Award Winners for Kids
Newbery and Caldecott books for young readers
Every year, the Association for Library Service to Children presents awards for children’s literature. Dover is proud to publish both Newbery and Caldecott recognized titles, as well as books by award winners.
The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth century British bookseller, publishers, and writer John Newbery. Newbery practically invented marketing in 1744, by the way, giving pincushions to girls and balls to boys with the purchase of A Little Pretty Pocket-Book.
The Caldecott, given by the same organization, recognizes excellence in illustration for children’s book, and was first give in 1938. It’s named after British illustrator Randolph Caldecott, and the image on the medallion uses one of Caldecott’s illustrations. You can see an example of Caldecott’s artistry in Old Christmas by Washington Irving.
Our Caldecott award winner is The Big Snow and Other Stories: A Treasury of Caldecott Award-Winning Tales. The book is a collection of three original stories, written and illustrated by Berta and Elmer Hader. In true Dover fashion, the books are reprints of the originals. Nothing’s omitted from these charming tales of animals (and humans) in the winter, and many illustrations are in full color.
Dover has other Newbery winning titles, some of which might be unfamiliar to modern readers. All the better reason to check out these books!
You might remember Margery Williams’ The Velveteen Rabbit, but she also wrote Newbery Award winner Winterbound, about Depression-era children who survive by using their own wits and abilities. It’s the classic formula for some of the best children's tales: missing or occupied adults equals a story of courage and capability on the part of the kids. Williams was a prolific author also wrote other books about toys with a mind of their own, including Poor Cecco,illustrated by Arthur Rackham (so you can’t go wrong!).
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett is another classic. And while the illustrations weren’t tapped for a Caldecott, they probably should have been. Ruth’s stepmother, Ruth Chrisman Gannett, was the artist.
Spice and the Devil’s Cave is for older children who can handle a little more conflict and historical information. Adventurers from the Age of Exploration compete to circumnavigate the globe in this book by Agnes Danforth Hewes. The book is illustrated by Lynd Ward, who created graphic novels long before they were cool (not for kids but worth a look-see for curious adults).
Dover also carries a couple of titles you might not know from an award-winning author/illustrator you most certainly do: Ludwig Bemelmans won the Caldecott for Madeline and the Newbery for The Golden Basket, in which Madeline first appeared (Don’t those kids on the book’s cover look a bit familiar, even from the back?) Another title from Dover is Ludwig Bemelmans Favorite Stories: Hansi, Rosebud and The Castle №9. There is a seriously contemplative-looking rabbit on the cover of that last book! What’s up with that?
You can find out what’s up with that rabbit and also what’s up with these other great books, honored in the past for their story-telling and illustrations, all ready for a new generations of readers.
