The Newbery and Caldecott Awards 2008: A Guide to the Medal Honor Books

199 Pages·2008·1.1 MB·English

by  Association for Library Service to Children

The
Newbery
and
Caldecott Awards
2008 Edition
A Guide to the
Medal and Honor Books
Association
for Library
Service
to Children
The
Newbery
and
Caldecott Awards
2008 Edition
A Guide to the
Medal and Honor Books
Assoc ia t ion fo r
L ib ra r y Ser v ice to Ch i ld ren
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Chicago 2008
The Newbery and Caldecott medals and Honor Book seals are property of the American
Library Association and cannot be used in any form or reproduced without permission
of the ALA, Offce of Rights and Permissions.
Photo of Laura Amy Schlitz used with permission of Candlewick Press. Cover
illustration for Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village, by Laura
Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Robert Byrd, copyright © 2007, used with permission of
Candlewick Press.
Photo of Brian Selznick © David Serlin. Cover illustration for The Invention of Hugo
Cabret, by Brian Selznick, used with permission of Scholastic, Inc.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. ∞
Copyright © 2008 by the American Library Association. All rights reserved except those
which may be granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976.
ISBN-10: 0-8389-3574-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-8389-3574-3
ISSN: 1070-4493
Printed in the United States of America
12 11 10 09 08 5 4 3 2 1
contents
Preface v
Newbery and Caldecott Awards:
Authorization and Terms 1
The Art of the Picture Book
Mary M. Erbach 9
The Newbery Awards, 2008–1922 19
The Caldecott Awards, 2008–1938 91
The Media Used in Caldecott Picture Books:
Notes toward a Defnitive List 147
author/Illustrator Index 177
tItle Index 185
iii
Preface
Welcome to the 2008 edition of the Newbery and Caldecott awards guide. This
complete listing of Newbery and Caldecott Medal–winning titles and honor books
showcases the most distinguished examples of American children’s literature over the
past eighty-plus years.
The Newbery and Caldecott Awards is reissued each year, featuring the new
medal-winning and honor books and listing the previous awards from their incep-
tions in 1922 (Newbery Medal) and 1938 (Caldecott Medal). In last year’s essay,
Barbara Elleman presented an exciting account of the origin and early history of the
Newbery Medal. This year we focus on the Caldecott winners, with a look at chil-
dren’s book illustration and museums written by Mary Erbach, assistant director of
interpretive exhibitions and family programs at the Art Institute of Chicago. Much of
the artwork in these books is beautiful enough to hang on a wall; in fact, I have some
of it on my own walls at home. However, the best children’s book art truly comes to
life between the covers, when it is accompanied by well-written text and encased in
a beautifully designed and produced package. Ms. Erbach describes how children’s
picture books and original picture book art have found a home in the art museum
setting and are valued as links to permanent museum collections and as supplements
for educational programming and hands-on activities.
Bette J. Peltola’s essay “Newbery and Caldecott Awards: Authorization and Terms”
discusses the terms and defnitions that have evolved for both awards. She provides
insight into the signifcance of the awards and into the evaluation of children’s lit-
erature.
We have included photos of the 2008 Newbery and Caldecott medalists and
the remarks of the award committee chairs, which provide some insight into why
these books were selected. “Media Used in Caldecott Picture Books” reveals each il-
lustrator’s choice of media for the Caldecott Medal–winning books and honor books
(1938–2008) and includes a helpful glossary of art terms.
We hope you will fnd the 2008 guide valuable, and we welcome your suggestions
for future editions.
Diane Foote
Executive Director
Association for Library Service to Children
v
newbery and caldecott awards
authorization and terms
Bette J. Peltola
each year the Newbery and Caldecott Medals are awarded by the American Library
Association for the most distinguished American children’s books published the pre-
vious year. On June 22, 1921, Frederic G. Melcher proposed to the American Library
Association meeting of the Children’s Librarians’ Section that a medal be given for the
most distinguished children’s book of the year. He suggested that it be named for the
eighteenth-century English bookseller John Newbery. The idea was enthusiastically
accepted by the children’s librarians, and Melcher’s offcial proposal was approved
by the ALA Executive Board in 1922. In Melcher’s formal agreement with the board,
the purpose of the Newb ery Medal was stated as follows: “To encourage original and
creative work in the feld of books for children. To emphasize to the public that con-
tributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or
novels. To give those librarians, who make it their life work to serve children’s read-
ing interests, an opportunity to encourage good writing in this feld.” The Newbery
Award thus became the frst children’s book award in the world. Its terms, as well as its
long history, continue to make it the best known and most discussed children’s book
award in this country.
The description of the award adopted in 1922 indicated that the Newbery Medal
“is to be awarded annually to the author of the ‘most distinguished contribution to
American literature for children,’ the award being made to cover books whose publi-
cation in book form falls in the calendar year last elapsed. The award is restricted to
authors who are citizens or residents of the United States. Reprints and compilations
Bette J. Peltola is professor emerita, School of Education, University of Wisconsin–
Milwaukee.
1
2 Newbery and Caldecott Awards
are not eligible for consideration. There are no limitations as to the character of the
book considered except that it be original work. It need not be written solely for
children; the judgment of the librarians voting shall decide whether a book be a ‘con-
tribution to the literature for children.’ The award considers only the books of one
calendar year and does not pass judgment on the author’s previous work or other
work during that year outside the volume that may be named.” In 1932 the Section
for Library Work with Children, with Melcher’s approval, adopted the following: “To be
eligible for the Newbery Medal books must be original, or, if traditional in origin, the
result of individual research, the retelling and reinterpretation being the writer’s own.”
During the next several years, many persons became concerned that the artists
creating picture books for children were as deserving of honor and encouragement
as were the authors of children’s books. So, in 1937 Melcher suggested a second an-
nual medal, this to be given to the artist who had created the most distinguished
picture book of the year and to be called the Caldecott Medal in honor of Randolph
Caldecott, the nineteenth-century English illustrator. The idea for this medal was also
accepted enthusiastically by the Section for Library Work with Children of ALA and
was approved by the ALA Executive Board.
The Caldecott Medal “shall be awarded to the artist of the most distinguished
American Picture Book for Children published in the United States during the pre-
ceding year. The award shall go to the artist, who must be a citizen or resident of the
United States, whether or not he be the author of the text. Members of the Newbery
Medal Committee will serve as judges. If a book of the year is nominated for both
the Newbery and Caldecott Awards the committee shall decide under which heading
it shall be voted upon, so that the same title shall not be considered on both ballots.”
In 1977 the Board of Directors of the Association for Library Service to Children
rescinded the fnal part of the 1937 action and approved that “any book published in
the preceding year shall be eligible to be considered for either award or both awards.”
Separate committees to choose the Newbery and Caldecott Awards were established
in 1978 and began with the 1980 Selection Committees.
addItIonal chanGes In terMs for the aWards
A resolution by the Section for Library Work with Children in 1932 that “the book
of a previous award winner shall receive the award only upon the unanimous vote”
of the committee was later rescinded by the Children’s Services Division Board of
Directors. “In view of the fact that a unanimous vote in the case of a previous winner
of the Newbery or Caldecott Awards was frst instituted to encourage new authors
and illustrators at a period when such encouragement was needed and since such
need is no longer apparent, the restriction of a unanimous vote for winning either
award more than once [is] removed from terms for selection [of the awards]” (1958).
In 1963 it was voted by the Children’s Services Division that “joint authors shall be
eligible” for the awards.
Newbery and Caldecott Awards 3
In 1978, the ALSC Board of Directors adopted new statements of terms, defni-
tions, and criteria for each award. The new statements were prepared and adopted to
provide further clarifcation of the basis on which the awards are to be given. They
were slightly modifed for further clarifcation in 1985 and 1987.
neWBerY aWard
The terms, defnitions, and criteria for the Newbery Award are as follows:
terMs
1. The Medal shall be awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished con-
tribution to American literature for children published in the United States during
the preceding year. There are no limitations as to the character of the book consid-
ered except that it be original work. Honor Books may be named. These shall be
books that are also truly distinguished.
2. The Award is restricted to authors who are citizens or residents of the United States.
3. The committee in its deliberations is to consider only the books eligible for the
Award as specifed in the terms.
defInItIons
1. “Contribution to American literature” indicates the text of a book. It also implies
that the committee shall consider all forms of writing—fction, nonfction, and
poetry. Reprints and compilations are not eligible.
2. A “Contribution to American literature for children” shall be a book for which chil-
dren are a potential audience. The book displays respect for children’s understand-
ings, abilities, and appreciations. “Children” are defned as persons of ages up to
and including fourteen, and books for this entire age range are to be considered.
3. “Distinguished” is defned as:
• marked by eminence and distinction: noted for signifcant achievement
• marked by excellence in quality
• marked by conspicuous excellence or eminence
• individually distinct
4. “Author” may include coauthors. The author may be awarded the medal posthu-
mously.
5. In defning the term “original work,” the committee will consider books that are
traditional in origin if the book is the result of original research and the retelling
and interpretation are the writer’s own.
6. “American literature published in the United States” means that books originally
published in other countries are not eligible.