Caldecott Medal
Awarded for	Most distinguished American picture book for children
Presented by	Association for Library Service to Children
Country	United States
First awarded	1938
Official Website	http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/aboutcaldecott/aboutcaldecott.cfm

The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. It was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. Together with the Newbery Medal, it is the most prestigious American children's book award.

The Caldecott Medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan in 1937. The scene on the face of the medal is derived from Randolph Caldecott's illustrations for The Diverting Story of John Gilpin where Gilpin is astride a runaway horse, which in turn was based on a poem from 1782 by William Cowper.^[1][2] The reverse of the medal depicts another of Caldecott's illustrations, "Four and twenty blackbirds bak'd in a pie."

The Caldecott Medal is not to be confused with the Caldecott Honor citation, which is conferred annually to worthy runners-up.

[edit] Criteria for the award

• The book must be published in English in the United States during the preceding year.^[3]
• The illustrations must be original work.^[3]
• The artist must be a citizen or resident of the United States.^[3]
• The book must be considered for the artistic technique employed; pictorial interpretation of story; appropriateness of style of illustration to the story; delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting mood or information through the pictures; and recognition of a child audience.^[3]
• The book must display respect for children's understandings, abilities, and appreciations.^[3]
• The book must be a self-contained entity, not dependent on other media for its enjoyment.^[3]

[edit] Caldecott Medal recipients

[edit] Recipients of Multiple Caldecotts

2 Medals: Leo and Diane Dillon, Chris Van Allsburg, Barbara Cooney, Nonny Hogrogian, Robert McCloskey
3 Medals: Marcia Brown, David Wiesner

[edit] See also

• Newbery Medal

[edit] External links

• Caldecott Medal - official page
• American Library Association: Caldecott Medal Winners for 1938 to the present.
• The most honored Caldecott Medal honor books
• Lists of Books to Read Aloud to Children

[edit] References

1. ^ "ALA About the Caldecott Medal". http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/caldecottmedal/aboutcaldecott/aboutcaldecott.htm. 
2. ^ "Caldecott's Picture Book "John Gilpin"". http://www.randolphcaldecott.org.uk/gilpin.htm. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Caldecott Terms & Criteria". American Library Association. 2008. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottterms/caldecottterms.cfm. Retrieved 2009-02-20.