2002 Caldecott Medal Winner:
The Three Pigs by David Wiesner
K-Gr 6-In Tuesday (Clarion, 1991), Wiesner demonstrated that pigs could fly. Here, he shows what happens when they take control of their story. In an L. Leslie Brooke sort of style (the illustrations are created through a combination of watercolor, gouache, colored inks, and pencils), the wolf comes a-knocking on the straw house. When he puffs, the pig gets blown "right out of the story." (The double spread contains four panels on a white background; the first two follow the familiar story line, but the pig falls out of the third frame, so in the fourth, the wolf looks quite perplexed.) So it goes until the pigs bump the story panels aside, fold one with the wolf on it into a paper airplane, and take to the air. Children will delight in the changing perspectives, the effect of the wolf's folded-paper body, and the whole notion of the interrupted narrative. Wiesner's luxurious use of white space with the textured pigs zooming in and out of view is fresh and funny. They wander through other stories-their bodies changing to take on the new style of illustration as they enter the pages-emerging with a dragon and the cat with a fiddle. The cat draws their attention to a panel with a brick house, and they all sit down to soup, while one of the pigs reconstructs the text. Witty dialogue and physical comedy abound in this inspired retelling of a familiar favorite.-Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA
2002 Caldecott Honor Winners:
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins illustrated by Brian Selznick and written by Barbara Kerley
Can you imagine a time when nobody knew what a dinosaur really looked like? In the mid-19th century an artist named Waterhouse Hawkins brought these ancient animals to life. This is his story written by artist and lecturer Barbara Kerley. The drawings are by the infamous Brian Selznick and many in this extraordinary book are original sketches by Mr. Hawkins. A must have for every dinosaur lover. *****
The Stray Dog by Marc Simont
A very heartwarming but simple story about a little stray dog that is found and then taken in by a loving family. (This Marc Simont's second Caldecott honor (1949) and he received his first Caldecott medal in 1957. We will learn more about Marc Simont in further posts.) This story was one that he heard from a friend but didn't write about it until 15 years later. The illustrations are done in water color. ***
Martin's Big Words: The life of Dr. Martin King Jr. illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Doreen Rappaport
There are no words to describe this picture-book biography of Martin Luther King. It is a true tribute to the man who had a dream that one day came true. The illustrations are done in collage, watercolor and it is one of the best introductions to Martin Luther King Jr. for young children. It includes texts with quotes from his speeches and writings. This is one of my favorites of Martin Luther King and one that I use with many of my students. Grades K-4 *****
2001 Caldecott Medal Winners:
So You Want to Be President? illustrated by David Small and written by Judith St. George.
This is one of those lighthearted and humorous books on being president and all the jobs, for good and for bad, that it entails. With whimsical watercolor illustrations the reader learns a little bit about each president and their life in the White House. The book continues to be updated as there is now a version that includes President Barack Obama. In this book we learn about the presidents that knew how to dance, the presidents that were thrifty (like William Harrison) or the Presidents that had all kinds of pets in the White House. Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt's children basically had a zoo in the white house that included guinea pigs, snakes, mice and even a pony? Grades 1-4 ****
2001 Caldecott Honor Winners:
Casey at the Bat illustrated by Christopher Bing and written by Ernest Lawrence Thayer
This book is unique in that it looks like a vintage scrapbook. Every once in awhile a book comes my way that I'm not sure how to review. This is another one of those. While I'm not a big baseball fan there are many people that are. This is what School Library Journal has to say about this little gem.
Thayer's classic poem of the 19th-century baseball legend has been revived for a new generation in this creatively designed package. From the first look at the cover, produced to resemble a vintage scrapbook, through the interior views of pages from the "Mudville Monitor," Bing has orchestrated every detail to great effect. Each double spread, rendered in ink and brush on scratchboard, is a scene from the poem. The multitude of lines adds energy; the multiple perspectives create interest. Overlaid on this tattered "newsprint" is baseball memorabilia (cards, tickets, medallions, postcards), as well as cleverly fabricated ads or editorials that relate to the moment. The book will be enjoyed by intergenerational partners who can pore over the pages and point things out to one another. It would be a gold mine for teachers seeking inspiration for period projects.-Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA. Grades 3 and up ***
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type illustrated by Betsy Lewin and written by Doreen Cronin
This is one of my absolute favorites! It is a hilarious story that will have your kids laughing all the way through the story. Can you imagine cows that type to their farmer because they don't like their conditions? The cows in the barn have found an old typewriter and decide to use it to send notes to Farmer Brown. In this story they do and they cause a tremendous amount of stress for Farmer Brown because they are constantly leaving him notes. The expressive, bold, colorful watercolor illustrations make this book come alive. Grades K-3 *****
Olivia by Ian Falconer
Olivia is a pig that is good at everything. She is very theatrical and very high energy. "She is very good at wearing people out." The illustrations of this adorable little pig are done in charcoal and paint, mostly in black and white with paint in red. The illustrations are simple with a lot of white pages but the expressive little pig always seems to grab the reader's attention. **** Grades K-3
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