LM_NET: Library Media Networking
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 19:21:02 -0800
>X-Sender: lcarter@woodside.k12.ca.us
>To: lcarter@woodside.k12.ca.us
>From: Bob and Laurie Carter <lcarter@woodside.k12.ca.us>
>Subject: caldecott
>
>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
>
>
"A closed mind is a wonderful thing to lose."
Laurie Carter, Library Media Teacher
Woodside Elementary School 3195 Woodside Rd. Woodside, CA 94062
415 851-1571 fax 851-5577 lcarter@woodside.k12.ca.us
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