Mock Caldecott: Home

Every year, divisions of the American Library Association bestow awards upon children's books. Among the three most coveted prizes: the Printz Medal, the Caldecott Medal, and the Newbery Medal.

Because the committees operate in secrecy, it's anyone's guess as to which books are frontrunners or even in consideration. 

Public and school libraries around the country often have mock committees and clubs whose aim it is to guess what books will win which awards. 

The CRC will be hosting a Mock Caldecott committee this year, and will be following the process (kinda, sorta) that the actual committee follows to select the winner and runners-up.

Will our committee pick the actual winner? We're on a bit of a streak: we correctly guessed the winners for 2022, 2021, and 2020 and an honoree in 2019, 2023, and 2024.

This year, our Mock event will take place on Friday, January 24 and the actual awards will be announced on Monday, January 27. Join us, and stay tuned to find out!

How have we done in previous years? Take a look. Books highlighted in gold indicate the book that won the Caldecott Medal. Books highlighted in silver indicate books that won Caldecott Honors.

2025

Mock Caldecott Medal:

• EIEC 3310 student group: Home in a Lunchbox written and illustrated by Cherry Mo
• Faculty, staff, and community member group: The Yellow Bus written and illustrated by Loren Long

Mock Caldecott Honors: 

• EIEC 3310 studet group: Solar Bear written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by Bredan Wenzel, and The Yellow Bus written and illustrated by Loren Long
• Faculty, staff, and community member group: Jump for Joy written by Karen Gray Ruelle and illustrated by Hadley Hooper, and The Table written by Winsome Bingham and Wiley Blevins and illustrated by Jason Griffin

Actual winners

2024

Mock Caldecott Medal: There was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynols, illustrated by Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey  

Mock Caldecott Honors: In Every Life by Marla Frazee; An American Story by Kwame Alexander, illustrted by Dare Coulter; Big by Vashti Harrison

2023

Mock Caldecott Medal: Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall

Mock Caldecott Honors: Also by E.B Goodale; Choosing Brave illustrated by Janelle Washington; Moonlight by Stephen Savage

2022

Mock Caldecott Medal: Watercress illustrated by Jason Chin

Mock Caldecott Honors: Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer; Keeping the City Going by Brian Floca

2021

Mock Caldecott Medal: We Are Water Protectors illustrated by Michaela Goade

Mock Caldecott Honors: A Polar Bear in the Snow illustrated by Shawn Harris; The Oldest Student illustrated by Oge Mora; The Old Truck by Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey

2020

Mock Caldecott Medal: The Undefeated illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Mock Caldecott Honors: Going Down Home with Daddy illustrated by Daniel Minter; The Roots of Rap illustrated by Frank Morrison; Camp Tiger illustrated by John Rocco

2019

Mock Caldecott Medal: Drawn Together illustrated by Dan Santat

Mock Caldecott Honors: Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall; So Tall Within illustrated by Daniel Minter; Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

2018

Mock Caldecott Medal: After the Fall illustrated by Dan Santat

Mock Caldecott Honors: A Greyhound, a Groundhog illustrated by Chris Appelhans; The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken; Blue Sky, White Stars illustrated by Kadir Nelson; Tony illustrated by Erin Stead;