A Review of A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SIX ARTISTS AND THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL by Leonard S. Marcus

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Marcus, Leonard S. 1998. A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal. New York: Walker and Company. ISBN 0802786588.

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Caldecott Medal, Marcus interviews six winning illustrators from each decade. The opening introduction includes background on Randolph Caldecott, the award’s namesake, and the history of the award. Interviews include details on the artists’ entry into their careers, original sketches from the award-winning books, and their reactions to winning the renowned prize. Included are Robert McCloskey, 1942 winner for Make Way for Ducklings; Marcia Brown, 1955 winner for Cinderella; or The Little Glass Slipper; Maurice Sendak, 1964 winner for Where the Wild Things Are; William Steig, 1970 winner for Sylvester and the Magic Pebble; Chris Van Allsburg, 1982 winner for Jumanji; and David Wiesner, 1992 winner for Tuesday.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Enjoyable for young and old alike, Marcus throws open the doors of award-winning illustrators’ studios for all to see. Moving beyond the usual biographical information and tricks of artistry, Marcus shares unique details about each author/illustrator and their Caldecott experience. Beginning with one of the earliest Caldecott recipients, Marcus reveals that Robert McCloskey had never heard of the Caldecott Medal before winning it in 1942. Marcia Brown divulges the secret to choosing her publisher: she was headed for Viking Press, on the seventh floor of their building, but an elevator strike stopped her at Scribner’s on the fourth floor. Marcus also traces the journey of each book from the moment of inception to the author’s award-winning moment. Any fan of storybook art will appreciate the early sketches, editorial communications, and final products.

The stories of artists’ beginnings, such as Maurice Sendak’s “discovery” while working as a window decorator for F. A. O. Schwarz in New York, will inspire any young artist hoping to make a career of their craft. These young artists will have to glean their own tricks of the trade from the interviews, though. Marcus stops short of asking the artists to offer advice to young future illustrators. The book includes a table of contents for quick access to a favorite title, a complete listing of winners, a glossary of terms, and an index of proper nouns.

This book was a surprisingly fun read and I found myself sharing tidbits of information with my family as I learned new details about the authors. I particularly enjoyed seeing the development of Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are and noting the amount of change from his original idea to the finished product.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS:

Starred Review in Booklist: “A lively, informative introduction to each book and its maker. A beautifully made book, this will serve as a fine resource for children interested in illustration and for teachers researching author/ illustrator studies.”

Starred Review in Publisher’s Weekly: “Filled with witty anecdotes and pithy observations, Marcus's approach to examining the works of six Caldecott Medalists will be of as much interest to adults as to picture book readers.”

5. CONNECTIONS:

McCloskey, Robert. Make Way for Ducklings. ISBN 0670451495.

• Brown, Marcia. Cinderella; or The Little Glass Slipper. ISBN 0689814747.
  
• Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. ISBN 0060254920.
  
• Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. ISBN 1416902066.
  
• Van Allsburg, Chris. Jumanji. ISBN 0395304482.
  
• Wiesner, David. Tuesday. ISBN 0395870828.
  
• Try illustrating a scene from a favorite story in the style of one of the featured artists.
  
• Discuss how the artist’s style affected the story. How would the story change if the artist illustrated differently?