The Newbery and Caldecott Awards: A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books, 2004 (Newbery and Caldecott

185 Pages·2004·1.28 MB·English

by  Association for Library Service to Child, Gratia J. Banta

T h e
Newbery
a n d
Caldecott
A w a r d s
A G u i d e
t o t h e
M e d a l
a n d
H o n o r
B o o k s
2 0 0 4
Edition
A s s o c i a t i on fo r
L i b ra r y Se r v i ce t o Ch i l d ren
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Chicago 2004
▲
▲
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, Office of Rights and Permissions.
Photo of Mordicai Gerstein courtesy of Stephen Petegorsky. Cover illustration of The
Man Who Walked between the Towers used with permission of the publisher.
Cover illustration of The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess,
Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Timothy Basil Ering used with permission of the
publisher.
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. ⬁
ISBN 0-8389-3542-7
ISSN 1070-4493
Copyright © 2004 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.
Printed in the United States of America.
08 07 06 05 04 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
PREFACE v
Newbery and Caldecott Awards:
Authorization and Terms 1
Reading Pictures: Searching for Excellence
in Picture Books
Gratia J. Banta 9
The Newbery Awards, 2004–1922 19
The Caldecott Awards, 2004–1938 87
The Media Used in Caldecott Picture Books:
Notes toward a Definitive List 139
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR INDEX 163
TITLE INDEX 170
iii
PREFACE
Welcome to the 2004 edition of the Newbery and Caldecott Awards guide. The
Newbery and Caldecott medal and honor books represent the best of the best in
children’s book publishing. This book offers librarians, teachers, educators, parents,
and children more than 80 years of exemplary literature to share and enjoy. Its rich
collection of award-winning titles provides librarians and educators with core lists for
library collection and curricula development, readers’ advisory, and quick reference.
In this year’s essay, “Reading Pictures: Searching for Excellence in Picture Books,”
Gratia J. Banta, an artist and former children’s librarian, discusses how we can teach
ourselves to recognize distinguished book illustrations. Banta outlines a host of nec-
essary elements, such as visual literacy and knowledge of art history, art terms, and
techniques, which can help prepare professionals to search for and identify excel-
lence in picture book illustration.
Bette J. Peltola’s essay “Newbery and Caldecott Awards: Authorization and Terms”dis-
cusses the terms and definitions that have evolved for both medals. She provides insight
into the significance of the awards and into the evaluation of children’s literature.
Descriptive annotations provide a brief summary of each medal and honor book
named since the inception of each award. “Media Used in Caldecott Picture Books”
reveals each illustrator’s choice of media for the medal and honor books
(1938–2004) and includes a helpful glossary of art terms. For the 2004 winners, we
have also included photos of the medalists and the remarks of the award committee
chairs, taken from the press announcements, to help capture some of the enthusiasm
and excitement that accompany the selection and presentation of the awards.
While we know you will find the 2004 guide useful, we also encourage your sug-
gestions for future editions.
MALORE I. BROWN
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 21, 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 enthusiasti-
cally accepted by the children’s librarians, and Melcher’s official proposal was
approved by the ALA Executive Board in 1922. In Melcher’s formal agreement with
the board, the purpose of the Newbery Medal was stated as follows: “To encourage
original and creative work in the field of books for children. To emphasize to the
public that contributions 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 reading interests, an opportunity to encourage good writing in this field.”
The Newbery Award thus became the first children’s book award in the world. Its
terms, as well as its long history, continue to make it the best known and most dis-
cussed 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 chil-
dren; the judgment of the librarians voting shall decide whether a book be a ‘contri-
bution to the literature for children.’ The award considers only the books of one cal-
endar 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
annual 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 final 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 win-
ner of the Newbery or Caldecott Awards was first 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, defini-
tions, and criteria for each award. The new statements were prepared and adopted to
provide further clarification of the basis on which the awards are to be given. They
were slightly modified for further clarification in 1985 and 1987.
NEWBERY AWARD
The terms, definitions, and criteria for the Newbery Award are as follows:
TERMS
1. The Medal shall be awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished
contribution 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
considered 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 specified 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—fiction, nonfiction, and
poetry. Reprints and compilations are not eligible.
2. A “Contribution to American literature for children” shall be a book for which
children are a potential audience. The book displays respect for children’s under-
standings, abilities, and appreciations.“Children” are defined as persons of ages up
to and including fourteen, and books for this entire age range are to be considered.
3. “Distinguished” is defined as:
• marked by eminence and distinction: noted for significant 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 defining 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.