Caldecott Challenge 2002 & 2001

In my post for the 2007 Caldecott winners I spoke about the artistic talent of David Wiesner. While this story is really not the true rendition of The Three Little Pigs, it is a very unique take on the story. I couldn't seem to review this one myself so I have included School Library Journal's review of this Caldecott winner.

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

And the 2012 winners are

Immediately the alarm clock went off Monday morning and the first thing I did was head to the computer. The anticipation was killing me. I wanted to know who had won the Caldecott awards for this year. I couldn't wait to see if my favorites were chosen. Well, so chose 2 out of 4. Not bad!

2012 Caldecott Medal Winner:
A Ball For Daisy by Chris Raschka

2012 Caldecott Honor Winners:
Blackout by John Rocco
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Me....Jane by Patrick McDonnell

I was taken by surprise with A Ball for Daisy. While I think it is a fabulous book and immediately purchased it when it was first published because wordless picture books are fabulous tools for writing and speech. The pictures and storyline is adorable. And of course it is about a dog, who could resist. But to win the medal, not my first choice. So I was a bit disappointed.

Grandpa Green, well that was hands down one of my favorites and I was hoping that would take the medal but an honor will do. An absolutely creatively written and illustrated book by the author that grabbed our attention in 2010 with his hilarious book, It's A Book.

Me...Jane, I enjoyed this book and probably would not been one that I would of chosen but it was the talk of the book world all year so of course it was going to win something.

Blackout was the only book that I did not have a chance to review before the awards came out and was the only book that I rushed out to purchase before seeing my students the next day. This is an adorable story about the lights going out in New York City in the summertime and how a family that is too busy to spend time together suddenly finds time to play that game of scrabble, get off the computer or phone and spend time together. The illustrations are fantastic because the illustrator uses a play on light and dark with cartoon like illustrations.

Caldecott Challenge 2003

2003 Caldecott Medal Winner:
My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

This is Eric Rohmann's second Caldecott. He won a Caldecott honor with his 1995 book, Time Flies. My friend rabbit is a sweet story about a little rabbit who seems to get into trouble even though he means well. He has just lost mouse's airplane up in a tree. He has several different plans to get the airplane down, each one leading to more trouble. The illustrations are wonderful expressively hand colored prints. The story has simple text with illustrations in bold colors. Grades Pre-K-2. ***


2003 Caldecott Honor Winners:
The Spider and the Fly illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi and written by Mary Howitt
Personally I find the illustrations in this book to be quite amazing. The illustrations are rendered in black-and-white gouache and pencil, then reproduced in silver-and-black duotone, the paintings have a spooky quality perfectly suited to retelling this melancholy tale. In fact in my opinion this book should be the Caldecott Medal Winner and not an honor book. The story is based on Mary Howitt's poem written in 1829. The illustrations are so sophisticated it will appeal to both children and adults. While this is a different type of book, maybe for an older crowd the illustrations will just take your breath away. Grades 2-5. ***

Hondo and Fabian by Peter McCarty
A dog named Hondo and his friend Fred are going to the beach for a day of excitement. Fabian the cat is left behind at home to play with the baby. Who will cause more trouble? And who will have more fun?  Soft artwork in light hues, pencil illustrations. **

Noah's Ark by Jerry Pinkney
Illustrations are done in pencil and watercolors. For me this book is really all about the illustrations and the visual images. "Living things ran on the earth and flew in the skies, and swam in the seas. And God saw that it was good. A beautiful interpretation of an old biblical tale of the great flood and how Noah and his family faithfully responded to God's call to save life on earth. Grades K-4 ***

Caldecott Challenge 2005 & 2004

This has been a great week continuing the Caldecott lesson with my third graders. This week my students went through a huge list of possible Caldecott contenders. The students spent time looking at a fabulous array of picture books published in 2011 in order to pick their possible medal and honor winners. It was lots of fun to see what books they enjoyed looking at and their excitement and anticipation for Monday's announcement of winners. I shared with them my list of favorites as well. Monday couldn't come too soon.

Meanwhile back to my Caldecott Challenge. My challenge for this weekend is to try and finish reading all the Caldecott's for the 21st century. I'm not sure I'll be able to do it but here goes. Years 2005 and 2004 were good years with many choices. Probably the most talked about illustrator and author was Mo Willems for these two years. He took away a Caldecott honor both years, making it a total of 3 honors to date.

2005 Caldecott Medal Winner:

Kittens's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
I have always been a huge fan of Kevin Henkes. I remember meeting him with my first grade class back in 1991. He is a fabulous author and illustrator. It was nice to see him finally win an award for his work. The illustrations for this story are done in Gouache and colored pencils. The story is very simple both in illustrations and text. It is about a little kitten that mistakes the big beautiful full moon in the sky for a bowl of milk. The story reads very poetically while the reader really engages with the kitten through her hilarious adventures of trying to lick the moon. Luckily in the end the kitten finds a nice bowl of milk just sitting right on the porch. Pre-K-Kindergarten.****

2005 Caldecott Honor Winners:
Coming on Home Soon illustrated by E.B. Lewis and written by Jacqueline Woodson
A beatuifully written story with watercolor illustrations shows life during the war when families needed to separated. A young girl, Ada Ruth, comes to live with her grandmother while her mother goes out to find a job to bring home some money. Each day Ada Ruth waits for the postman to bring her a letter from her mother. And each day he walks right by her home. Time passes slowly for this young girl who just wants to be reunited with her mother. This story is deeply touching and yet written so poetically. Grades K-3. *****

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
Need I say more for this fabulous artist, Mo Willems. Once again he takes another Caldecott honor for another wonderful knuffle bunny story. This time Trixie goes on an errand with dad with knuffle bunny in hand yet loses knuffle bunny at the laundromat  but can't seem to make her father understand her gibberish talk until they return home and mom immediately notices knuffle bunny is missing. In this hilarious story most parents will be able to completely relate to this story when a beloved object goes missing and it could possibly be the end of the world. Grades K-3 ****

The Red Book by Barbara Lehman (not able to review this book now and will do so in another post)

2004 Caldecott Medal Winner:
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein
With dramatic paintings this biographical account of Philippe Petit's tightrope walk between the two World Trade Center Towers in 1974 is brought to life by author/illustrator Mordicai Gerstein. While this book is the account of Philippe's walk across the towers it is also a memorial to the two towers that once stood together in New York City. A must for every library. Grades K-5. *****

2004 Caldecott Medal Honor Winners:
Ella Sarah Gets Dressed by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
A vibrant story of a little girl and her strong personality and her big sense of style. She doesn't want to be told what to do or what to wear, like most young children and despite her family's interactions Ella Sarah decides she will wear her pink polka dot pants, dress with orange and green flowers, and her purple and blue striped socks with yellow shoes and her red hat. Ella Sarah has a personality of her own. The illustrations are in vibrant yellows, oranges, greens, pinks and purples. Simple text with minimal words but bright bold illustrations, this makes for a wonderful preschool story, especially for those with stubborn minds. A great read aloud. **

What Do you Do with a Tail Like This? by Steven Jekins and Robin Page
This honor book is a wonderful non-fiction book with playful and colorful cut paper collage illustrations. In this book children can learn all about why horned lizards squirt blood out of their eyes, or giraffes brush off pesky flies with their tail. The authors have created a simple but wonderful informational book on different animals and the uses of different parts of their bodies. The author included information notes on each animal at the back of the book if the reader is interested in learning more about these animals. Grades K-4. *****

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
Need I say more. Mo Willems has done it again with this simple but hilarious story of a pigeon and his desire to drive a bus. The illustrations and text are extremely simple but absolutely hilarious. It is a brilliant book that allows the reader to interact with the story from beginning to end. Grades K-2. *****

Caldecott Challenge - 2006

Moving right along to the year 2006, there were many winners this year in comparison to the previous year of 2007. I felt there was a great collection of books chosen with illustrations in various mediums. Among the picture books chosen, poetry and biography each had a winner too.

Caldecott Medal Winner:

The Hello, Goodbye Window illustrated by Chris Raschka and written by Norton Juster.
This is a very colorful and energetic picture book that is dedicated to the special relationship between grandparents and a grandchild. Norton Juster is also the author of The Phantom Tollbooth, an all-time classic. This is his first picture book. This story is written like a song but in the voice of a little girl who goes and visits her Nanna and Poppy. You can feel the happiness of this little girl in every page. A sweet story. **

Caldecott Honor Winners:
Rosa illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Nikki Giovanni
Award-winning poet, writer, and activist Nikki Giovanni’s expressive text combines with Bryan Collier’s striking collage images retell the story of this historic event from a wholly unique and original perspective. Collier used watercolor and collage illustrations in yellow and sometimes dark hues to portray the times in Alabama. A powerful story for students grades 3 and up. I have to say this is one of my favorite biographies on Rosa! *****

Zen Shorts by John Muth
This is a wonderful story probably more as a read alone so that it can be discussed in great depths with the young reader. The illustrations are actually drawn in two different styles, vibrant watercolors and ink drawings. The purpose of these two styles is to show the difference between the actual story and  the story within a story. The story is unique in that is introduces readers to a Zen approach to the world. There are three siblings who are visiting a new neighbor, a panda. One by one, the children visit the panda, named Stillwater, enjoying his company and listening to him tell a brief tale that illustrates a Zen principle. Each time, there is a link between the conversation shared by Stillwater and his visitor and the story he tells. Because of the popularity of this story the author has created two others Zen Ties and Zen Ghosts. Grades K-4. ***

Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride by Marjorie Priceman
This is another very unique story about the history of the first hot-air balloon by the Montgolfiers of France in 1783. The first passengers on this balloon were none other than a duck, a sheep, and a rooster. The flight lasted eight minutes, reached a height of 1500 feet and traveled a little more than two miles. The vibrant illustrations make this such an enjoyable story to read. A must for every library. Grades K-3. ****

Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems illustrated by Beckie Prange and written by Joyce Sidman.
This is a beautiful collection of poems in many different poetic forms that provide a look at some of of the animals, insects, and plants that are found around ponds. The author combines science facts and poetry to describe pond life through the different seasons. This is really a celebration of the beauty that ponds and wetlands provide for us daily. The colorful illustrations are done in woodblock and then hand colored with watercolors. Grades 3-5. **

Caldecott Challenge - 2007 Winners

The year of 2007 had a smaller group of books to choose from. This was also the year that David Wiesner won his 3rd Caldecott Medal with his award winning book, Flotsam. David Wiesner had received the Caldecott Medal twice for his books Tuesday (1992) and The Three Pigs (2002). David also won two Caldecott honors for his books Sector 7 (2000) and Freefall (1989). David Wiesner is known for his beautifully illustrated wordless picture books that are almost photographic they are so detailed. He is considered to be one of the most acclaimed and best-loved picture book creators in the world. Three of the picture books he both wrote and illustrated became instant classics when they won the prestigious Caldecott Medals. He is only the second person in the award's long history to have won three times.

David Wiesner grew up in suburban New Jersey and he was known to many as "the kid who could draw." He went on to become a student at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he was able to  study art full-time. It was here that he discovered that picture books were the perfect vehicle for his work. David Wiesner generally spends several years creating each new book. He creates many versions by sketching and resketching the story until it flows smoothly and the images work the way he wants them to. Sometimes he will create three-dimensional models so that he can add authenticity to his drawings. David Wiesner currently lives with his family outside of Philadelphia.

Caldecott Medal Winner:
Flotsam by David Wiesner
The definition of flotsam means something that floats. In this fabulous wordless picture book, the author/illustrator tells the remarkable story of a camera that has been thrown out into the ocean and the various children that have found it through the years. The detailed illustrations are absolutely amazing done in vivid watercolor paintings. Grades K-4. *****

Caldecott Honor Winners:
Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet by David McLimans
An ABC picture book about amazing creatures before they become extinct. This is a striking work of animals and letters put together for the reader in a zoological adventure that is both for children and adults. Illustrations are created by a mixture of mediums such as: pencil, pen, brush, India ink, bristol board and computer images. This story is probably more created for the awareness of animals with some facts. While this is in picture book format it is actually more appropriate for older readers, Grades 3 and up. **

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom illustrated by Kadir Nelson and written by Carole Boston Weatherford.
This story is based on Harriet Tubman's spiritual journey from a slave in Maryland to a free woman in Philadelphia. This is Kadir Nelson's second Caldecott honor in two years (Henry's Freedom Box). A poetic story about Harriet Tubman that shows her strength, humility and devotion to the underground railroad. The illustrations are paintings in dark hues that portray the darkness during the slavery time. Grades 2-5. ****

Caldecott Challenge - Winners of 2008

The year of 2008 was a big year for the Caldecott. There were four honor books chosen as well as the one of the first fiction book chosen for the Caldecott medal. While I know the 2012 Caldecott has not yet been named, two weeks to go, my choice this year with be Brian Selznick's next amazing picture/fiction book, Wonderstruck. I'm convinced it will win an honor this year for the absolutely stunning black and white penciled pictured 

Caldecott Medal 2008:

The Inventions of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
This story sheds a whole new light on picture books. Hugo is rather a fiction story, 500 pages, but with half of the book full page black and white pencil illustrations. Hugo is a young orphan secretly living in the walls of a train station where he labors to complete a mysterious invention left by his father. The story is narrated in both words and pictures. But the story is not just about Hugo the young orphan, but about the history of film and the story of George Melies, who was one of the first filmmakers. *****

2008 Honor Books:
Henry's Freedom Box: A true story from the Underground Railroad illustrated by Kadir Nelson and written by Ellen Levine
A wonderful biographical story of Henry Brown, the first runaway slave to pack himself into a box to escape slavery and arrive in the land of freedom. He traveled from Philadelphia to Richmond Virginia and made headlines throughout the country. The illustrations were done in pencil, watercolor and oil and truly depict Henry's journey in a box. ****

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
This is a book about transformations from the egg to a chicken, or a seed to a flower, or a caterpillar ot a butterfly. A creative story with die cut and painted pictures with simple text for preschool children. This book also won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award in 2008 as well. ***

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis
This is an autobiographical picture book in a very clever format about the author's life during the Cold War in Czechoslovakia. The story is told in pictures and memories, with drawings and diaries showing his extraordinary journey behind the Iron Curtain. ***

Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems
This adorable picture book is filled with stunning photographs and hilarious drawings and the sequel to another Caldecott honor book, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale (2005 honor winner). Trixie, a young preschooler, hurries to school not only to find that another student has her one-of-a-kind Knuffle Bunny. The images are a melding of photography and hand-drawn sketches. *****