Metrowest News
Feeds-Subscribe to our Blog!
Flickr - Latest Photos
MOCK CALDECOTT AWARD PARTICIPANTS SELECT SHOW WAY BY JACQUELINE WOODSON FOR MEDAL, ZEN SHORTS BY JOHN MUTH FOR HONOR BOOK
posted Tuesday, 10 January 2006
On January 5 2005, fifteen librarians from 5 regions met at the Morrill Memorial Norwood to examine over 30 picture books and select a mock Caldecott award winner and honor book(s). Melody Allen, library science instructor at URI, youth services consultant at the Rhode Island state library system, and two-time Caldecott Award Committee member, facilitated a discussion on what to look for in winning picture books. Resources and discussion helped librarians focus on two key element: integration of text and images, and how the illustrations move the reader through the story.
Handouts, including Caldecott resources, and a quiz, are on the Metrowest website at http://www.mmrls.org/materials/mockcaldecott06.htm
Our morning began with danish, coffee and tea, and a perusal of many picture books. We were quizzed on our Caldecott knowledge and thenn Melody demonstrated award material with the award-winning books she voted on during her time on the committee: The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Stephen Gammell, and Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully.
The Caldecott award is given to the "most distinguished picture book " of the previous year. Even if no book is "worthy" at least one must stand out a bit more form all of the rest. One award (gold medal) is given, and there may be any number of honor books (silver medals). If only one honor book is selected, it's an indication that the two books are nearly equals.
Winners are chosen by through a years' worth of recommendation and discussion, then a secret balloting at the ALA's midwinter meeting. The process is surrounded by lots of secrecy! The runner ups are never publically acknowledged, nor is the number of ballots it takes to arrive at a winning choice.
The process is detailed on the Assocaition for Library Service' to Children's website at: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/caldecottmedal/caldecottterms/caldecottterms.htm
The committee sends monthly title suggestions, and then in October & December writes an critical analysis of 3 contenders.
15 committee members, 7 appointed, 7 elected, and 1 chair (elected). The committee's manual is online at: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/boardcomm/mar2005_Caldecott_Manual.pdf
The Committee members meet at conference and spend 3 1/2 days locked in a room together to meet the deadline of the 9:00 AM press conference
The story of "how I got the call" is often a feature of the acceptance speeches given at a banquet at the annual American Library Association conference. The ceremony includes a dinner at $85 a ticket, but is open to bystanders who just want to hear the speeches at no charge.
Caldecott award winners are:
To set the tone for what we might be looking for was we continued to examine books (and make a case for our favorites!) Melody shared two quotes, one from Barbara Cooney, who likened picutre books to a a necklace - the story is the thread that holds the beads (pictures) together; and another from Stephen Kellogg, who said picture books should be a "gourmet feast for the ear and the eye," and stressed the inter-relationship of the verbal & visual.
In our first balloting, we eliminated many titles. A second balloting revealed out winner. We opted to vote again, instead of selecting the runners up as honor books. Our choices were Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson with Zen Shorts by John Muth as the only honor book.
Thanks to Melody Allen for a great program, and Hope Andershon for hosting!
Handouts, including Caldecott resources, and a quiz, are on the Metrowest website at http://www.mmrls.org/materials/mockcaldecott06.htm
Handouts, including Caldecott resources, and a quiz, are on the Metrowest website at http://www.mmrls.org/materials/mockcaldecott06.htm
Our morning began with danish, coffee and tea, and a perusal of many picture books. We were quizzed on our Caldecott knowledge and thenn Melody demonstrated award material with the award-winning books she voted on during her time on the committee: The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Stephen Gammell, and Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully.
The Caldecott award is given to the "most distinguished picture book " of the previous year. Even if no book is "worthy" at least one must stand out a bit more form all of the rest. One award (gold medal) is given, and there may be any number of honor books (silver medals). If only one honor book is selected, it's an indication that the two books are nearly equals.
Winners are chosen by through a years' worth of recommendation and discussion, then a secret balloting at the ALA's midwinter meeting. The process is surrounded by lots of secrecy! The runner ups are never publically acknowledged, nor is the number of ballots it takes to arrive at a winning choice.
The process is detailed on the Assocaition for Library Service' to Children's website at: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/caldecottmedal/caldecottterms/caldecottterms.htm
The committee sends monthly title suggestions, and then in October & December writes an critical analysis of 3 contenders.
15 committee members, 7 appointed, 7 elected, and 1 chair (elected). The committee's manual is online at: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/boardcomm/mar2005_Caldecott_Manual.pdf
The Committee members meet at conference and spend 3 1/2 days locked in a room together to meet the deadline of the 9:00 AM press conference
The story of "how I got the call" is often a feature of the acceptance speeches given at a banquet at the annual American Library Association conference. The ceremony includes a dinner at $85 a ticket, but is open to bystanders who just want to hear the speeches at no charge.
Caldecott award winners are:
- Distinguished in some way
- Intergrated (balance of text & pictures)
- Illustrations extend the story's plot, character, theme, setting
- Illustrations advance the plot and action by line, color, character
- Picture books for ages 0-14
- American natives
- Published in English
To set the tone for what we might be looking for was we continued to examine books (and make a case for our favorites!) Melody shared two quotes, one from Barbara Cooney, who likened picutre books to a a necklace - the story is the thread that holds the beads (pictures) together; and another from Stephen Kellogg, who said picture books should be a "gourmet feast for the ear and the eye," and stressed the inter-relationship of the verbal & visual.
In our first balloting, we eliminated many titles. A second balloting revealed out winner. We opted to vote again, instead of selecting the runners up as honor books. Our choices were Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson with Zen Shorts by John Muth as the only honor book.
Thanks to Melody Allen for a great program, and Hope Andershon for hosting!
Handouts, including Caldecott resources, and a quiz, are on the Metrowest website at http://www.mmrls.org/materials/mockcaldecott06.htm
comments