Tuesday, July 20, 2010

And The Winner Is...

The Caldecott and Newbery Medals are awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, which is "dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children."

Randolph Caldecott was a 19th century English illustrator. The Caldecott Medal is awarded "to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children."

John Newbery was an eighteenth-century English bookseller. The Newbery Medal is awarded "to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."

Although these two literary awards recognize very distinct achievements, each of these awards carry its own level of honor. I don't believe one is "better" then the other. Picture books rely on illustrations to convey literary elements in a visual way and books that contain few to no pictures must weave a story together with words that create a tapestry that can be seen by the reader. Both awards value the story being told, yet the presentation is what makes the difference in being a Caldecott or a Newbery winner.

Visit ALSC for more information about these and other literary awards.

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