2017 Caldecott Medal and
Honor books
Caldecott Medal
Radiant Child, the Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat written and illustrated by Javaka Steptoe
From
the Amazon description: “Jean-Michel
Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1980s
as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But
before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and
museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of
New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe's vivid text and
bold artwork echoing Basquiat's own introduce young readers to the powerful
message that art doesn't always have to be neat or clean--and definitely not
inside the lines--to be beautiful.”
You can listen to the book read by the author
here (although he doesn’t read it word for word perfectly): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAxpNb6U8Fo
Javaka Steptoe, the author
and illustrator of this book, was born and raised in Brooklyn. I thought I
recognized the Steptoe name. His father, John Steptoe, illustrated two books
that were given the Caldecott Honor – The Story of Jumping Mouse, and Mufaro’s
Beautiful Daughters. So it looks like Javaka is carrying on the family
tradition. It is said that he was often a model for his father’s book
illustrations. Javaka’s award-winning book, Radiant Child, also received
the Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature and the Coretta Scott King Book Award from the American Library Association.
My
opinion: Basquiat was a Brooklyn-born Haitian-Puerto Rican artist whose first
public exhibit was in 1980 when he was only 20 years old. Basquiat’s mother is
attributed with fostering his love for art, but she suffered from mental
illness. Despite this difficult time in his life, he doesn’t let go of his
dreams. In his paintings, he puts a crown on his mother as a sign of honor and
value. His collage paintings are bright and bold and reflect his heritage.
Sadly, he struggled with drug addiction and died at the age of 27. As you look at any of Basquiat’s art, watch
for certain motifs he used throughout his works: a crown represented power or
strength and for those who needed to be respected. Eyes represented remembering
or understanding. Cars, trucks, and airplanes represented his childhood and a
car accident that badly injured him.
Author/illustrator
Steptoe grew up in the same part of New York City as Basquiat and so was
exposed to his work in high school. He even went to one of Basquiat’s art
shows. This inspired Steptoe to believe that even he, a young African American
artist, had a chance for success. Steptoe used pieces of discarded wood from
old Brooklyn Museum exhibit materials, the dumpsters of Brooklyn brownstones,
on which to create his illustrations. While I am not personally a fan of modern
art, I have lived outside New York City for a time so this book was of interest
to me. I have friends who were also born and raised in Brooklyn, and this book
gives me a little more understanding of their world.
Caldecott
Honor books
LEAVE ME ALONE! written and illustrated by Vera Brosgol
From
the Amazon description: “an epic
tale about one grandmother, a giant sack of yarn, and her ultimate quest to
finish her knitting. One day, a grandmother shouts, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
and leaves her tiny home and her very big family to journey to the moon and
beyond to find peace and quiet to finish her knitting. Along the way, she
encounters ravenous bears, obnoxious goats, and even hordes of aliens! But nothing
stops grandma from accomplishing her goal―knitting sweaters for her many
grandchildren to keep them warm and toasty for the coming winter. Vera
Brosgol's slyly clever and unexpectedly funny modern folktale is certain to
warm even the coldest of hearts.”
Listen to the book read here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFqfFbXRrrA
Vera Brosgol is a young Moscow-born artist who moved
to the United States when she was five. She has worked on animation projects as
well as written graphic novels. LEAVE ME ALONE! is her first picture
book and reflects her love of knitting.
My opinion: In addition to being a Caldecott
Honor book, LEAVE ME ALONE! also was named A New York Times Notable
Children’s Book, the National Public Radio Best Book of 2016, the Horn Book
Best Book of 2016, and the Huffington Post Best Picture Book of 2016. This book
is a modern folktale that will definitely appeal to those who long for some
time alone; you know, those introverts among us. Or even for those who love to
knit!
Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.
From
the Amazon description: “This
poetic, nonfiction story about a little-known piece of African American history
captures a human's capacity to find hope and joy in difficult circumstances and
demonstrates how New Orleans' Congo Square was truly freedom's heart.
Mondays, there were hogs to slop,
mules to train, and logs to chop,
Slavery was no ways fair.
Six more days to Congo Square.
As slaves relentlessly toiled in an unjust system
in 19th century Louisiana, they all counted down the days until Sunday, when at
least for half a day they were briefly able to congregate in Congo Square in
New Orleans. Here they were free to set up an open market, sing, dance, and
play music. They were free to forget their cares, their struggles, and their
oppression. This story chronicles slaves' duties each day, from chopping logs
on Mondays to baking bread on Wednesdays to plucking hens on Saturday, and
builds to the freedom of Sundays and the special experience of an afternoon
spent in Congo Square. This book includes a forward from Freddi Williams Evans
(freddievans.com), a historian and Congo Square expert, as well as a glossary
of terms with pronunciations and definitions.”
You can listen to the story being read here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ciW_a94yVs
Carole
Boston Weatherford is an African-American author who began writing poetry at a
very young age, being inspired by Dr. Seuss and Langston Hughes. She feels her
calling is "to mine the past
for family stories, fading traditions and forgotten struggles." She
also wrote Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom which is a Newbery Honor book. Many of her books
reflect her desire to present the truth about people and events of her
heritage. Other fine examples of her work are Freedom on the Menu: The
Greensboro Sit-ins, and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to
Freedom, both of which I own and love.
R. Gregory Christie is a highly regarded
illustrator, winning many awards for his work. He also illustrated Book Itch!
Freedom, Truth & Harlem's Greatest Bookstore, and Bad News for
Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal which I also own. Christie actually has a
bookstore very near me. I might just have to go!
My opinion: In this book, couplets count down
the days of the week until Sunday. Although the book does present the harsh lives
of slavery, it is appropriate still for younger children. A definite contrast is
portrayed between the labored life during the week of the slaves and the
exuberant dance and music of the freedom of Sunday afternoons. The author notes
that jazz originated from the African rhythms first celebrated in Congo Square.
Du Iz Tak? written and illustrated by Carson Ellis.
From the Amazon description: “Du iz tak? What is that? As a tiny shoot unfurls, two damselflies peer
at it in wonder. When the plant grows taller and sprouts leaves, some young
beetles arrive to gander, and soon—with the help of a pill bug named Icky—they
wrangle a ladder and build a tree fort. But this is the wild world, after all,
and something horrible is waiting to swoop down—booby voobeck!—only to be carried off in turn. Su! With exquisitely detailed illustrations and
tragicomic flair, Carson Ellis invites readers to imagine the dramatic
possibilities to be found in even the humblest backyard. Su!”
You can listen to the book being read here exactly
as written: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXfUyZEuz1A
And you can listen to the book being read here
by a grandfather for his grandchildren, complete with his version of the
translation of the words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhNhyv7BThk
Carson Ellis, the author and illustrator of
this book, is a Canadian-born American illustrator. She has illustrated
children’s picture books, album art for folk art bands, and even wallpaper! She
also is the illustrator for some of the Mysterious Benedict Society series titles.
My opinion: The fun thing about this book is
that it is written in an imaginary bug language. The story tells of the
microcosm of a small square in the insect world as season changes to season
over time. This would make a fun read before an ecosystem study of the
backyard. The adorable illustrations are done in gouache and ink, with lots of
detail and yet a lot of open white space. A nonfiction book that comes to mind
to go along with this would be Backyard by Donald Silver, part of the One Small
Square series. Honestly, at first I didn’t like Du Iz Tak?, but the more
I read it, the more delightful I find it. A made-up language of bugs? Why not? After
all, we praise Tolkien for his imaginary world and language; why not one about
bugs for children?
They All Saw a Cat written and illustrated by Brendan Wenzel.
From the Amazon description: “the cat walked
through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws . . . In this glorious celebration of observation, curiosity,
and imagination, Brendan Wenzel shows us the many lives of one cat, and how
perspective shapes what we see. When you see a cat, what do you see?”
You can listen to the story being read here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ4OjYER_nk
And here’s a cute song created about the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt_kCPXyHPc
Brendan Wenzel is from upstate New York. He is
a committed conservationist and works with organizations who seek to protect
wild places. His picture books seem centered around animals and critters, and
he often portrays a message about perspective and differing viewpoints.
My opinion: The illustrations in this book are
a variety of colored pencil, oil pastels, acrylic paint, watercolor, charcoal,
Magic Marker, good old number 2 pencils, and even a MacBook. And yet, it all
comes together delightfully and actually appropriately since his message in the
book is one of the diversity of perspective each of us has. The repetitive
phrasing is perfect for little ones to enjoy. Also interesting is the
introduction to the varying vision capabilities of animals. A nice nonfiction
book to accompany this would be Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World by
Steve Jenkins.
