LLB's Caldecott Predictions

Monday morning the Caldecott and Newberry Awards will be announced at the ALA's annual meeting (this time taking place in sunny San Diego). I know little about the Newberry Award chances, as I rarely have time (or frankly, inclination) to read the chapter books being released these days. But the Caldecott--picture books--that is my forte.

In past years there is always a general consensus about two of the three titles that win Caldecotts. Everyone knew The Lion and the Mouse would win last year, and many predicted All the World, but I didn't see Red Sings from the Tree Tops on anyone's list. Remember, the Caldecott honors the highest achievement in illustration--not necessarily story--in picture books of the previous year (2010).

Fuse #8 proclaimed it a wild-card year, and that is absolutely true.  There are lots of names being thrown around, and not much consensus. Of the titles mentioned, some are stronger than others:

+ City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems and illustrated by Jon J. Muth has been the critics and school children's darling favorite since it was released this June. It left me completely unfazed, but if the kids love it...The illustrations were wonderful.

+ Here Comes the Garbage Barge! by Jonah Winter might just break the unspoken photographs-don't-count-as-illustrations rule. Critics are putting it on their lists, and I confess, I can see why. The amazing 3d sculptures made out of polymer clay, assorted trash, and lots of plastic bags, created by Red Nose Studio, are completely remarkable. It seems to me that we should consider photography as simply the medium--like scanning collages or making lithographs--and nothing more. (Check out this fascinating video about the making of these sculptures.)

+ Art and Max by David Wiesner is another favorite of both critics and school kids. It seems a little to inaccessible to me, though with an art focus it has a leg up in the competition. Should he win, it would be his fourth Caldecott--a record!

  
+ Chalk by Bill Thompson is a wordless picture book that has been getting a lot of attention.  I have not read it, so I don't even know what it is about...except, clearly, it's about a dinosaur.

+ Bink and Gollie by Kate diCamillo and Alison McGhee, and illustrated by Tony Fucile.  I loved Fucile's first picture book Let's Do Nothing! and I like seeing the Caldecott's have a sense of humor, so his playful illustrations would be a refreshing change, but I really didn't think they were that amazing.  In fact, I completely forgot I had read this book earlier this year.

+ Flora's Very Windy Day by Jeanne Birdsall, which I haven't found yet (sad face) was predicted as an honor book by Travis of 100 Scope Notes, and the comments seem to agree, but I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere.

Meanwhile, other favorites of 2010 are being mentioned elsewhere. There has been a little buzz about Henry in Love, All Things Bright and Beautiful, Farm, and Shadow. Alas, a hat-trick for Marla Frazee is unlikely; though The Boss Baby is great fun, its not as good as last year's All The World or the previous year's A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. Alan Say's The Boy in the Garden is also being talked about; it is not revolutionary, but it is good, solid, lovely.


If I were on the committee I'd pick:

CALDECOTT MEDAL: A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip and Erin Stead.  As I said in First Things, this is a genuine new classic: the illustrations and the charming storyline are in perfect harmony, already firmly planted in my own imagination.  I don't see how it can't win.

CALDECOTT HONOR: A Ballet for Martha by Jan Greenberg, Sandra Jordan and illustrated by Brian Floca.  As far as I am concerned, I think Floca was cheated out of a Caldecott last year--his glorious Moonshot was most deserving.  This subject (the making of the ballet Appalachian Spring) is less appealing, but the text is graceful, and the illustrations are magnificent.  It will almost surely win the non-fiction Siebert Award.  But give him a Caldecott already!

CALDECOTT HONOR: And if Nikki McClure's collaboration with Cynthia Rylant (All in a Day) last year didn't pan out, perhaps this year's Mama is it Summer Yet? will be a contender. It's splash was minimal, but it is a beautiful book.

We'll see, on Monday.