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KIDS

BOOKLISTS

Caldecott Medal

The Caldecott Medal is presented annually to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in the United States during the preceding year. Administered by the Association for Library Service to Children, The American Library Association.

Find these books and more online at http://catalog.coolcat.org

2024

Winner

Big
Big by  Vashti Harrison Praised for acting like a big girl when she is small, as a young girl grows, big becomes a word of criticism, until the girl realizes that she is fine just the way she is.

2023

Winner

Hot Dog
Hot Dog by  Doug Salati Illustrated by  Doug Salati It's summer in the city, and this hot dog has had enough! Enough of sizzling sidewalks, enough of wailing sirens, enough of people's feet right in his face. When he plops down in the middle of a crosswalk, his owner endeavors to get him the breath of fresh air he needs. She hails a taxi, hops a train, and ferries out to the beach. Here, a pup can run!

2022

Winner

Watercress
Watercress by  Andrea Wang Embarrassed about gathering watercress from a roadside ditch, a girl learns to appreciate her Chinese heritage after learning why the plant is so important to her parents.

2021

Winner

We Are Water Protectors
We Are Water Protectors by  Carole Lindstrom Illustrated by  Michael Goade Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all... When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people's water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource. Inspired by the many indigenous-led movements across North America, this bold and lyrical picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm and corruption.

2020

Winner

The Undefeated
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander The Newbery Award-winning author of The Crossover pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time Caldecott Honoree.

2019

Winner

Hello Lighthouse
Hello Lighthouse by  Sophie Blackall Explores the life of one lighthouse as it beams its message out to sea through shifting seasons, changeable weather, and the tenure of its final keeper.

2018

Winner

Wolf in the Snow
Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell When a wolf cub and little girl are lost in a snowstorm they must find their way home.

2017

Winner

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe This picture book biography of the 1980's cultural phenom introduces young readers to the powerful message that art doesn't always have to be neat or clean--and definitely not inside the lines--to be beautiful.

2016

Winner

Finding Winnie: the True Story of the World's most Famous Bear
Finding Winnie: the True Story of the World's most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick Illustrated by Sophie Blackall A woman tells her young son the true story of how his great-great-grandfather, Captain Harry Colebourn, rescued and learned to love a bear cub in 1914 as he was on his way to take care of soldiers' horses during World War I, and the bear became the inspiration for A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh.

2015

Winner

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat Illustrated by Dan Santat An imaginary friend waits a long time to be imagined by a child and given a special name, and finally does the unimaginable--he sets out on a quest to find his perfect match in the real world.

2014

Winner

Locomotive
Locomotive by Brian Floca Illustrated by Brian Floca Learn what it was like to travel on the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s.

Honor Books

2013

Winner

This Is Not My Hat
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen Illustrated by Jon Klassen A tiny minnow wearing a pale blue bowler hat has a thing or two up his fins in this underwater light-on-dark chase scene.

2012

Winner

A Ball for Daisy
A Ball for Daisy by Christopher Raschka Illustrated by Christopher Raschka A wordless picture book showing the fun a dog has with her ball, and what happens when it is lost.

Honor Books

2011

Winner

A Sick Day for Amos McGee
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. Stead Amos McGee, a friendly zookeeper, always made time to visit his good friends: the elephant, the tortoise, the penguin, the rhinoceros, and the owl. But one day--'Ah-choo!'--he woke with the sniffles and the sneezes. Though he didn't make it into the zoo that day, he did receive some unexpected guests.

2010

Winner

The Lion and the Mouse
The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an adventuresome mouse proves that even small creatures are capable of great deeds when he rescues the King of the Jungle.

2009

Winner

The House in the Night
The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson Illustrated by Beth Krommes Illustrations and easy-to-read text explore the light that makes a house in the night a home filled with light.

2008

Winner

The Invention of Hugo Cabret
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick Illustrated by Brian Selznick When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.

2007

Winner

Flotsam
Flotsam by David Wiesner Illustrated by David Wiesner The story of what happens when a camera becomes a piece of flotsam.

2006

Winner

The Hello, Goodbye Window
The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster Illustrated by Christopher Raschka Looking through the kitchen window, a little girl and her doting grandparents watch stars, play games, and, most importantly, say hello and goodbye.

2005

Winner

Kitten's First Full Moon
Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes Illustrated by Kevin Henkes When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it.

2004

Winner

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein Illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein A spare recounting of Philippe Petit's daring 1974 wire walk between the Twin Towers depicts him as a street performer who defies authority to risk his feat, is arrested, and then sentenced to perform for the children of New York. At the conclusion, on the only non-illustrated page are the stark words, "Now the towers are gone," followed by the changed skyline and finally by a skyline on which are etched the ghost-like shapes of the towers as memory of the buildings and of Petit's exploit. Readers of all ages will return to this again and again for its history, adventure, humor, and breathtaking homage to extraordinary buildings and a remarkable man .

2003

Winner

My Friend Rabbit
My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann Illustrated by Eric Rohmann Something always seems to go wrong when Rabbit is around, but Mouse lets him play with his toy plane anyway because he is his good friend.

2002

Winner

The Three Pigs
The Three Pigs by David Wiesner Illustrated by David Wiesner The three pigs escape the wolf by going into another world where they meet the cat and the fiddle, the cow that jumped over the moon, and a dragon.

2001

Winner

So You Want to Be President?
So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George Illustrated by David Small Presents an assortment of facts about the qualifications and characteristics of U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton.

2000

Winner

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback Illustrated by Simms Taback A very old overcoat is recycled numerous times into a variety of garments.

1999

Winner

Snowflake Bentley
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin Illustrated by Mary Azarian A biography of a self-taught scientist who photographed thousands of individual snowflakes in order to study their unique formations.

1998

Winner

Rapunzel
Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky A retelling of the German folktale in which a beautiful girl with long golden hair is kept imprisoned in a lonely tower by a sorceress.

1997

Winner

Golem
Golem by David Wisniewski Illustrated by David Wisniewski A saintly rabbi miraculously brings to life a clay giant who helps him watch over the Jews of sixteenth-century Prague.

1996

Winner

Officer Buckle and Gloria
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann Illustrated by Peggy Rathmann The children at Napville Elementary School always ignore Officer Buckle's safety tips, until a police dog named Gloria accompanies him when he gives his safety speeches.

1995

Winner

Smoky Night
Smoky Night by Eve Bunting Illustrated by David Diaz When the Los Angeles riots break out in the streets of their neighborhood, a young boy and his mother learn the values of getting along with others no matter what their background or nationality.

1994

Winner

Grandfather's Journey
Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say Illustrated by Allen Say A Japanese American man recounts his grandfather's journey to America which he later also undertakes, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries.

1993

Winner

Mirette on the High Wire
Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully Mirette learns tightrope walking from Monsieur Bellini, a guest in her mother's boarding house, not knowing that he is a celebrated tightrope artist who has withdrawn from performing because of fear.

1992

Winner

Tuesday
Tuesday by David Wiesner Illustrated by David Wiesner Frogs rise on their lily pads, float through the air, and explore the nearby houses while their inhabitants sleep.

Honor Books

1991

Winner

Black and White
Black and White by David Macaulay Illustrated by David Macaulay Four brief "stories" about parents, trains, and cows, or is it really all one story? The author recommends careful inspection of words and pictures to both minimize and enhance confusion.

1990

Winner

Lon Po Po : A Red-Riding Hood Story from China
Lon Po Po : A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young Illustrated by Ed Young Three sisters staying home alone are endangered by a hungry wolf who is disguised as their grandmother.

1989

Winner

Song and Dance Man
Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman Illustrated by Stephen Gammell Grandpa demonstrates for his visiting grandchildren some of the songs, dances, and jokes he performed when he was a vaudeville entertainer.

1988

Winner

Owl Moon
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen Illustrated by John Schoenherr On a winter's night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek into the woods to see the Great Horned Owl.

1987

Winner

Hey, Al
Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks Illustrated by Richard Egielski A city janitor and his treasured canine companion are transported by a large colorful bird to an island in the sky, where their comfortable paradise existence threatens to turn them into birds as well.

1986

Winner

The Polar Express
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg Illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg A magical train ride on Christmas Eve takes a boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa Claus.

1985

Winner

Saint George and the Dragon
Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman Retells the segment from Spenser's The Faerie Queene, in which George, the Red Cross Knight, slays the dreadful dragon that has been terrorizing the countryside for years and brings peace and joy to the land.

1984

Winner

The Glorious Flight : Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot
The Glorious Flight : Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot by Alice Provensen Illustrated by Alice Provensen A biography of the man whose fascination with flying machines produced the Bleriot XI, which in 1909 became the first heavier-than-air machine to fly the English Channel.

1983

Winner

Shadow
Shadow by Marcia Brown Illustrated by Marcia Brown Free verse evocation of the eerie, shifting images of Shadow which represents the beliefs and ghosts of the past and is brought to life wherever there is light, fire, and a storyteller.

1982

Winner

Jumanji
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg Illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg Left on their own for an afternoon, two bored and restless children find more excitement than they bargained for in a mysterious and mystical jungle adventure board game.

1981

Winner

Fables
Fables by Arnold Lobel Illustrated by Arnold Lobel Twenty original fables about an array of animal characters from crocodile to ostrich.

1980

Winner

Ox-Cart Man
Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall Illustrated by Barbara Cooney Describes the day-to-day life of an early nineteenth-century New England family throughout the changing seasons.

1979

Winner

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble Illustrated by Paul Goble Though she is fond of her people, a girl prefers to live among the wild horses where she is truly happy and free.

Honor Books

1978

Winner

Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark by Peter Spier Illustrated by Peter Spier Retells in pictures how a pair of every manner of creature climbed on board Noah's ark and thereby survived the Flood.

Honor Books

1977

Winner

Ashanti to Zulu : African Traditions
Ashanti to Zulu : African Traditions by Margaret Musgrove Illustrated by Leo Dillon Explains some traditions and customs of 26 African tribes beginning with letters from A to Z.

1976

Winner

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: a West African Tale
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: a West African Tale by Verna Aardema Illustrated by Leo Dillon A retelling of a traditional West African tale that reveals how the mosquito developed its annoying habit.

Honor Books

1975

Winner

Arrow to the Sun
Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott Illustrated by Gerald McDermott An adaptation of the Pueblo Indian myth which explains how the spirit of the Lord of the Sun was brought to the world of men.

1974

Winner

Duffy and the Devil
Duffy and the Devil by Harve Zemach Illustrated by Margot Zemach The spinning and knitting the devil agrees to do for her win Duffy the Squire's name and a carefree life until it comes time for her to guess the devil's name.

Honor Books

1973

Winner

The Funny Little Woman
The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel Illustrated by Blair Lent While chasing a dumpling, a little lady is captured by wicked creatures from whom she escapes with the means of becoming the richest woman in Japan.

1972

Winner

One Fine Day
One Fine Day by Nonny Hogrogian Illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian After the old woman cuts off his tail when he steals her milk, the fox must go through a long series of transactions before she will sew it back on again.

1971

Winner

A Story A Story
A Story A Story by Gail Haley Illustrated by Gail Haley Recounts how most African folk tales came to be called "Spider Stories."

1970

Winner

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig Illustrated by William Steig In a moment of fright, Sylvester the donkey asks his magic pebble to turn him into a rock but then can not hold the pebble to wish himself back to normal again.

1969

Winner

The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship
The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship by Arthur Ransome Illustrated by Uri Shulevitz When the Czar proclaims that he will marry his daughter to the man who brings him a flying ship, the Fool of the World sets out to try his luck and meets some unusual companions on the way.

1968

Winner

Drummer Hoff
Drummer Hoff by Barbara Emberley Illustrated by Ed Emberley A cumulative folk song in which seven soldiers build a magnificent cannon, but Drummer Hoff fires it off.

Honor Books

1967

Winner

Sam, Bangs & Moonshine
Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness Illustrated by Evaline Ness Relates the experiences of a little girl as she learns to tell the difference between makebelieve and real life.

Honor Books

1966

Winner

Always Room for One More
Always Room for One More by Nic Leodhas Sorche Illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian In this Scottish folk song, a generous family always has room for another person and invites in everyone who passes by.

Honor Books

1965

Winner

May I Bring a Friend?
May I Bring a Friend? by Beatrice Schenk De Regniers Illustrated by Beni Montresor A well-mannered little boy, frequently invited to visit the king and queen, always asks to bring a friend--and the friends are always wild animals--and always well-behaved.

1964

Winner

Where the Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Illustrated by Maurice Sendak A naughty little boy, sent to bed without his supper, sails to the land of the wild thing where he becomes their king.

1963

Winner

The Snowy Day
The Snowy Day by Ezra J. Keats Illustrated by Ezra J. Keats The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day.

1962

Winner

Once a Mouse
Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown Illustrated by Marcia Brown As it changes from mouse, to cat, to dog, to tiger, a hermit's pet also becomes increasingly vain.

1961

Winner

Baboushka and the Three Kings
Baboushka and the Three Kings by Ruth Robbins Illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov An old woman who was too busy to travel with the Wise Men to find the Child now searches endlessly for Him each Christmas season.

Honor Books

1960

Winner

Nine Days to Christmas
Nine Days to Christmas by Marie Hall Ets Illustrated by Marie Hall Ets Ceci anxiously awaits her first posada, the special Mexican Christmas party, and the opportunity to select a piñata for it.

1959

Winner

Chanticleer and the Fox
Chanticleer and the Fox by Barbara Cooney Illustrated by Barbara Cooney A sly fox tries to outwit a proud rooster through the use of flattery.

1958

Winner

Time of Wonder
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey Illustrated by Robert McCloskey Follows the activities of two children spending their summer vacation on an island off the coast of Maine.

Honor Books

1957

Winner

A Tree is Nice
A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry Illustrated by Marc Simont Briefly describes the value of a tree.

1956

Winner

Frog Went A-Courtin'
Frog Went A-Courtin' by John Langstaff Illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky Illustrates the well-known American folk song about the courtship and marriage of the frog and the mouse.

Honor Books

1955

Winner

Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper
Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper by Marcia Brown Illustrated by Marcia Brown In her haste to leave the palace before the fairy godmother's magic loses effect, Cinderella leaves behind a glass slipper.

1954

Winner

Madeline's Rescue
Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans Illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans A hound rescues a schoolgirl from the Seine, becomes a beloved school pet, is chased away by the trustees, and returns with a surprise.

1953

Winner

The Biggest Bear
The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward Illustrated by Lynd Ward Johnny goes hunting for a bearskin to hang on his family's barn and returns with a small bundle of trouble.

1952

Winner

Finders Keepers
Finders Keepers by William Lipkind Illustrated by Nicholas Mordvinoff Two dogs each claim a bone they have found and ask passersby for help in deciding ownership.

1951

Winner

The Egg Tree
The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous Illustrated by Katherine Milhous Katy's Easter morning discovery renews the tradition of the Easter egg tree.

1950

Winner

Song of the Swallows
Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi Illustrated by Leo Politi Tells the story of the coming of spring and the kindliness of the San Juan Capistrano Mission as seen through the eyes of a young boy.

1949

Winner

The Big Snow
The Big Snow by Berta Hader Illustrated by Berta Hader Winter comes to the woodland as the busy animals make their preparations.

1948

Winner

White Snow, Bright Snow
White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt Illustrated by Roger Duvoisin When it begins to look, feel, and smell like snow, everyone prepares for a winter blizzard.

1947

Winner

The Little Island
The Little Island by Golden MacDonald Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard Depicts the changes that occur on a small island as the seasons come and go, as day changes to night, and as a storm approaches.

1946

Winner

The Rooster Crows
The Rooster Crows by Maud Petersham Illustrated by Maud Petersham A collection of traditional American nursery rhymes, finger games, skipping rhymes, jingles, and counting-out rhymes.

1945

Winner

Prayer for a Child
Prayer for a Child by Rachel Field Illustrated by Elizabeth Orton Jones An illustrated bedtime prayer which gives thanks for the many aspects of a child's world.

1944

Winner

Many Moons
Many Moons by James Thurber Illustrated by Louis Slobodkin Though many try, only the court jester is able to fulfill Princess Lenore's wish for the moon.

1943

Winner

The Little House
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton Illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton A country house is unhappy when the city, with all its buildings and traffic, grows up around her.

Honor Books

1942

Winner

Make Way for Ducklings
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey Illustrated by Robert McCloskey Story about a mallard family who make their home near a pond in the Public Garden in Boston.

1941

Winner

They Were Strong and Good
They Were Strong and Good by Robert Lawson Illustrated by Robert Lawson Relates the story of the author's grandparents and parents, who, though not famous, helped build the United States.

1940

Winner

Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln by Ingri D'Aulaire Illustrated by Ingri D'Aulaire Text and illustrations present the life of the boy born on the Kentucky frontier who became the sixteenth president of the United States.

1939

Winner

Mei Li
Mei Li by Thomas Handforth Illustrated by Thomas Handforth After spending an eventful day at the fair held on New Year's Eve, Mei Li arrives home just in time to greet the Kitchen God.

1938

Winner

Animals of the Bible, A Picture Book
Animals of the Bible, A Picture Book by Helen Dean Fish Illustrated by Dorothy P. Lathrop Contains full-page pictures of animals with their stories, taken from both the Old and New Testaments.