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[CCBC-Net] Caldecott books
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From: Parsons, Sue <sue.parsons>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 22:28:18 -0600
I, too, was captivated by Wonder Bear and missed it on the lists.
________________________________________ From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu [ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Wendy Burton [burtonwl at yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 8:15 PM To: CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] Caldecott books
I'd agree that the art in WE ARE THE SHIP is the most accomplished and distinguished that we saw this year, but I wasn't surprised when it wasn't honored for the Caldecott. After I read the Caldecott criteria, I didn't think it met this one: "Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept; of appropriateness of style of illustration to the story, theme or concept; of delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting mood or information through the pictures."
The pictures are gorgeous, but they don't tell a story in the same way some of the others do.
THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT wasn't my favorite of the year, but I noted that this was a case of the artist doing a great job pushing to the very reaches of her medium. I'm pleased with the choice.
I wasn't excited about HOW I LEARNED GEOGRAPHY--part of my problem was with the story which I didn't think made total sense (he would have needed to get a lot of the information from his parents or books, but the book makes it sound like he got it from the map IMO), so it doesn't really "count", but I thought it didn't have the same sparkle as some of the other offerings this year. I was actually more interested in the teenage drawings in the back, even though they lacked the polish of the book.
I was surprised about the choice of A COUPLE OF BOYS..., but kind of decided that it's a case of "it's just not my thing" and I couldn't do a good job of judging it.
I really hoped to see WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? for the Caldecott--I thought those were compelling illustrations that matched the text perfectly and contributed a great deal to the story. I'm glad it won a Sibert honor, but I thought its greatest strength was its illustration.
Another one I loved this year was WONDER BEAR.
And I'm apparently alone in preferring TWENTY HEARTBEATS to WABI SABI--I thought the art was more dynamic and unified, and matched the mood of the text better.
Wendy burtonwl at yahoo.com http://sixboxesofbooks.blogspot.com
--- scorbett1 at aol.com wrote:
> I think the Caldecott winner and honor books this
> year comprise a truly beautiful list, one that
> includes two of my very favorites of the year -- A
> COUPLE OF BOYS HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER and A RIVER
> OF WORDS. However (sound of other shoe dropping),
> where the heck is WE ARE THE SHIP? Yes, I know, if
> it had been recognized by the Caldecott Committee,
> that would have made four shiny seals for one book
> jacket, (can you say overload?) but to my mind the
> art in this book is far and away the most beautiful
> -- muscular, real, emotional -- in any book
> published for young readers this year. I'm dying to?
> know where it came up short. I sincerely can't
> figure it out. Yes, the information aspect?is vital
> and good. Yes, Kadir Nelson is among the most
> talented of a talented bunch of African Americans at
> work in children's literature today, but the artwork
> in WE ARE THE SHIP simply soars. I am sad there
> wasn't a place for it on the?Caldecott Committee's
> list.??
>
> Forgive the Monday morning quarterbacking . . .
>
> Sue Corbett
> www.suecorbett.com
>
>
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Received on Wed 04 Feb 2009 10:28:18 PM CST
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 22:28:18 -0600
I, too, was captivated by Wonder Bear and missed it on the lists.
________________________________________ From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu [ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Wendy Burton [burtonwl at yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 8:15 PM To: CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] Caldecott books
I'd agree that the art in WE ARE THE SHIP is the most accomplished and distinguished that we saw this year, but I wasn't surprised when it wasn't honored for the Caldecott. After I read the Caldecott criteria, I didn't think it met this one: "Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept; of appropriateness of style of illustration to the story, theme or concept; of delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting mood or information through the pictures."
The pictures are gorgeous, but they don't tell a story in the same way some of the others do.
THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT wasn't my favorite of the year, but I noted that this was a case of the artist doing a great job pushing to the very reaches of her medium. I'm pleased with the choice.
I wasn't excited about HOW I LEARNED GEOGRAPHY--part of my problem was with the story which I didn't think made total sense (he would have needed to get a lot of the information from his parents or books, but the book makes it sound like he got it from the map IMO), so it doesn't really "count", but I thought it didn't have the same sparkle as some of the other offerings this year. I was actually more interested in the teenage drawings in the back, even though they lacked the polish of the book.
I was surprised about the choice of A COUPLE OF BOYS..., but kind of decided that it's a case of "it's just not my thing" and I couldn't do a good job of judging it.
I really hoped to see WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? for the Caldecott--I thought those were compelling illustrations that matched the text perfectly and contributed a great deal to the story. I'm glad it won a Sibert honor, but I thought its greatest strength was its illustration.
Another one I loved this year was WONDER BEAR.
And I'm apparently alone in preferring TWENTY HEARTBEATS to WABI SABI--I thought the art was more dynamic and unified, and matched the mood of the text better.
Wendy burtonwl at yahoo.com http://sixboxesofbooks.blogspot.com
--- scorbett1 at aol.com wrote:
> I think the Caldecott winner and honor books this
> year comprise a truly beautiful list, one that
> includes two of my very favorites of the year -- A
> COUPLE OF BOYS HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER and A RIVER
> OF WORDS. However (sound of other shoe dropping),
> where the heck is WE ARE THE SHIP? Yes, I know, if
> it had been recognized by the Caldecott Committee,
> that would have made four shiny seals for one book
> jacket, (can you say overload?) but to my mind the
> art in this book is far and away the most beautiful
> -- muscular, real, emotional -- in any book
> published for young readers this year. I'm dying to?
> know where it came up short. I sincerely can't
> figure it out. Yes, the information aspect?is vital
> and good. Yes, Kadir Nelson is among the most
> talented of a talented bunch of African Americans at
> work in children's literature today, but the artwork
> in WE ARE THE SHIP simply soars. I am sad there
> wasn't a place for it on the?Caldecott Committee's
> list.??
>
> Forgive the Monday morning quarterbacking . . .
>
> Sue Corbett
> www.suecorbett.com
>
>
_______________________________________________ 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 Wed 04 Feb 2009 10:28:18 PM CST
