A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists Share Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal

by Leonard S. Marcus

Step into the studios of six acclaimed illustrators and see how their Caldecott Medal-winning books were created. Children's book lovers of all ages will not want to miss this unique behind-the-scenes tour spanning 60 years of picture-book illustration history.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Picture Books, History, Books About Books, Biography, Childrens

49 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Leonard S. Marcus is one of the world's leading writers about children's books and their illustrations. His many books include The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy; Funny Business: Conversations with Writers of Comedy; Dear Genius; and others. His essays, interviews, and reviews appear in the New York Times Book Review, among other publications. Leonard S. Marcus lives in Brooklyn.

Reviews

[Betsy]

This book will be most enjoyed by those who, like myself, enjoy reading, critiquing, and studying children’s literature. I found it fascinating.

[Megan Willome]

A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists Share Their Paths to the Caldecott MedalLeonard S. Marcus

I love books that recommend other books, thus giving me a miniature reading plan. A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal by Leonard S. Marcus is a short reference book for kids, written back in 1998 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Caldecott Medal.

I reread the four winners I was familiar with and read the other two I’d missed. It’s an example of a reference book for children, with a list of the Caldecott winners from 1938-1988 and a glossary of artistic terms. It also has great quotes from the illustrators, including this one by Maurice Sendak: “Where the Wild Things Are was not meant to please everybody—only children.”

[Jenny]

I tried reading this to my 9-year-old and she was NOT interested. We read a lot together and I try many different kinds of books. This was just too wordy and dry. We ended up scanning through and looking at the pictures and talking about some of the books or topics that came up. Adults or even teens interested in book illustrations might find the process more interesting. It covered a book from each decade, the process of how the illustrator got to where they were published and what happened to them afterwards.

[Kelly]

A peek behind the curtain of six Caldecott winning illustrators: Robert MCCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allsburg, & David Wiesner. A look at their process in creating their children's book that won, how they felt about winning, & reflecting on what it all means. I am in the midst of my quest to read all the Caldecott Winning Children's & this was a lovely pitstop along the way.

[Brittany]

I've become addicted to reading all the Caldecott books - medal winners and honor books. This was a brief but fun glimpse into the process behind a six winners over six decades. It gave me more interest in a few books I haven't read yet. This short book was a fun afternoon reading break for me!

[JoJo Ames]

I love picture books; and Marcus included some of my favorite author/illustrators in this small collection.

[talia]

Such a lovely exploration of children’s book writing, illustrating, and publishing, told through six simple profiles. I’m very eager to read all of Marcus’s other works.

[MaryAnne]

I enjoyed reading about 6 Caldecott Medal winner. S newer addition had been published with a seventh winner included, but it’s not available in my local library.

[Amanda Hamilton]

Six artists are profiled in this interesting nonfiction text for children by book historian Leonard S. Marcus. Robert McCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner are all examined in A Caldecott Celebration, with anecdotes, information, and photographs used to tell the story of each and their experience with the Caldecott Medal.

An introduction, list of Caldecott winners, glossary of art-related terms, and index accompany the brief features of six authors to make up this text. Marcus provides insight into the artists featured in the book by combining biographical information with rare sketches in each profile. Though written for children, this book will find an engaged audience in adult and young adult readers and may be more suited toward this level. Photographs, sketches, and paintings are featured on various pages to support the text and illustrate the work of each artist.

In the profile of William Steig numerous aspects of book-making are included. Marcus explores how Steig created his story, chose a title, and evolved in his drawing of donkeys and pigs to make Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. Maurice Sendak has a similar profile about the creation of his award-winning and long-lasting title. Sendak’s feature merges the process of writing a book with establishing a unique style of drawing while he created Where the Wild Things Are.

Marcus includes the process of creating art in each profile. He informs the reader that each artist did research and drew hundreds of sketches before even beginning the illustrations found in each book. Also, because the artists are also writers, the creative process and evolution of each text is another aspect of this book. Marcus’s profiles are detailed where art is concerned and do not include other aspects of each artist’s life. Students interested in art will find the stories of these award-winning artists especially appealing.

Marcus has created a book that brings even more distinction to the reputation of the Caldecott Medal in this work by leaving readers informed of the effort that goes into creating illustrations. Readers of A Caldecott Celebration will end up with an appreciation of the award and a better understanding of the process of illustration.

[Beth G.]

This is the older edition of Marcus's study of Caldecott winners. Six artists, one from each decade of the 1940s-1990s, are profiled in brief sections heavily sprinkled with photographs and reproductions of both their final artwork and their preparatory sketches. A great introduction to Caldecott history, but readers should seek out the new edition, which includes a profile of Mordicai Gerstein, who won the Caldecott in 2004.

[Angie]

I enjoyed this look at six Caldecott winners over the years. Although a shorter book, this was pretty thorough in showing how these artists created their work and how they chose children's books. Very interesting!

[Pam]

I used this book in my Children's Literature Class - spring 2009. It is an excellent resource, so I bought it for my home MLS resource library.

[Lauren Hahn]

I like that this focuses on the process each artist took. Great for budding artists. Shows job possibilities.

[Tierra Garr]

This book is about the great artists who have won the Caldecott Medal. It shows their paths to greatness.