Children's Illustrators: Step into the Magic

March 22 marks the birthday of nineteenth-century artist and illustrator Randolph Caldecott. The Caldecott Medal is awarded in his honor every year to the illustrator of the most outstanding children's picture book. Find out more about him and this distinguished award at the American Library Association's Caldecott Medal Home Page. Here you'll find current and past winners and read about illustrators like David Wisniewski (1997) and Peggy Rathmann (1996). Which illustrator was once a student at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Clown College?

Take two bored kids, a board game that comes to life, and what have you got? The winner of the 1982 Caldecott Award, of course. Jumanji isn't the only book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg to win the Caldecott. Do you remember a tale about a boy, a train, and a silver bell? The Polar Express won the coveted prize in 1986. Read more about this wonderful author/illustrator, as well as some other Caldecott winners, in the Teachers' Center area of Houghton Mifflin's Education Place.

Eric Carle's picture books are perennial favorites. At The Official Eric Carle Web Site, you can enjoy the colorful, zany world of Eric Carle From Head to Toe. Find out why he writes about small creatures or which comes first, the story or the pictures, at the Caterpillar Express. You'll want to read all about Eric before you leave, and be sure to sign the guest book.

Tomie dePaola knew what his life's work would be from the time he could hold a pencil. Find out how Tomie started writing children's books and which of his books won a Caldecott Honor Award.

Caldecott Medal Home Page
http://www.ala.org
/alsc/caldecott.html

Houghton Mifflin's Education Place
http://www.eduplace.com
/index.html

The Official Eric Carle Web Site
http://www.eric-carle.com
/index.html

Tomie de Paola
http://www.childrenslit.com
/f_depaola.html