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[CCBC-Net] 2007Caldecott Award
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From: Bryn Samuels <brynmarie>
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2007 10:41:01 -0800 (PST)
I have to agree with you Megan. 1) Wiesner's amazing. 2) I don't think I would have picked him based on illustrations alone. And the bulk of that comes from a curiosity I had while our class (chidren's literature seminar at Vanderbilt) was discussing Flotsam and author/illustrator collaborations. I wonder how much more weight (knowingly or unknowingly) do the illustrations in Wiesner's wordless picture books (or any other wordless picture book for that matter) receive because they are simultaneously illustration and text? How much more value do we give them because of our dependence on them to tell the story? A couple teachers have posted that they "read" the story to their class. And even that the story changed with every new "reading". Does this cool feeling of an everhchanging story, this feeling of just open the book and see what story the pictures tell you, inspire us to love those unassuming illustrations that much more? I love Wiesner and I love wordless
picture books for the very reason of the personal connection. I get to make up the story. Many authors voice their concern of readers always looking for the "intended message" instead of letting the story speak to the reader. But, for the purposes of award-giving, we must separate the illustration from story, right? Certainly art has merits all its own. I'd be curious to hear from those who have had to judge before or classes who've done mock Caldecott committees. How do/did you do this?
...and thus ends my first ever post. :)
Bryn Samuels Vanderbilt University
----- Original Message ---- From: Meghan McCarthy <meghanmccarthy007 at yahoo.com> To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2007 11:27:38 AM Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] 2007Caldecott Award
Sometimes I hate being an author/illustrator because I feel that I can?t participate in these conversations. After all, I wouldn?t like it if someone criticized one of my books on a listserve!
I?m going to make an exception since Wiesner is quite successful and my comments surely won?t do any harm.
What did I think about his book? I liked it. The artwork is colorful and fun and the full-page bleeds at the end are especially exciting. However, would I have picked his as the BEST-illustrated book of the year? No. The thing that I think is lacking in his work is emotion and depth. His artwork is very flat and I find his watercolors to be too planned out and not layered or luscious enough. Furthermore, this year?s winner is just like his past winners?same concept, nothing new. Should an artist be applauded for recreating the same concept over and over again? I guess a lot of people think so. Maybe they have a valid point?why should a lesser artist win just because so-and-so already won the year before?
This is not to say that Wiesner isn?t an amazing artist because he is! I went to a very rigorous art school for 4 years. In class the most talented students? work was often the most analyzed. This is because there can always be improvements. No one wanted to pick on the student who clearly didn?t have the talent. So I hope you all know that I think Wiesner is a great artist and I?m only pointing out a few flaws because he is so! We both went to RISD so maybe he'd understand!
meghan (author/illustrator who is a bit ashamed to vocalize her true feelings)
____________________________________________________________________________________ Don't get soaked. Take a quick peak at the forecast with the Yahoo! Search weather shortcut. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts/#loc_weather
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Received on Thu 01 Feb 2007 12:41:01 PM CST
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2007 10:41:01 -0800 (PST)
I have to agree with you Megan. 1) Wiesner's amazing. 2) I don't think I would have picked him based on illustrations alone. And the bulk of that comes from a curiosity I had while our class (chidren's literature seminar at Vanderbilt) was discussing Flotsam and author/illustrator collaborations. I wonder how much more weight (knowingly or unknowingly) do the illustrations in Wiesner's wordless picture books (or any other wordless picture book for that matter) receive because they are simultaneously illustration and text? How much more value do we give them because of our dependence on them to tell the story? A couple teachers have posted that they "read" the story to their class. And even that the story changed with every new "reading". Does this cool feeling of an everhchanging story, this feeling of just open the book and see what story the pictures tell you, inspire us to love those unassuming illustrations that much more? I love Wiesner and I love wordless
picture books for the very reason of the personal connection. I get to make up the story. Many authors voice their concern of readers always looking for the "intended message" instead of letting the story speak to the reader. But, for the purposes of award-giving, we must separate the illustration from story, right? Certainly art has merits all its own. I'd be curious to hear from those who have had to judge before or classes who've done mock Caldecott committees. How do/did you do this?
...and thus ends my first ever post. :)
Bryn Samuels Vanderbilt University
----- Original Message ---- From: Meghan McCarthy <meghanmccarthy007 at yahoo.com> To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2007 11:27:38 AM Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] 2007Caldecott Award
Sometimes I hate being an author/illustrator because I feel that I can?t participate in these conversations. After all, I wouldn?t like it if someone criticized one of my books on a listserve!
I?m going to make an exception since Wiesner is quite successful and my comments surely won?t do any harm.
What did I think about his book? I liked it. The artwork is colorful and fun and the full-page bleeds at the end are especially exciting. However, would I have picked his as the BEST-illustrated book of the year? No. The thing that I think is lacking in his work is emotion and depth. His artwork is very flat and I find his watercolors to be too planned out and not layered or luscious enough. Furthermore, this year?s winner is just like his past winners?same concept, nothing new. Should an artist be applauded for recreating the same concept over and over again? I guess a lot of people think so. Maybe they have a valid point?why should a lesser artist win just because so-and-so already won the year before?
This is not to say that Wiesner isn?t an amazing artist because he is! I went to a very rigorous art school for 4 years. In class the most talented students? work was often the most analyzed. This is because there can always be improvements. No one wanted to pick on the student who clearly didn?t have the talent. So I hope you all know that I think Wiesner is a great artist and I?m only pointing out a few flaws because he is so! We both went to RISD so maybe he'd understand!
meghan (author/illustrator who is a bit ashamed to vocalize her true feelings)
____________________________________________________________________________________ Don't get soaked. Take a quick peak at the forecast with the Yahoo! Search weather shortcut. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts/#loc_weather
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Thu 01 Feb 2007 12:41:01 PM CST
