling with her Pa. In the woods, the father calls out to the night bird "Whoo-whoo-whoooooo," again and again. They walk on deeper into the woods anticipating a response from the Great Horned Owl.

23. 1987 Medal Winner Hey, Al illustrated by Richard Egielski text: Arthur Yorinks When Al and Eddie tire of their relentless struggle to survive on the West Side, they are carted away by a magical bird to a paradise. They change their minds when they turn into birds themselves, and race home to learn that "paradise lost is sometimes heaven found." Ages 6 and up

24. 1986 Medal Winner The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg Did you hear that sleigh bell? One young boy, whose friends are beginning to doubt Santa's existence, stays awake listening for that telltale jingle to validate his faith. What he hears instead is the toot of a train horn, signaling the beginning of one of the most beautiful Christmas books of all time. Ages 4 and up

25. 1985 Medal Winner Saint George and the Dragon illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman text: retold by Margaret Hodges This is a knight versus dragon story. The Red Cross Knight is sent by the Queen of the Fairies to fight a dragon that is ravaging a distant land. He is accompanied by a dwarf and a beautiful woman named Una, who is daughter to the king and queen of the land under attack. The dragon proves to be a formidable opponent, and it is only after days of battle, and a little help from the prayers of Una and a bit of magic, that the Red Cross Knight is able to outlast and kill the beast. He earns the thanks of the country, the title of Saint George, and Una as his bride. Ages 8 and up