Mock-up

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Printz

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Newbery

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Award Overview

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Distinguished is defined as:

• Marked by eminence and distinction; noted for significant achievement.
• Marked by excellence in quality.
• Marked by conspicuous excellence or eminence.
• Individually distinct.

In identifying a “distinguished American picture book for children,” defined as illustration, committee members need to consider:

• Excellence of execution in the artistic technique employed;
• Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept;
• Appropriateness of style of illustration to the story, theme or concept;
• Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through the pictures;
• Excellence of presentation in recognition of a child audience.

The committee should keep in mind that the award is for distinguished illustrations in a picture book and for excellence of pictorial presentation for children. The award is not for didactic intent or for popularity.

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Voting Rules for Caldecott

• Committee members list first, second, and third place votes for the award in an online tool created by the Awards Coordinator and sent to the Chair for distribution.
• In tabulating ballot results, the online tool will assign four points to each first-place vote, three points to each second-place vote, and two points to each third-place vote.
• A specific formula is used to determine the winner. A book must receive at least eight first-choice votes at four points each for a total of at least thirty-two points, and it must have an eight-point lead over the book receiving the next highest number of points.