From: Leda Schubert <bobr>
Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 11:30:25 -0500

Kathy and others---I am so happy to hear this great news about the reworded criteria. I wish we could similarly amend the Caldecott medal criteria to include the text of a picture book. Giving a major award to only part of a book is bizarre indeed, and it makes committee work quite challenging. How is one to separate art from text in a book such as SEQUOYAH? The distinguished and informative art, the trim size, and the inclusion of the visually (and intellectually) pleasing Cherokee words combine so effectively with the story itself. It's even more difficult to separate art and text in other picture books.

We search for glorious picture books--that unique interaction of text and art--and then in some cases we reward only half of it, one way or the other. It's frustrating indeed. Now at least for Sibert we can reward the whole book. Also true for awards such as Globe-Horn Book, of course.

leda


  At 01:00 AM 3/24/2005 00, you wrote:
Received on Thu 24 Mar 2005 10:30:25 AM CST