A Caldecott Celebration; Six Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal by Leonard S. Marcus

A. Bibliographic Data

A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SIX ARTISTS AND THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL by Leonard S. Marcus. Walker and Co. New York. 1998. ISBN# 0-8027-8656-1.

B. Plot Summary

Marcus interviewed and wrote about six artists and how they created illustrations for stories that earned the Caldecott Medal.

C. Critical Analysis

The characters in this book would be the six illustrators that Marcus interviewed. The illustrators include Robert McCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner. Each one of these illustrators had a unique way of illustrating their various stories to achieve the highest honor of the Caldecott Medal.

Marcus uses easy language that would appeal to the middle age reader and get them interested in how to illustrate stories. He takes a behind the scenes look at all the stages of creating award winning illustrations. This book would be very useful for students researching or interested in drawing.

This book contains many photographs of the drawings and various stages of completion as well as photos of the illustrators as well.

D. Awards/ Review Excerpt

A CALDECOTT CELBRATION won the Independent Publisher Book Award in 1999 as well as making the Texas Reading Club in 2004.

Mary Quattlebaum of Children's Literature reviewed this book saying, "When changeable weather makes your kid antsy, you might try an art project or hand her a copy of A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION. Well-known historian and critic Leonard Marcus takes a fascinating look at six artists who won the most prestigious honor for children's book illustration. The book includes information and visuals on the artists' process, andit is enlightening (as well as heartening for young artists) to see how a work can evolve from a few doodles to admirable art. here are Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, and Chris Van Allsburn; and because Marcus features an illustrator for each of six decades, readers can see how technology and styles change, from Robert McCloskey, 1942 winner for MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS, to David Wiesner, 1992 winner for TUESDAY.

E. Connections

Leonard S. Marcus also wrote 75 YEARS OF CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK POSTERS: CELEBRATING GREAT ILLUSTRATORS OF AMERICAN CHILDREN'S BOOKS and WAYS OF TELLING: CONVERSATIONS ON THE ART OF THE PICTURE BOOK. Both books deal with the interviews and makings of drawing either posters or illustrations for childrens books. The later book is written in such a way that children as young as 10 years of age could enjoy.

A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION would be a great book to use in conjuction with a book mentioned in the text so the readers could see the background information that goes with the illustrations.