Caldecott Challenge 1997

1997 Caldecott Medal Winner:

Golem by David Wisniewski
This story is a dramatic retelling of an old tale with masterly cut-paper illustrations. A Rabbi brings life to a clay giant who helps him watch over the Jews during the 16th century in Prague. The illustrations in this story are truly magnificent as the reader can see the fine cuts of paper and details in every illustration. *** Grades 3 and up

1997 Caldecott Honor Winners:
Hush! A Thai Lullaby illustrated by Holly Meade and written by MinFong Ho
This is a Thai lullaby that asks animals to be quiet and not disturb the sleeping child. It is a lovely story with repeating verse on each page. The illustrations are combined cut paper, watercolor, and ink drawings. A wonderful bedtime story for any child. Pre-K- 2nd  ****

The Graphic Alphabet  will review at a later time

The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey
A story of a paperboy, in the days of paperboys, and the quiet of morning as he goes through his route. The illustrations are done in acrylics with india ink. Simple text shows the paperboy waking up and going through his route from darkness to light. Grades K-3 ***

Starry Messenger by Peter Sis

From School Library Journal. Grade 1-6. In Follow the Dream (Knopf, 1991), Sis depicted both the humanity and heroism of Christopher Columbus. In Starry Messenger, Sis turns his considerable talents to another infamous Italian?Galileo Galilei. He layers his telling so that young children or groups may focus on the short version printed in large type at the bottom of each page. Older readers will glean more from the quotes pulled from the astronomer's treatise (the work that inspired this title) and other primary sources, such as Inquisition documents. This second layer is printed in script and presented in a variety of decorative patterns (suggesting ideograms) to distinguish it. The sophisticated details of Sis's watercolor, pen, and rubber-stamp illustrations provide yet another dimension as well as ambiance. A master of symbol, the artist creates scenes that focus on the subject?"a boy born with stars in his eyes"?and shows how he shines against the darker aspects of his time. The aging scientist stands alone in a circle of yellow light, suggesting his identification with the heliocentrism for which he was being condemned, surrounded by a sea of red-clad Cardinals. The text is no less powerful: "He was tried in the Pope's court, and everyone could see that the stars had left his eyes." The pathos, the painstaking copies of Galileo's famous sketches of the heavens, and the attention to current scholarship make this book a fascinating find. Leonard Everett Fisher's Galileo (S & S, 1992) is a useful companion for a more straightforward approach.?Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA

Caldecott Challenge 1998 and 1999

We have now entered into the 20th century. I think going backwards and looking at some of these fabulous books is also very interesting in regards to how illustrations have really changed over the years through the different medias used.

1999 Caldecott Medal Winner: 
Snowflake Bentley illustrated by Mary Azarian and written by Jacqueline Martin
A fabulous biography on a self-taught scientist who photographed thousands of snowflakes in order to study their unique formations. The illustrations are woodcuts, hand tinted with watercolors. A great book to honor a great man. Grades K-3. ***

1999 Caldecott Honor Winners:
Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra illustrated by Brian Pinkney and written by Andrea Pinkney
This wonderfully written book is a brief recounting of Duke Ellington's career as a jazz musician and composer. The illustrations are unique in that each picture is prepared as scratchboard rednerings with luma dyes, gouache and oil paint. Duke Ellington was one of the greatest composers of the 20th century and was considered the king of keys. Well written with bright bold colorful illustrations. Grades 1-4 **

No, David!  by David Shannon
A creative remake of a story written and illustrated by David Shannon as a 5 year-old that he has brought to life. David Shannon has created a double paged spread with brightly colored illustrations and simple text about a little boy, himself, always getting into trouble. A great story for preschoolers!  Pre K- 2. **

Snow by Uri Shulevitz
This is Uri Shulevitz's second Caldecott honor. This book is a sweet celebration of the coming of snow. Written with simple text and wonderful illustrations in the subtle gray tones, Shulevitz paints entire city scapes in different shades of gray. This is the companion book to Dawn and Rain, Rain River. Grades Pre K- 2. ***

Tibet Through the Red Box by Peter Sis
This book reminds me of Peter Sis and his book, The Wall. Once again Peter Sis has written a very personal book.  I can't do justice to review this book. This is what School Library Journal has to say.
Grade 7 Up-Through personal memories, old tales, and intriguing pictures, Sis opens a door to the little-known land and religion of Tibet. There is a room, a study, in a house in Prague where a red box waits to be opened. It holds a diary of a long ago journey to Tibet made by the author's filmmaker father, sent to record the building of the first road from Communist China into the high mountains of Tibet. The room appears again and again, suffused with the colors of memory. Throughout the book are small sketches and large landscapes, and handwritten diary pages on yellowed sheets with the texture of parchment. Similar in structure and art style to Sis's The Three Golden Keys (Doubleday, 1994), this book is more solidly grounded in the reality of an adventurous journey to central Asia. Then, like a nest of boxes, it reveals layers of memory, tales of Tibet and, finally, references to the present era of political oppression and the hopes that rest on the singular figure of the Dalai Lama. Most intriguing are the eight full-page illustrations inspired by circular, symmetrical patterns and detailed symbols of the Tibetan wheel of life, creatively adapted to the text. Who will venture to study and decipher this artful book with its postmodern structure, its mysterious figures, and its interweaving of past and future? Adults will see the book as a way to introduce children to the geography, culture, and religion of Tibet. Attentive young people will be drawn to puzzle out the meaning of the stories and pictures. Art-conscious readers of all ages will appreciate the author's groundbreaking, creative use of the picture-book format in ways that challenge both eye and mind. Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ

1998 Caldecott Medal Winner:
Rapunzel by Paul Zelinsky
Paul Zelinsky has been a Caldecott honor medalist three previous times. The illustrations in this classic fairy tale are just breathtaking. They are oil paintings with a Renaissance feel to them. Zelinksy also does a wonderful job retelling this classic tale and brings Rapunzel to life for not only children but adults too. *****

1998 Caldecott Honor Winners:
The Gardener illustrated by David Small and written by Sarah Stewart
This sweet story is about a young woman during the Great Depression that has to move into the city and takes her love of gardening with her. The story is creative in that the author has created it through a series of letters back and forth from a little girl, Lydia Grace, to her father while she lives in the city with her Uncle. The illustrations are wonderful with expressive characters, ink-line details, and patches of pastel. The muted backgrounds convey the urban 1930s setting both in the city and in the country.
Grades K-3 ****

Harlem illustrated by Christopher Myers and poem by Walter Dean Myers.
This wonderful poetry about life in Harlem with bold collage art in bright colors connect pictures with the words. A great book for all ages that shows the spirit of Harlem through music, art, literature and everyday life. Grades 1-4 ***

There Was an Old Lady Who Swalloed a Fly by Simms Taback.
 This is one of America's favorite folk poem, first heard in the 1940's and re-written many different ways. This book is unique in that the author/illustrator shows the reader what actually happens on the inside of the old lady's stomach using die-cut collage with bright colors and mixed media. Grades K-3
***

Caldecott Challenge - 2000

2000 Caldecott Medal Winner:

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat  by Taback Simms
This is the newly adapted version of the 1977 Yiddush folk song, Joseph had a little overcoat. This fabulous rendition is done in die cut and collage illustrations that are not only striking with bold colors and patterns but there is so much detail in each page. It is the old saying that you can always make something out of nothing. A great read aloud story for grades K-3. ***

2000 Caldecott Honor Winners:
A Child's Calendar illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman and poems by John Updike
This is a beautiful book of poems for each month of the year. Each page is a month that describes activities in a child's life based on the changes in the weather. The poems are written by John Updike who has won many awards for his poems and short stories collections. The illustrations are done in watercolor with much detail and color that brings each poem alive for the reader. Grades K-3 ***

Sector 7 by David Wiesner
Need I say more. Yet another fabulous and artistically drawn wordless book by the infamous David Wiesner. In this story a young boy is on a school field trip to visit the Empire State Building but instead is taken by a friendly cloud to visit Sector 7 where he discovers how clouds are shaped and so his adventure begins. Grades K-4 ****

When Sophie Gets Angry- Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang
This is the perfect story for the young child that gets angry,  temper tantrum angry. And everybody gets angry at some time but this is a fabulous book that shows how anger can take control and sometimes it is much better to talk about things than get angry. The illustrations are in bright, fiery colors to depict the anger. While I think this is an excellent story the illustrations do not speak out to me.
Grades K-2 **

The Ugly Duckling Adapted and Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Jerry Pinkney is a three time Caldecott honor artist and four time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, need I say more. These illustrations of this fabulous wonderful folktale are spectacular. The use of watercolors to depict this story not only show the pain and triumph of the little duckling but also the humor and compassion. A true gem! Grades K-3 *****

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. *****