A Caldecott Celebration

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Marcus, Leonard. 2008. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SEVEN ARTIST AND THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. New York: Walker Publishing Company. ISBN 9780802797032

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Leonard Marcus’s book on the Caldecott Medal gives a brief look on seven amazing illustrators that have won this prestigious award oven the past seven decades. The Randolph Caldecott medal is given to children’s book illustrators that have demonstrated exceptional drawings from the previous year. In this book Marcus focuses on Robert McCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allsburg, David Wiesner, and Mordicai Gerstein. Each author explains the inspiration they had behind writing and drawing each story as well as a short biography about themselves.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is a wonderful book that is both informational and interesting to read. You get to step behind the scenes with the authors on their path to making an award winning book. The illustrations from the book show the first steps in creating the drawing from the book and explains how the author created the figures. Some used real life subject and others used plastic animals. This book is a great resource for children 3rd-5th grade wanting to learn more about how illustrations are made. The one draw back for children is that it is a little lengthy and written to a more adult audience.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
* School Library Journal- “Teachers, librarians, and parents will find a source of inspiration here.”
* Starred Review in Booklist- “It is hard to image any issue that he has overlooked, and the resulting book is, in a word, 'indispensable.”
* Starred Review in Horn Book- “…For anyone associated with children's books or, indeed, for anyone interested in our social and intellectual history, this is an enthralling and richly rewarding read."

5. CONNECTIONS
* Gather the 7 books by the credited authors and conduct a group read aloud on each book. Then discuss book ideas and describe the illustrations.
* In one of the center station display books and have student do a Venn Digram about 2 of the illustrators.