Caldecott Challenge -Years 2011 & 2010

So as I begin my Caldecott challenge quest, I have decided to start backwards with the most recent winners from 2011. The 2012 winners will be announced on Monday, January 23, 2012. I hope you will enjoy the journey with me. I will put an asterisk next to my favorite books that I believe are worth purchasing for any home or library. Sometimes there will be books that I might not be able to get my hands on right away so I once I get them I will review them in other posts. For this particular post I was unable to review one of the honor books for 2010.

The 2011 Medal Winner was one of my personal favorites: A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead and illustrated by his wife Erin Stead. This is a wonderful book about friendship with illustrations that bring the story to life.  The story is about a Zookeeper, Amos McGee, who takes time to care for his favorite animals. Suddenly he comes down with a cold and can't come to work to care for his friends the animals. They are so distraught that they decide to hop a bus and go visit Amos at home. Erin Stead's fine pencil prints are delicate in soft flat colors. The illustrative technique is woodblock-printing. The story shows the bonds of friendship and loyalty. A wonderful story for grades Pre-K-3. ***

Honor books for 2011:
Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill and illustrated by Bryan Collier. This is a wonderful interpretation in poetic form about Dave the Potter. an important American artist, who was also a slave. We know about Dave the potter because of his poetry that he would sometimes write on the side of his pots. The pain of his life can be shared through his poems. It is estimated that over seven decades Dave made approximately forty thousand poets. With unbelievable watercolor and collage-like illustrations this book gives us a glimpse of Dave's life. Recommended for grades K-3.

Interrupting Chicken written and illustrated by Davie Ezra Stein. This is an absolutely hilarious story that presents Chicken Little with her papa at bedtime. Her papa is trying to tell Chicken Little a story so that she can go to sleep but Chicken Little keeps interrupting the story and telling the ending instead. The story is not only hilarious but will bring big belly laughs from both children and adults as Chicken Little continues to tell the end of her father's stories before he even gets to them. While the illustrations are not my favorite, the story is just fabulous and a must read to all children who know about fairy tales. Recommended for Preschool - 2nd grade. ***

2010 Caldecott Winner:
The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
This is a wonderful rendition of Aesop's Fable, The Lion and the Mouse. This wordless picture book with watercolor illustrations are just striking. Jerry Pinkney is one of children's literature most honored artists. And in this classic tale we learn that no act of kindness ever is wasted. Recommended for Pre-school - 3rd grade.  ***

Honor books for 2010:
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon
This poetry book is about all the world to see. "It is here, it is there, it is everywhere. All the world is right where you are. Now." A charming story with watercolor illustrations shows a multicultural family sharing a day that begins at the beach and ends under the stars. Recommended for Preschool-2nd grade.

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski.
Unable to review at this time.

The Caldecott Challenge

I'm excited to participate in something new this year, it is called the Caldecott Challenge created by some great librarians. It looks like a lot of fun! And did I mention it is going to be stress free. I am going to try to read as many Caldecott award and honor book winners from the beginning, 1938 to be exact. I think this could be close to 300 books.  I will be posting my findings here as I read my way through them all, or as many as I can get my hands on. I'm going to start backwards, beginning with the winners of 2011. I can already tell you that one of my all-time favorite stories which happens to be a Caldecott Medal winner is Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey. It was my favorite book as a child and still my favorite book as an adult. I continue to read this classic with my students every year.  But who knows maybe something else will capture my heart.

A little history on the Caldecott Medal. The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886). Randolph Caldecott was one of a group of three influential children's illustrators working in England in the 19th century. His illustrations for children were unique to their time in both their humor, and their ability to create a sense of movement, vitality, and action that complemented the stories they accompanied.

It is awarded annually 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. This year's winner will be announced on Monday, January 23rd.

So my challenge begins, please follow me on this journey.