Children’s librarians get very excited around this time every
year. Why? We are eagerly awaiting the
winners of the Caldecott and Newbery Medals. These, the most prestigious of
awards for children’s literature in America, will be announced on February 2nd.
I have been researching, ordering books, and reading, trying to make my best
guess about who might win. In the process, I read a lot of amazing books, look
at innovative and exquisite illustrations, and acquire some really fine new
material for my library.
Today I will talk about the Caldecott hopefuls on my shelf,
mostly because they are picture books, and I have actually been able to read
them all. There’s no chance I’ll be able to read all the Newbery possibilities,
but I can at least read a chapter here and there to get the flavor of each
book. With only two days now to go, I will have to be satisfied with having
read three of them.
I arrived at this list of Caldecott hopefuls not so much by
reading the books themselves, but by reading blogs and articles from editors,
librarians, and book-lovers. The books that were getting lots of mentions ended
up on my list. Then I was able to get down to the pleasurable task of actually
reading them, and examining the illustrations. The Caldecott, after all, is an
award for illustration, so I am looking at how well the pictures help convey
the plot and the emotion of the story, the quality of the art, and especially
for innovative technique.
Remy and Lulu –
written and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, with miniatures by Hannah E. Harrison
(who is, by the way, a friend of a friend!). This story just plain made me
smile. With colors both bold and warm, Hawkes tells the story of Lulu, an
artist’s dog. Lulu’s owner (we presume) dies, and Lulu is left to fend for
herself. It’s her good fortune to stumble upon another artist, who adopts her
as his own. What follows is a surprising and successful artistic partnership
between the far-sighted Remy and the talented, top-hat wearing pooch. Pay
particular attention to the illustrations on the end papers and title page, as
they are crucial to the story. A celebration of art, and the beauty that exists
in the eye of each beholder.
Sam & Dave Dig a
Hole – written by Mac Barnett, and illustrated by Jon Klassen.
I have read four of these titles to Henry, my five year old
son, and so far this is hands down his favorite. This book provoked laughter
and exclamations and is the only one where he said, “Read it again!” For an
adventurous dirt and dog-loving boy, this is the ultimate book. The
illustrations are simple and earth-toned, with hints of subtle humor. Sam and Dave, fueled by chocolate milk and
animal cookies, dig a tremendous hole. They vow not to stop until they find
something spectacular, trying different directions as ever more massive
diamonds hide just out of sight. The boys’ dog, however, seems clued in to the
hidden treasures. While this is probably one of the front-runners, it seems
unfair to give this award to Klassen again so soon after his win for This is Not My Hat.
A Dance Like
Starlight: One Ballerina’s Dream – written by Kristy Dempsey and
illustrated by Floyd Cooper. The images in this book, despite their realism,
are also soft and dream-like. In every scene, the young protagonist’s face
seems lit from within. The girl’s mother works as a seamstress in a ballet
school, and because she has talent, she is allowed to participate in classes
for free from the back of the room. She wonders if there will ever be a chance
for her to actually perform. This piece of fiction intersperses the true story
of Janet Collins, America’s first African-American prima ballerina, with the
dreams of a nameless girl. To her, Janet Collins is a beacon of hope, and that
is the feeling that comes through in the pictures.
Viva Frida –
written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales.
This bilingual celebration of famed artist Frida Kahlo is lushly
illustrated. In some of the images,
Morales arranged and photographed three-dimensional models, while others employ
painting and collage. The result is a bright and colorful fantasy. The words
seem secondary here; the book is an homage to Kahlo and to art itself. This is,
in my opinion, a front-runner for the award, as the illustrations are
groundbreaking.
Lauren Castillo had a busy year. Two of her books, both
geared toward the pre-K and kindergarten set, have been mentioned for the
award. The cover image of The
Troublemaker shows a young boy with a toy sword, his stuffed raccoon, and a
real raccoon lurking in the background. As I’ve shown this book to classes,
I’ve asked them who they think the Troublemaker in question actually is. Most
of them pick the boy, but the troublemaker is actually the raccoon, who does
naughty things for which the boy is blamed. The black and white silhouette
illustrations are particularly well-done. Her other selection is Nana in the City, a bold and warmly
illustrated tribute to life in the big city.
A young boy, visiting his Nana, doesn’t like the city. He sees it as
loud and scary, but when Nana knits him a special cape and takes him on a tour,
he comes to see the charms that city life has to offer. The two-page spread of
what I assume is Times Square is particularly vibrant.
Sparky! – by Jenny Offill, and illustrated by Chris
Appelhans. A girl gets a sloth for a pet (!!!) and discovers that their
sedentary nature doesn’t make them very fun. She tries to get him to be
something he is not, attempting to train him to do tricks. In the end she has
to accept him for who he is, learning (and teaching) a valuable lesson. Gentle
earth-tone illustrations pair perfectly with the text. This book has been
popular with my students, but I think it’s a long shot for the award.
Firefly July: a Year
of Very Short Poems – selected by Paul B. Janeczko and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. I love the concept of this book focused on
short poetry. When showing this to kids, I have mentioned that I love poetry,
but I’m not a fan of extremely long poems, and this book is just right if
that’s how they feel too! Melissa Sweet’s vibrant mixed media illustrations
bring the poems to life. Pen and ink, pencil, collage, paint; all come together
in a harmonious and vivid mélange. My
favorite image is that of a red pick-up truck full of old oscillating fans on
their way to the junkyard; it’s a perfect blend of image and words.
Hi, Koo! A Year of
Seasons – written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth. The title is a play on
words, which is in keeping with the humor present in the loosely framed haikus
and pastel watercolor pictures within. Muth’s panda has returned in this sweet
and funny book of seasonal poems and imagery.
The cover image of the panda rolling on his back with a red bird perched
on his bottom has provoked instant laughter from many of my classes. My
favorite is a winter scene, where a grumpy and judgmental snowman oversees the
antics of the panda and his human companions. I don’t predict this book as a
medal winner, but it has been a late-surging vote-getter in our student
balloting.
Emily’s Blue Period
– written by Cathleen Daly, and illustrated by Lisa Brown. Though this book is
a bit longer than many picture books, it was able to hold the attention of my
kindergarten classes. Emily is studying Picasso in art class, while
concurrently experiencing her parents’ separation. She empathizes with his
“blue periods” and decides that she is going through a blue period as well. The
illustrations team with the story by starting out with varied color, then
moving to shades of blue and gray. Once she has worked through her blue period,
the illustrations return to full color. A great blend of art and concept.
Have You Heard the
Nesting Bird? – written by Rita Gray and illustrated by Kenard Pak. This
lovely non-fiction introduces children to bird calls and identification and with
subdued, earth-tone illustrations. Though this book is attractive, it hasn’t
grabbed my young readers. It is the only book on my ballot that has received no
votes. However, the most popular books for kids aren’t always the most popular
with the Caldecott committee. Last year’s Locomotive
is a prime example. Although Locomotive
is interesting, and I see its value as an illustrative teaching tool, it has
not been a popular book for children to check out. This book isn’t likely to
win, but it’s still possible.
Flora and the Penguin
- by Molly Idle. Though this is a cute book, and the kids like it, I don’t
think it stands much of a chance to win. Flora
and the Flamingo, which won an honor award last year, was so similar in
style that it seems unlikely the committee would award what amounts to a
sequel. Still, this book has garnered a number of votes among my students.
The Farmer and the
Clown – by Marla Frazee. This wordless book is sweet and simple. A baby
clown falls off of a circus train and is rescued by a farmer, who takes him in
and cares for him until his family comes back. I love Marla Frazee. I would go
so far as to call her my favorite living illustrator, and this book is
adorable. However, the illustrations in this book are much more spare than her
usual style, and I don’t find them as appealing. If she didn’t win for All the World, I would be surprised to
see her win for this. Another honor book is a possibility, though.
Ivan: The Remarkable
True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla – written by Katherine Applegate,
with illustrations by G. Brian Karas. The picture book version of The One and Only Ivan makes this story
accessible to even the youngest readers. The story follows Ivan from the time
of his capture in the wild, through his years of boredom in a Seattle shopping
mall, and finally to his final home, a natural exhibit in the Atlanta Zoo. The
story is compelling, and the pictures are nice, but I don’t see anything really
extraordinary in this book. I have seen other work by Karas that I liked
better.
Three Bears in a Boat
– By David Soman. The creator of Ladybug Girl goes a different direction with
this high seas adventure starring three mischievous young bears. The bears have
broken one of their mother’s treasures, and decide to take out a little
sailboat (without permission!) to look for a replacement. The watercolors are detailed, yet luminous. My
favorite is an impressive two page spread showing a pod of whales underwater,
lifting their little boat. The boat is a speck in the top corner, while the
whales fill the page in undulating blues and greens. I have a good feeling
about this book’s chances.
Grandfather Gandhi
– written by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus, with illustrations by Evan Turk.
In this book, co-written by Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, we are privy to the
lessons taught to him by his “bapu.” Collage using various textures of papers
and fibers creates tons of visual interest to go along with the story. Probably
the best use of texture I’ve seen among this year’s candidates. Even my
students were impressed, although I was surprised at how few of them had
actually heard of Gandhi. An educational oversight!
Bad Bye, Good Bye
– written by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by Jonathan Bean. A little
boy doesn’t want to move, so as they pack move, everything is bad, including
saying goodbye. Over time he comes to see good in his new home, and both the
language and color changes from gloomy to glad. I’m a sucker for a rhyming
book, and this is no exception. The illustrations are executed with lots of
black and muted primary colors. Geared mostly for the pre-K/kindergarten crowd.
Another long shot, I’m afraid.
And now, to make a prediction. I hate to predict, just as I
hate to make New Year’s resolution. They always seem kind of hopeless. But, if
I had to go out on a limb, I would say that Viva
Frida is my pick. Not necessarily my personal favorite, but I think it’s
got a good chance of winning. Sam and
Dave Dig a Hole and Nana in the City are
my pick as honor books. I could be totally wrong. I don’t have a huge feeling
of confidence about this; it could be that none of my choices from this list will
win anything. We’ll find out Monday morning!
As for the Newbery, I’ve managed to read Brown Girl Dreaming, Under the Egg and The Greenglass House from my hopeful
list, and I enjoyed them all. Under the
Egg gives a tremendous lesson in art and art history, while solving a
mystery, and introducing a great heroine. The
Greenglass House managed to make a story that was compelling to me, despite
me complete lack of knowledge and understanding of role playing games, which
figure heavily in the story. But Brown
Girl Dreaming . . . well, it’s just a force to be reckoned with. It is
perhaps Jackie Woodson’s greatest achievement thus far, and that’s saying a
lot. Such depth of feeling, and yet still accessible to children. Brown Girl Dreaming is my pick for 2015; for once I might be right!
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