A Caldecott Celebration

Marcus, Leonard S. 1998. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION. New York: Walker and Company. ISBN 0802786588

*Summary

Leonard S. Marcus gives readers the inside scoop on six artists of children’s books. Illustrators Robert McCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner are featured in the book. Marcus documents the inspirations, artistic interests, and creative processes of six Caldecott Medal winners from the 1940s to the 1990s. The book is divided into six parts with an introduction by the author, so it can also serve as a resource for biographical information about each person. Using photos, advice, and information from the artists, readers gain an understanding of each person and the artistic process of illustrating a children’s book. Choosing one illustrator from each decade, Marcus focuses on sixty years of Caldecott history.

*Critical Analysis

Marcus’s approach to sharing information serves the fascinating stories of each artist well. Readers will be drawn to each biography quickly upon seeing a photo of the illustrator, the cover of the award winning book, and an interesting quote from the artist’s Caldecott acceptance speech. The layout of the book is also great because each double page spread contains a combination of text and pictures.

Marcus has provided interesting and entertaining information about each of his subjects, and the text is large sized and easy to follow, so children and adults will find the book both approachable and informative. At the end of each illustrator’s section is a list of all books by the artist and awards earned. Although the book is well-organized with a consistent layout, the biographies are reflective of each individual artist, so no two are the same; therefore, the book avoids redundancy.

Another aspect that readers, especially those interested in art, will enjoy is many pictures portraying the process of the artist. Sketches, dummies, and inspirations are all featured. To see just how simply the process begins is interesting. Additionally, the book includes a short glossary of technical art terms (like dummy) to help readers better understand the process. Finally, this book can also be used as a resource for those interested in the Caldecott Medal. Marcus provides a list of all winners from 1938 to1998. In his introduction, he briefly explains the history of the award and its purpose. This book provides a starting point for anyone interested in art and artists , children's books, or the Caldecott Medal.

*Personal Response

This book is informative and interesting. I hope to have a chance to share some of the stories with my students in the library. I am only beginning to understand the importance of book illustrations and the details book publishing, so I was excited to learn about each illustrator. The details provided in the book (William Steig ponders how to draw animals who act like humans and Robert McCloskey brings ducks to live in his apartment for further study, for example) make this an interesting read. I think children would enjoy seeing how art is created also.

*Review Excerpts

“So many good stories for children and adults to enjoy.”
School Library Journal

“A beautifully made book, this will serve as a fine resource for children interested in illustration and for teachers researching author/illustrator studies.”
BookList *Starred Review*

*Connections

-Choose one illustrator and do further research into his or her life and art.
-Conduct a similar interview with a local (accessible) artist.
-Meet a local artist who can speak to some of the artist techniques described in the book.
-Discuss the idea of “process” and how it relates to reading and writing. Discuss the students’ own work. (What are the advantages to using a process when doing a creative project?)
-Illustrate a chosen passage of a children’s book in a different way than the original illustrator.
-Use the book as a companion to the picture books. (This might be particularly exciting in an art class.)