A Look At Caldecott Medal Winners Through The Years

The American Library Association, since 1938, has annually awarded the Caldecott Medal to the most distinguished American picture book. Named in honor of Randolph Caldecott, a nineteenth-century English illustrator, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to children’s literature. Discover six award-winning books that come with exceptional illustrations and stories.

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The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

 Winner of the 2010 Caldecott Medal, The Lion & the Mouse is a nearly wordless telling of the classic Aesop tale. The Lion & the Mouse is a story of the unlikely friendship between a fierce lion and a tiny mouse. When the Lion catches the Mouse for a tasty snack, Mouse convinces the Lion to spare his life. In return, Mouse saves the fierce Lion trapped in a poacher’s net.  Enjoy the extraordinary details of Pinkney’s water-colored paintings set in the African Serengeti are candy to your eyes.  Young children will delight in “reading” this timeless story of kindness.

My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

Rabbit always manages to find trouble. In this book, Mouse lets Rabbit play with his new toy airplane, which inevitably lands in a tree. Luckily, Rabbit has a solution! However, Rabbit’s idea only makes the situation worse. This is a beautiful story of friendship, understanding, and acceptance. Mouse accepts Rabbit for his faults because he is Mouse’s friend. The illustrations (which made this book the 2003 Caldecott Medal winner) are hilarious.  (Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 2)

Madeline’s Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans

When Madeline, an endearing, fearless, and mischievous girl, falls into the Seine River in Paris, it is feared that she has drowned. To the relief of her friends, teacher, and police officers, Madeline is rescued by a dog. Miss. Clavel, Madeline’s teacher, allows Madeline and her friends to keep the dog, whom they name Genevieve, until they can find her rightful owner.  However, after the board of trustees visits for their annual inspection, Lord Cucuface forces the girls to get rid of their beloved pet. The prose of this timeless piece rhymes and makes it a delightful read. The watercolor illustrations make the readers feel like they are in Paris along with Madeline. This book is the winner of the 1954 Caldecott Medal for Bemelmans beautiful illustrations. Kindergarten and up.

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

On August 7, 1974, a French aerialist named Phillippe Petit walked, ran, and danced along a tightrope tied between the Twin Towers. Mr. Gerstein writes about the events in Mr. Petit’s life that led up to this ambitious adventure. This is an incredible historical account of one of the lesser-known aspects of history regarding the Twin Towers, and readers will hold their breaths.

This book is wonderfully illustrated with oil and ink paintings depicting the city skyline, architecture, and the events that transpired due to Petit’s desire to walk a tightrope between the two tallest buildings in New York City. Mr. Gerstein included three-page foldouts in the book that emphasize the distance Petit walked across and demonstrate what it must have looked like for people walking on the streets of New York and seeing Petit walking in the air on a summer morning. This is a beautiful tribute to the Twin Towers. Kindergarten & Up

Do you have a favorite Caldecott Medal Award-winning book?

This list is far from a comprehensive list of all Caldecott medal winners. However, you can find my favorite winter-themed Caldecott titles here. Please check back soon to read more about Caldecott-winning books soon!

Do you have a favorite Caldecott-winning title? Please share it with me on Instagram @playgroundlibrarian.

Happy Reading!

xoxo, Sheryl