A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Marcus, Leonard S. 1998. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SIX ARTISTS AND THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. New York: Walker and Company. ISBN 0802786561

PLOT SUMMARY:
To honor the 60th anniversary of the Caldecott Award, A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION tells the stories of six of the most famous winners. A short introduction explains why the award was created and the process behind selecting recipients. Then Marcus delves into the lives of Robert McCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allburg, and David Wiesner. Short biographies are given about the respective artists as well as the inspiration behind creating their award winning books.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION brings meaning behind famous illustrations to life. By exploring the journeys of illustrators, a voice is given to efforts behind the creations. Not only does the reader learn about the illustrator personally, but the struggles they endured in composing their masterpieces. Marcus's book shows that with hard work and dedication dreams can become reality.

Much attention is devoted to the various artistic techniques used by the illustrators. Marcus provides the reader with an inside glimpse into how the famed works were created. From explaining how McCloskey observed ducks in Boston to Brown's painstakingingly detailed process of separating colors so that the appropriate hue would be created, the book provides a fascinating glimpse into the illustrator's worlds.

The book is laid out beautifully with many old sketches and drafts of the famous works included. Additionally, there are photographs of items that provided the inspiration for the drawings. Overall, Marcus does a wonderful job in applauding the efforts of illustrators.

AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Filled with witty anecdotes and pithy observations, Marcus’s approach to examining the works of six Caldecott Medalists will be of as much interest to adults as to picture book readers.”
Starred review in BOOKLIST: “A lively, informative introduction to each book and its maker. A beautifully made book, this will serve as a fine resource for children interested in illustration and for teachers researching author/ illustrator studies.”

CONNECTIONS:
*Have the students select their own favorite illustrator to research
*Pull all the books from your library who have won the Caldecott Award and let the kids browse through the books to find their favorites
*Using the books published this year, have the children vote on who they think should win the Caldecott for next year