Mock Awards Programs: 2021 Mock Caldecott

Every year, the Association of Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association, awards the Caldecott Medal to the artist(s) of the most distinguished American children’s picture book.

Criteria for the Award

• The book must provide the child with a visual experience, one that unifies story elements, such as plot and theme, cohesively through the series of pictures.
• Children must be the target audience, with childhood being defined as up to fourteen years of age. Books within this entire age range may be considered, but the intended age group’s understandings, abilities, and appreciations should be taken into consideration.
• “Distinguished” is
  • marked by eminence and distinction; noted for significant achievement
  • marked by excellence in quality
  • individually distinct
• The work must be original; illustrations reprinted or coupled are ineligible
• The work must be published in the United States; original publications from other countries are ineligible
• The work must be published in the previous year
• The artist must be a United States citizen or have an established, maintained residence in the United States
• The artist’s entire body of work may not be taken into consideration.

from ALSC guidelines for the Caldecott Medal (ala.org/awards) with some emphasis from me

Discussion Dates*

For each of these dates, a curated list of titles has been selected for reading and discussion. However, if you read a book that meets the criteria, and would like to bring it forward for inclusion and discussion, please submit the title to Joe (jjprinc@bgsu.edu). He will add it to one of the weekly discussion lists. It is highly likely that our list of books will expand as the year progresses. 

All discussion will take place on Zoom at 4:00 PM in Joe Prince's Zoom Room. Please arrive having read at least half the books for that particular month. If you are unable to make the meeting but would like to submit your reactions to the texts for consideration, please email Joe.

On our final meeting, Thursday, January 21, following the guidelines of the ALSC, we will discuss all titles and cast our ballots to determine our winner (and any honors). The actual award will be announced on Monday, January 25. We will livestream the awards in the CRC that morning!

*you needn't attend every meeting! 

If the CRC does not have a copy of the book you'd like to read, consider getting the book through OhioLink.

Here's how:

• Conduct a title search in the CRC's OPAC
• When the results are returned, click the blue Search OhioLink button
• When the record for the book appears, click the green Request button
• Select your pick-up location (Jerome Library) and enter your BGSU email address

Your book will arrive, generally, in 5-7 days.