The Caldecott Medal – named after nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott – is awarded each year to the artist of the most distinguished American children’s picture book.
2022:Â Watercress by Andrea Wang
Archer, Micha. Wonder Walkers. New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2021.
Gorgeous double-page illustrations help tell this story of two children who go on a nature walk. Minimal text – in the form of imaginative questions – will inspire students to see the world with fresh eyes. Artists will be reminded of all the colours used by picture book author Brian Wildsmith. Teachers will want to use this picture book to introduce the literary technique of personification. A 2022 Caldecott Honor Book. Highly recommended!
2021:Â We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
2020: The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
2019: Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
2018: Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
2017: Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka SteptoeÂ
2016: Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, illustrated by Sophie Blackall, written by Lindsay Mattick
2015: The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan SantatÂ
2014: Locomotive by Brian FlocaÂ
2013: This Is Not My Hat by Jon KlassenÂ
2012: A Ball for Daisy by Chris RaschkaÂ
2011: A Sick Day for Amos McGee, illustrated by Erin E. Stead, written by Philip C. SteadÂ
2010: The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry PinkneyÂ
2009:  The House in the Night, illustrated by Beth Krommes, written by Susan Marie SwansonÂ
2008: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian SelznickÂ
2007: Flotsam by David Wiesner Â
2006: The Hello, Goodbye Window, illustrated by Chris Raschka, written by Norton JusterÂ
2005: Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin HenkesÂ
2004: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai GersteinÂ
2003: My Friend Rabbit by Eric RohmannÂ
2002: The Three Pigs by David WiesnerÂ
2001: So You Want to Be President?, illustrated by David Small, written by Judith St. GeorgeÂ
2000: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms TabackÂ
1999: Snowflake Bentley, illustrated by Mary Azarian, written by Jacqueline Briggs MartinÂ
1998: Rapunzel by Paul O. ZelinskyÂ
1997: Golem by David WisniewskiÂ
1996: Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy RathmannÂ
1995:Â Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz; text: Eve BuntingÂ
1994: Grandfather’s Journey, illustrated by Allen Say; text: edited by Walter LorraineÂ
1993: Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCullyÂ
1992: Tuesday by David WiesnerÂ
1991: Black and White by David MacaulayÂ
1990: Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed YoungÂ
1989:Â Song and Dance Man, illustrated by Stephen Gammell; text: Karen AckermanÂ
1988:Â Owl Moon, illustrated by John Schoenherr; text: Jane YolenÂ
1987:Â Hey, Al, illustrated by Richard Egielski; text: Arthur YorinksÂ
1986: The Polar Express by Chris Van AllsburgÂ
1985:Â Saint George and the Dragon, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman; retold by Margaret HodgesÂ
1984: The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot by Alice & Martin ProvensenÂ
1983:Â Shadow, translated and illustrated by Marcia Brown; original text in French: Blaise CendrarsÂ
1982: Jumanji by Chris Van AllsburgÂ
1981: Fables by Arnold LobelÂ
1980:Â Ox-Cart Man, illustrated by Barbara Cooney; text: Donald Hall
1979: The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble
1978: Noah’s Ark by Peter SpierÂ
1977:Â Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; text: Margaret MusgroveÂ
1976:Â Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; retold by Verna AardemaÂ
1975: Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermottÂ
1974:Â Duffy and the Devil, illustrated by Margot Zemach; retold by Harve ZemachÂ
1973:Â The Funny Little Woman, illustrated by Blair Lent; retold by Arlene Mosel
1972:Â One Fine Day, retold and illustrated by Nonny HogrogianÂ
1971:Â A Story A Story, retold and illustrated by Gail E. HaleyÂ
1970: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William SteigÂ
1969:Â The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, illustrated by Uri Shulevitz; retold by Arthur RansomeÂ
1968:Â Drummer Hoff, illustrated by Ed Emberley; adapted by Barbara EmberleyÂ
1967: Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline NessÂ
1966:Â Always Room for One More, illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian; text: Sorche Nic Leodhas (pseudonym of Leclair Alger)
1965: May I Bring a Friend?, illustrated by Beni Montresor; text: Beatrice Schenk de RegniersÂ
1964: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice SendakÂ
1963: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack KeatsÂ
1962:Â Once a Mouse, retold and illustrated by Marcia BrownÂ
1961:Â Baboushka and the Three Kings, illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov; text: Ruth RobbinsÂ
1960:Â Nine Days to Christmas, illustrated by Marie Hall Ets; text: Marie Hall Ets and Aurora LabastidaÂ
1959:Â Chanticleer and the Fox, illustrated by Barbara Cooney; adapted from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales by Barbara CooneyÂ
1958: Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskeyÂ
1957:Â A Tree Is Nice, illustrated by Marc Simont; text: Janice Udry
1956:Â Frog Went A-Courtin’, illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky; retold by John Langstaff
1955:Â Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper, illustrated by Marcia Brown; text: translated from Charles Perrault by Marcia BrownÂ
1954: Madeline’s Rescue by Ludwig BemelmansÂ
1953: The Biggest Bear by Lynd WardÂ
1952:Â Finders Keepers, illustrated by Nicolas (pseudonym of Nicholas Mordvinoff); text: Will (pseudonym of William Lipkind)
1951: The Egg Tree by Katherine MilhousÂ
1950: Song of the Swallows by Leo PolitiÂ
1949: The Big Snow by Berta & Elmer HaderÂ
1948:Â White Snow, Bright Snow, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin; text: Alvin TresseltÂ
1947:Â The Little Island, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard; text: Golden MacDonald (pseudonym of Margaret Wise Brown)
1946: The Rooster Crows by Maud & Miska PetershamÂ
1945:Â Prayer for a Child, illustrated by Elizabeth Orton Jones; text: Rachel FieldÂ
1944:Â Many Moons, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin; text: James ThurberÂ
1943: The Little House by Virginia Lee BurtonÂ
1942: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Smith, Emma Bland. Mr. McCloskey’s Marvelous Mallards: The Making of Make Way for Ducklings. New York: Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, 2022.
How do you become a great writer? How do you become a great artist? By practising, of course. Practising and practising. Over and over and over. When Robert McCloskey, the famed author and illustrator, decided to create a picture book about a family of ducks, he started drawing sketches. But they weren’t very good. He did some research on ducks and tried again, but his sketches still weren’t very good. So he went out and bought a box of ducklings and took them home to live in his studio. You’d think living with ducklings, messy squawking ducklings, would help him know how to create great illustrations. But it wasn’t enough. So he went out and brought home a box of adult ducks. After Mr. McCloskey had practised and practised some more and the ducks really needed to get back outside where they belonged, he was finally satisfied with his pictures. It had taken him six years of researching and writing and drawing to finish his story. But it was worth it. In 1942, Make Way for Ducklings won the Caldecott Award for the most distinguished American children’s picture book! This biography by Smith, illustrated with gouache and coloured pencil drawings by Becca Stadtlander and appended by extensive background information, is highly recommended for students 6 to 10 years old and for anyone of any age who needs encouragement to not give up. Keep practising!
1941: They Were Strong and Good , by Robert LawsonÂ
1940: Abraham Lincoln by Ingri & Edgar Parin d’AulaireÂ
1939: Mei Li by Thomas HandforthÂ
1938:Â Animals of the Bible, A Picture Book, illustrated by Dorothy P. Lathrop; text selected by Helen Dean Fish