The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. It was named after Randolph Caldecott, an English illustrator from the 1800s. A committee of librarians who work with children's books read hundreds of books each year to select the winner. The award, a bronze medal, has been given out since 1938. Past winners have used various mediums like watercolor, ink, and collage to illustrate stories without words or to help tell the story through pictures. Honor books are also recognized each year for outstanding illustration.

1. The Caldecott Medal
Dr. Cheryl Youse
Colquitt County High School

2. • What is the Caldecott Medal?

3. • The Caldecott is given
out each year by the
Association for Library
Service to Children, a
division of the American
Library Association, to
the artist of the most
distinguished
American picture book
for children.

4. • The Caldecott
Medal was named in
honor of English
illustrator Randolph
Caldecott who lived
in the 1800’s. This
is a book he wrote
called “John Gilpin’s
Ride.” The medal
looks like the
pictures from this
book.

5. • In 1937, Rene’ Paul Chambellan
designed the Caldecott Medal. It is a
bronze medal with the winner’s name and
the date engraved on the back.

6. • Fifteen Librarians
who work with
children’s books are
chosen to be on the
Caldecott
committee. They
read hundreds and
hundreds of books
so they can decided
which one is the
best!

7. picture book:
a book consisting mainly or entirely of
pictures, esp. one for children who have
not yet learned to read.
True picture books are books in
which the pictures help tell the story :
the pictures are needed to understand
the story

8. • The first Caldecott
Medal was
presented in 1938 to
Dorothy Lathrop for
her book, Animals of
the Bible: A Picture
Book.
• Medium: black and
white lithographs
(Medium means what
kind of artwork/how
the artwork was
made)

9. 2022 Caldecott
Winner
• Watercress by
Andrea Wang,
Illustrated by
Jason Chin.
• Medium:
Watercolor

10. 2021 Caldecott
Winner
• We are Water
Protectors, Written
Carole Lindstrom,
illustrated by
Michaela Goade.
• Medium:
Watercolor

11. 2020 Caldecott
Winner
• The
Undefeated,
written by
Kwame
Alexander and
illustrated by
Kadir Nelson.
• Medium: Oil

12. 2019 Caldecott
Winner
• Hello Lighthouse,
Written and
illustrated by
Sophie Blackall.
• Medium: Ink and
watercolor

13. 2018 Caldecott
Winner
• Wolf in the Snow,
Written and
illustrated by
Matthew Cordell.
• Medium: Pen and
ink and watercolor

14. 2017 Caldecott
Winner
• Radiant Child: The
Story of Young
Artist Jean-Michel
Basquiat
• Illustrator: Javaka
Steptoe
• Medium: Collage
style paintings on
found wood

15. 2016 Caldecott
Winner
• Finding Winnie:
The True Story of
the World’s Most
Famous Bear
Author: Lindsay
Mattick
• Illustrator: by
Sophie Blackall
• Medium: Chinese
Ink and Watercolor

16. 2015 Caldecott
Winner
Author and
Illustrator: Dan
Santat
Medium: Mixed
Media

17. 2014 Caldecott
Winner
Author and
Illustrator: Brian
Floca
Medium: Watercolor

18. 2013 Caldecott
Winner
Author and
Illustrator: Jon
Klassen
Medium: Digital
Drawing, Coloring,
Watercolor

19. 2012 Caldecott
Winner
• Author and
Illustrator: Chris
Raschka
• Medium:
Watercolor

20. 2011 Caldecott
Winner
• Author: Philip C.
Stead
• Illustrator: Erin E.
Stead
• Medium: Pencil,
woodblock prints

21. 2010 Caldecott
Winner (The Lion
and the Mouse)
• Author: Jerry
Pinkney
• Illustrator: Jerry
Pinkney
• Medium:
Watercolor
• (wordless)

22. 2009 Caldecott
Winner
• Author: Susan
Marie Swanson
• Illustrator: Beth
Krommes
• Medium:
Scratchboard art

23. 2008 Caldecott Winner
• Author: Brian Selznick
• Illustrator: Brian Selznick
• Medium: Pencil drawings

24. 2007 Caldecott Winner
• Author: David Wiesner
• Illustrator: David Wiesner
• Medium: Watercolor
• (wordless)

25. 2006 Caldecott Winner
• Author: Norman Juster
• Illustrator: Chris
Raschka
• Medium: Watercolor

26. 2005 Caldecott
Winner
• Author: Kevin
Henkes
• Illustrator: Kevin
Henkes
• Medium: Gouache
(method of
painting), colored
pencil

27. 2004 Caldecott Winner
• Author: Mordecai Gerstein
• Illustrator: Mordecai Gerstein
• Medium: Ink and oil paintings

28. 2003 Caldecott Winner
• Author: Eric Rohman
• Illustrator: Eric Rohman
• Medium: Colored prints

29. 2002 Caldecott Winner
• Author: David Wiesner
• Illustrator: David Wiesner
• Medium: Watercolor

30. 2001 Caldecott Winner
• Author: Judith St. George
• Illustrator: David Small
• Medium: Watercolor, pen and ink,
pastel

31. 2000 Caldecott Winner
• Author: Sims Taback
• Illustrator: Sims Taback
• Medium: gouache,
watercolor, collage, pencil,
and ink as well as die
cutting

32. 1999 Caldecott
Winner
• Author:
Jacqueline Briggs
Martin
• Illustrator: Mary
Azarian
• Medium: Woodcut,
watercolor

33. 1998 Caldecott Winner
• Author: Paul O.
Zelinsky
• Illustrator: O. Paul
Zelinsky
• Medium: watercolor,
acrylic, oil paint

34. 1997 Caldecott Winner
• Author: David Wisniewski
• Illustrator: David
Wisniewski
• Medium: Papercut collage

35. 1996 Caldecott Winner
• Author: Peggy
Rathman
• Illustrator: Peggy
Rathman
• Medium: Watercolor

36. 1995 Caldecott Winner
• Author: Eve Bunting
• Illustrator: David Diaz
• Medium: Collage

37. Some books each year were called
“runners-up”. In 1971, that term
was changed to “honor books”.
These medals look like the award
except they are silver instead of
bronze.
Honor books have great pictures too!

38. “Interrupting
Chicken”,
written by Liz
Garton
Scanlon and
illustrated by
David Ezra
Stein, was an
honor book in
2011.

39. “All the World”,
written by Liz
Garton Scanlon
and illustrated by
Marla Frazee,
was an honor
book in 2010.

40. “How I Learned
Geography”,
written by Uri
Shulevitz, was an
honor book in
2009.

41. “Henry’s Freedom
Box: A True Story
from the
Underground
Railroad”, written
by Ellen Levine
and illustrated by
Kadir Nelson, was
an honor book in
2008.

42. “Gone Wild: An
Endangered
Animal Alphabet”,
by David
McLimans, was
an honor book in
2007.

43. “Hot Air: The Mostly
True Story of the
First Hot-Air
Balloon Ride ”, by
Marjorie
Priceman, was an
honor book in
2006.

44. “The Red Book”, by
Barbara Lehman,
was an honor
book in 2005.

45. “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive
the Bus” by Mo Willems
was an Honor book in
2004.

46. “The Dinosaurs of
Waterhouse
Hawkins” was an
Honor book in
2002.

47. What book will win this year?
• The Caldecott has
been presented
every year since
1938

48. Books which have won the
Caldecott Medal or an honor medal
use pictures to help tell the story,
and the pictures are really good!
Look for a Caldecott today.

49. Bibliography/Sources
•Amazon.com, book images.
•Allen County Indiana Public Library, 2007 Mock
Caldecott Election
•American Library Association Caldecott Awards.
•Caldecott Winner and Honor Books 1938-2005.
•Huck, Charlotte S. Children’s Literature in the
Elementary School. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2001.
•In the Artist's Studio by Paul O. Zelinsky.