“I was laughing and sobbing. I think I was also possibly going to fall over,” reported illustrator Sophie Blackall, when she heard she won the 2016 Caldecott Medal. Blackall won the prize for her ink and watercolors in Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, written by Lindsay Mattick.
It’s understandable that the compelling news had such an emotional effect on Blackall. The Caldecott Medal is the most acclaimed award for artists in the picture book world.
What is the Caldecott Medal?
The Caldecott is awarded annually “by the Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.” Named after Randolph Caldecott, a prominent 19th century English illustrator, the medal has been awarded every year since 1938 for a book published in the previous year.
Weighing a little more than three ounces, The Caldecott Medal is bronze. Although many winners would probably like to wear it, the medal is meant for display in its cherry wooden box.
According to a New York bookseller, “Sales of a Caldecott book increase a lot. Some people buy the book just because it won. They don’t even read it before they make the purchase.”
Criteria
According to the American Library Association (ALA), the committee considers these criteria when selecting the winner:
- Excellence of execution in the artistic technique employed
- Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept
- Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood of information through the pictures
- Excellence of presentation in recognition of a child audience.
To qualify, the artist must be a citizen or resident of the United States.
Caldecott Honor Book Awards
In addition to the Caldecott Medal winner, the 15-member Association for Library Services to Children committee also presents Caldecott Honor Book awards, considered “runners-up.”
The 2016 Caldecott Honor Books are Trombone Shorty, illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Tony Andrews; Waiting, illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes; Voices of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Carole Boston Weatherford; and Last Stop on Market Street, illustrated by Christian Robinson, written by Matt de la Peña.
Now What?
So, if you’re an illustrator as well as a children’s book writer, power down your computer, grab your brushes or pastels, and focus on the pictures that bring a story to life. One day the Caldecott might be yours. Said Christian Robinson, who won this year’s Caldecott Honor for Last Stop on Market Street: Winning the award “is like sprinkles on top of of (a glazed donut).”
You like sprinkles, don’t you?