Caldecott Award Winners Essay

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Caldecott Medal

Each year, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) awards the renowned Caldecott Medal to one artist. The organization is a division of the American Library Association, and this artist has created what they deem to be the most distinguished American picture book for children. While only one children's book can be selected to receive the award each year, several others are still eligible to be runners-up, receiving an award now know as the Caldecott Honor. The committee that chooses these books is comprised of 15 members. The collective members of the ALSC select eight of these members. The other seven, including the committee's chairperson, are selected by the president of the ALSC.

This committee is faced with some rather selective criteria in their process of choosing a worthy artist for the Caldecott Medal. In order to be eligible for the award, the book must be published by an American publisher in the United States in English during the preceding year. The artists of these books must be citizens or residents of the United States. The ALSC lists the following as criteria for its selections:

a. Excellence of execution in the artistic technique employed;

b. Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept;

c. Appropriateness of style of illustration to the story, theme or concept;

d. Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through the pictures;

e. Excellence of presentation in recognition of a child audience.

They also factor in the book's written aspects and overall design, as well as require that the book stand alone as a book, and not necessitate something such as audio or film.

The book Tuesday by David Wiesner, excellently exemplifies these criteria. In the book, a number of very realistic looking frogs are lifted up by their lily pads, into the air in the manner of a flying carpet.

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They then overrun a nearby town and, in a comical fashion, encounter many frightened townsfolk. Use of text is limited, serving merely to help move the story along and add to its humorous effect. Wiesner's drawings are both striking for their realism and surrealism. His skilled use of shadowing casts a mood upon each page, signifying a close relationship with the light and dark contrast apparent at night. One such drawing involves the floating frogs watching television alongside a quietly sleeping elderly woman. The television is seen from behind, and its light casts shadows all over the room, including both the frogs and the elderly woman reclining in her living room chair. The frogs almost appear to be smirking. As these elements coalesce, the reader is left in a sort of dreamlike state, with a touch of humor, certainly the Wiesner's intention. There is little meaning to be found behind this book, aside from the wondrous, otherworldly thoughts the reader may be left thinking. It is a book easily interpreted by even the youngest of children, and includes no frightening imagery of any sort. This book was an appropriate pick to receive the Caldecott Medal, and Wiesner was quite the deserving recipient.

Although it never received an official Caldecott Medal, Marjorie Priceman's Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-air Balloon Ride, is striking in its fantastic qualities and sparse script. The story follows the first hot air balloon ride that took place in Versailles, France, in 1783. The author is careful to stick to only the most pertinent details, such as the date and the inventor of the hot air balloon, and explains that the event actually did happen, but most likely not in the fashion she portrays it. Her artistic style is effective in making this book a relaxing and fun-filled read for children. The passengers.....

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