Caldecott Challenge 1974-80

6 years - 24 books - a big leap forward in my Caldecott Challenge reading.

It was Spring Break this week, so I decided to play a little catch-up with my #nerdcott reading.
With 1974 I am now officially reading award winners from my own lifetime.


Most Helpful for my 6th grade Castle Project: Castle (Honor 1978)

Least controversial naked children after Sendak's In the Night Kitchen - (Honor 1971): Ben's Trumpet (Honor 1980) & It Could Always Be Worse (Honor 1978)

Top Left: In the Night Kitchen, Top Right: Ben's Trumpet,
Bottom: It Could Always Be Worse

Most read as a board book in my home: Freight Train (Honor 1979)

Most frequent Author of the 70s award books: Byrd Baylor with 4 titles: When Clay Sings (Honor 1973), The Desert is Theirs (Honor 1976), Hawk I'm Your Brother (Honor 1977), The Way to Start a Day (Honor 1979).

Most frequent illustrators of the 70s: Margot Zemach with 3 titles: The Judge (Honor 1970), Duffy and the Devil (Winner 1974), It Could Always be Worse (Honor 1978)
and Peter Parnall with 3 titles: The Desert is Theirs (Honor 1976), Hawk I'm Your Brother (Honor 1977), The Way to Start a Day (Honor 1979).

Most conflicting feelings about a title: Arrow to the Sun (Winner 1975). I love the bold, graphic illustrations but am disappointed by the misrepresentation of Pueblo Indian Life.

Favorite New Read: The Treasure (Honor 1980)

Favorite Familiar Reads: Strega Nona (Honor 1976) & The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (Honor 1980)

Favorite year as a whole: 1980: Ox Cart Man, Ben's Trumpet, Garden of Abdul Gasazi, & The Treasure

1974 

Medal Winner: 

Duffy and the Devil

illustrated by Margot Zemach

retold by Harve Zemach

Honor Books:

Three Jovial Huntsmen 

by Susan Jeffers

Cathedral 

by David Macaulay

1975

Medal Winner:

Arrow to the Sun 

by Gerald McDermott

Honor Book:

Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet Book

illustrated by Tom Feelings

written by Muriel Feelings

1976 

Medal Winner: 

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears

illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon

retold by Verna Aardema 

Honor Books:

The Desert is Theirs

illustrated by Peter Parnall

written by Byrd Baylor

Strega Nona by Tomie de Paola

1977 

Medal Winner: 

Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions

illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon

written by Margaret Musgrove

Honor Books:

The Amazing Bone 

by William Steig

The Contest

by Nonny Hogrogian

Fish for Supper 

by M. B. Goffstein

The Golem: A Jewish Legend 

by Beverly Brodsky McDermott

Hawk, I'm Your Brother

illustrated by Peter Parnall

written by Byrd Baylor

1978 

Medal Winner: 

Noah's Ark 

by Peter Spier

Honor Books:

Castle 

by David Macaulay

It Could Always Be Worse

by Margot Zemach

1979 

Medal Winner: 

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses 

by Paul Goble

Honor Books:

Freight Train 

by Donald Crews 

The Way to Start a Day

illustrated by Peter Parnall

written by Byrd Baylor

1980 

Medal Winner: 

Ox-Cart Man

illustrated by Barbara Cooney

written by Donald Hall

Ben's Trumpet 

by Rachel Isadora

The Garden Of Abdul Gasazi 

by Chris Van Allsburg

The Treasure 

by Uri Shulevitz

Caldecott Challenge Total 1938-1980: 181 

Caldecott Challenge 1971-1973

3 years and 13 more titles.

I was born in the 70s, so I am encountering more and more books I remember from my childhood. There are titles like A Story a Story or The Funny Little Woman that I thought I had not read, but as I read them now, I feel a flicker of familiarity from my elementary years. 

Hardest to Find: If all the Seas were One Sea - Made another trip to the wonderful Milestones collection at the Central Minneapolis Library for this one.

Most Controversial: In the Night Kitchen - naked kids always seem to cause such a stir

Most Unexpected: Hosie's Alphabet - The cover did not invite me in, but I love the 

Most Nostalgic: Frog and Toad are Friends - It still confuses me that everyone just laughs at Toad's Swimsuit, he goes home upset, and then that's the end of that story/chapter. 

Most Disturbing Last Line: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves - The Evil Queen was made to wear red-hot slippers made of iron "and dance till she dropped down dead." (not quite "happily ever after")

1971 

Medal Winner: 

A Story A Story

retold and illustrated by Gail E. Haley

Honor Books:

The Angry Moon

illustrated by Blair Lent

retold by William Sleator

Frog and Toad are Friends 

by Arnold Lobel

In the Night Kitchen 

by Maurice Sendak

1972 

Medal Winner: 

One Fine Day

by Nonny Hogrogian

Honor Books:

Hildilid's Night

illustrated by Arnold Lobel

written by Cheli Durán Ryan

If All the Seas Were One Sea 

by Janina Domanska

Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book

illustrated by Tom Feelings

written by Muriel Feelings

1973 

Medal Winner: 

The Funny Little Woman

illustrated by Blair Lent

retold by Arlene Mosel

Honor Books:

Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti

by Gerald McDermott

Hosie's Alphabet

illustrated by Leonard Baskin

written by Hosea, Tobias & Lisa Baskin

Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs

illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert

translated by Randall Jarrell

retold from the Brothers Grimm

When Clay Sings

illustrated by Tom Bahti

written by Byrd Baylor 

Caldecott Challenge 1938-73 total: 157

How a Stick of Gum Became a Reading Challenge

It started like any other morning...

 

... well once I made it to work, it was like any other morning.

A copy of the One and Only Ivan was returned and it was NOT on hold. 

(So maybe that wasn't like a normal morning either)

Anyhow...

Someone will for sure want to check this out, I thought to myself as I grabbed it on the way to meet with a group of 4th graders.

While talking with the 4th graders - we discovered the previous reader forgot their bookmark.

A bookmark that could qualify for a next round of Battle of the Bad Bookmarks - an unused stick of gum.

This discovery was followed by...

"eeewwww!"

"Can I have it?"

and finally,

"Laura, you should eat it!"

In that almost-a-snow-day-Ivan-lovin' moment, I responded with, " I could be convinced to eat this gum... for something special."

The 4th grade teacher (also named Laura) asked, "How about a reading challenge?"

So Laura D's class of 4th graders decided on a "gum worthy" class reading challenge, and teacher Laura and Librarian Laura were witnessed shaking hands agreeing to the deal.

"The Gum" is now on display in my office window.
I have a feeling that chewing it is in my future.

You can't see it in the picture, but the wrapper is covered in 5s! It's fate!

This piece of gum and my excited 4th grade readers totally made my day.

Caldecott Challenge 1968-1970

3 years and 12 more Caldecott Challenge books read. 
Within this set there were many I remember from my childhood (I have a special place in my heart for all things Leo Lionni!).

Hardest to Find: Seashore Story by Taro Yashima
New to me favorite: The Emperor and the Kite written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Ed Young
Embarrassed I had not read before now: Goggles! by Ezra Jack Keats
Favorite re-read: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

A quick look at the winners and honors from 1968-70:

1968 Medal Winner: 

Drummer Hoff
illustrated by Ed Emberley
adapted by Barbara Emberley

1968 Honor Books:

Frederick 
by Leo Lionni

Seashore Story 
by Taro Yashima

The Emperor and the Kite
illustrated by Ed Young
written by Jane Yolen

1969 Medal Winner: 

The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship
illustrated by Uri Shulevitz
retold by Arthur Ransome

1969 Honor Books:

Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky
illustrated by Blair Lent
written by Elphinstone Dayrell

1970 Medal Winner: 

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble 
by William Steig

1970 Honor Books:

Goggles! 
by Ezra Jack Keats

Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse 
by Leo Lionni

Pop Corn & Ma Goodness
illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker 
written by Edna Mitchell Preston

Thy Friend, Obadiah 

by Brinton Turkle

The Judge: An Untrue Tale

illustrated by Margot Zemach

written by Harve Zemach

Caldecott Challenge Total (1938-1970): 144