Newbery and Caldecott

[Kay Goss <fup001@MAIL.CONNECT.MORE.NET>]

First of all, I apologize for misspelling Newbery.
This was the best of the information I received:


This came from a document called Newbery and Caldecott Awards:
Authorization and Terms, by Bette J. Peltola, who is a professor, School of
Educ., Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
"Award Committees
        The committees that select the Newbery and the Caldecott Medal and
Honor Books each have fifteen members including the chair. The ALSC
membership elects the chair and seven members from a slate drawn up by the
nominating committee; the ALSC president-elect appoints the remaining seven
members. All members of the committees are members of ALSC.
        During the year, each committee members reads as many of the
eligible books as possible, including all books suggested by other
committee members and by other members of ALSC. Twice in the autumn,
committee members cast preliminary ballots to begin to focus attention on
the books likely to be of most interest in the selection discussions. No
eligible book which has been suggested before the midwinter selection
meetings is excluded from consideration, however, even if it was not
nominated on a preliminary ballot. During the selection meetings, the
committee discusses all nominated and suggested books before beginning
balloting. Each committee member votes for three books, with four points
assigned to first choice, three to second, and two to third choice. To win,
a book must receive at least eight first place choices and at least eight
points more than any other book. Once a winner is chosen, the committee
decides whether to name honor books and how many."
                     RANDOLPH CALDECOTT AWARD

     Frederick Melcher, originator of the Caldecott Award, suggested in 1937
that an award be given to an illustrator who created the most distinguished
picture book for children.  The award was to be called the Caldecott Award
in honor of Randolph Caldecott, the outstanding nineteenth-century English
illustrator.  The section for Library Work with Children (now ALSC) of ALA
sponsored the program.  As with the Newbery Award, the Melcher family
donates the medal.
     The Caldecott Award "shall be awarded to the artist of the most
distinguished American picture book for children published in the U.S.
during the preceding year.  The award shall go to the artist, who must be a
citizen or resident of the U.S., whether or not he is the author of the
text.  "The award is made for a picture book in which the pictures rather
than the text are the heart of the book."
     The recipient is chosen by the Caldecott Award committee which consists
of fifteen members, eight elected and seven appointed.  In addition to the
winner, an unspecified number of honor books are also cited.  The winners
receive a gold medal and the honor book recipients are presented with
certificates.  The winners are announced in January at the ALA Midwinter
meeting and the awards are presented at the Newbery-Caldecott Banquet held
in June at the ALA annual convention.

Source: Jones, Dolores Blythe, Children's Literature Awards and         Winners,
Neal-Schuman Publishers, 1988.

     The first Caldecott Award was given in 1938 to Dorothy Lathrop for her
illustrations in Animals of the Bible.  Until 1953 an illustrator could not
receive the award twice without the unanimous vote of the committee.  In
that year this rule was rescinded and Robert McCloskey received the award a
second time.  Now there are several illustrators who have won the award
twice, and Marcia Brown is the only person to have won it three times.

     Selecting the book that will receive the Caldecott is a difficult
decision, and there are many outstanding books that do not become winners.
Many of these are named Honor Book to demonstrate that they have been
serious contenders for the medal.

Further information may be found in:

Peltola, Bette J. "Choosing the Caldecott Medal Winners." Journal       of Youth
Services. (Winter, 1988) 153-159.

TERMS

1. The medal shall be awarded annually to the artist of the most
distinguished American picture book for children published in the United
States during the preceding year.  There are no limitations as to the
character of the picture book except that the illustrations be original
work.  Honor books may be named.  These shall be books that are also truly
distinguished.

2. The award is restricted to artists who are citizens or residents of the
United States.

3. The committee in its deliberations is to consider only books eligible for
the Award, as specified in the terms.

DEFINITIONS

1. A "picture book for children" as distinguished from other books with
illustrations, is one that essentially provides the child with a visual
experience.  A picture book has a collective unity of story-line, theme, or
concept, developed through the series of pictures of which the book is
comprised.

2. A "picture book for children" is one for which children are a potential
audience.  The book displays respect for children's understandings,
abilities, and appreciations.  Children are defined as persons of ages up to
and including fourteen and picture books for this entire age range are to be
considered.

3. "Distinguished" is defined as:
     *marked by eminence and distinction: noted for significant
achievement
     *marked by excellence in quality
     *marked by conspicuous excellence or eminence
     *individually distinct

4. The "artist" is the illustrator or co-illustrators.  The artist may be
awarded the medal posthumously.

5. "Original work" means that illustrations reprinted or compiled from other
sources are not eligible.

6. "American picture book published in the United States". specifies that
books originally published in other countries are not eligible.

7. "Published....in the preceding year" means that the book has a
publication date in that year, was available for purchase in that year, and
has a copyright date no later than that year.  A book might have a copyright
date prior to the year under consideration but, for various reasons, was not
published until the year under consideration.
If a book is published prior to its year of copyright as stated in the book,
it shall be considered in its year of copyright as stated in the book.  The
intent of the definition is that every book be eligible for consideration,
but that no book be considered in more than one year.

8. "Resident" specifies that that artist has established and maintained
residence in the United States as distinct from being a casual or occasional
visitor.

9. The term "only the books eligible for the Award," specifies that the
committee is not to consider the entire body of work by an artist or whether
the artist has previously won the award.  The committee's decision is to be
made following deliberation about the picture books of the specified
calendar year.

CRITERIA

1. In identifying a distinguished picture book for children:
     a. Committee members need to consider:
          Excellence of execution in artistic technique employed
          Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme
or concept;
          of appropriateness of style of illustration
to the story, theme, or concept;
          of delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting
mood  or information through pictures.
     b. Committee mumbers must consider excellence of presentation              in
recognition of a child audience.
2. The only limitation to graphic form is that the form must be one which
may be used in a picture book.  The book must be a self- contained entity,
not dependent on other meida (i.e., sound, or film equipment) for its enjoyment.
3. Each book is to be considered as a picture book.  The committee is to
make its decision primarily on the illustrations, but other components of a
book are to be considered especially when they make a book less effective as
a children's picture book.  Such other components might include the written
text, the overall design of the book, etc.

Note: The committe should keep in mind that the award is for distinguished
illustrations in a picture book and for excellence of pictoral presentation
for children.  The award is not for didactic intent, or popularity.

Adopted, by the ALSC Board January 1978.  Revised Midwinter 1987.

Thanks to all who responded.



Kay Goss
Director, Library Media Services
Mansfield High School
315 W. Ohio Ave.
Mansfield, Mo.  65704          Home of Laura Ingalls Wilder
fup001@mail.connect.more.net