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Snowflake Bentley – Jacqueline Briggs Martin

How do you study snowflakes when they keep melting? Winner of the 1999 Caldecott Medal, Snowflake Bentley is a biography of a boy who figures out a way to share snowflakes with the world. It’s a story of persistence and problem solving. William Bentley was born in 1865, in the time “ when farmers worked with ox and sled and cut the dark with lantern light”. The illustrations are prints from carved woodblocks. They are perfect at invoking the simpler time period of this story. As a young farm boy, Bentley studied all kinds of things in nature, but most … Continue reading →

When I Was Young in the Mountains – Cynthia Rylant

The picture book When I Was Young in the Mountains was a Caldecott Honor book in 1984. The book is a story based on author Cynthia Rylant’s own childhood in Appalachia living her grandparents and other relatives in Cool Ridge, West Virginia. The illustrations by Diane Goode have an old-fashioned feel as this loving family of grandparents and grandchildren go about their daily lives. Almost every page begins with the words “When I was young in the mountains”. The repetition gives the book a nice oral tradition storytelling kind of feel. This book is great early history about the pleasures … Continue reading →

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat – Simms Taback

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is a Caldecott winner and a charming book for young children. Author and illustrator Simms Taback based the story on an old Yiddish folksong. The lyrics and music for the song are in the back of the book. The illustrations are vibrant, utilizing unique multimedia methods and die cut holes. The wording is simple. “Joseph had a little overcoat. It was old and worn.” One page shows Joseph with his worn and patched overcoat. The other has a jacket shaped hole in the page. When you turn the page the hole matches up with the … Continue reading →

The Snowy Day – Ezra Jack Keats

I know other parts of the country are seeing signs of spring, but here in Colorado we can expect another couple months of snow. I want to share one of my favorite books about snow with you. The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats, received the Caldecott Award in 1963. I remember the book from my own childhood. The illustrations are unique. One of Keats techniques was to blend collage with gouache (an opaque watercolor mixed with art gum. His illustrations capture the magic of how snow can transform a neighborhood into beauty, softness, and mystery. Keats set new ground … Continue reading →

Media Week in Review – February 11th-16th

We had a fun week here in Media Reviews. If you weren’t able to catch all the blogs, never fear – we’ve got a summary for you so you can stay up to date. If you’ve been searching for a fun and informative children’s television show for your kids, look no further than “Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman.” Set in a game show-style format, the contestants learn about science, math, physics and innumerable other valuable subjects while having fun. “Max and Ruby” is a cute children’s show based on the picture books of author Rosemary Wells, and is bound to be … Continue reading →

Snowy reads for snowy days

Snow today! It makes me want to break out the snow books: Snowflake Bentley, by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, and illustrated by Mary Azarian, is the story of Vermont native Wilson Bentley, who lived in the late 19th and early 20th century. Bentley developed a new technique for photographing snowflakes, and he spent an amazing amount of time doing it. He became passionately devoted to it, and produced a staggering collection of snowflake photographs. This picture book is suitable for young children, but my older girls and I love it, too. For more photographs, rather than illustrations, see Bentley’s Snowflakes in … Continue reading →

Writing About the Caldecott Medal Winners

For those of you who have been reading my blogs about the Caldecott Medal winners, you know that I have learned a lot. I have learned not necessarily just about art or illustrations, but about myself as an avid reader and a parent. I have learned about the kinds of books that I would like to share with my daughter, and those I would prefer to leave until she is a little bit older. I have enjoyed reading these books as much as I did when I was younger. I have liked reading them as much as I enjoy reading … Continue reading →

Winners of the Caldecott Medal: 1998-2002

For more information about the origins of the Caldecott Medal, please see The Caldecott Medal and the Man for Whom it was Named. I am giving a brief synopsis of each book along with a comment about the artwork here and there. I am also including lists of the Honor winners for each year. I hope you enjoy my series. Comments are welcomed!! 1998 “Rapunzel” by Paul O. Zelinsky In this retelling of the classic tale, Paul Zelinsky really creates a believable story that a girl could have hair strong enough for someone to climb up it. Her hair is … Continue reading →