How To Hold a Mock Caldecott
The Randolph Caldecott Medal, also known more simply as the Caldecott, is presented annually by the American Library Association (ALA). The award is given every year to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in the US the previous yet. The medal can only be awarded to a citizen or resident of the United States, and only for a specific book, as opposed to an artist or a body of work. The decision is made by a new committee of librarians every year, and that committee can also choose runners-up, called Caldecott Honor books.
You’ve seen the Caldecott medal many times- books that have won receive a gold version to display on their covers for the rest of their printing run. Unlike the Newbery Award, another prestigious award for children’s literature, the Caldecott is given for excellence in illustrations. Criteria like artistic technique, support of mood and theme, and age-appropriate interest level are all taken into account, but my favorite requirement is that the illustrations must be crucial to the story. As I explain to my students, you have to be able to see something in the pictures that is not told in the words. To me, this is what truly sets a Caldecott book apart.
Learning about Caldecott books and how they’re chosen is interesting, but the real fun begins when the kids become the judges. This is the heart of the Mock Caldecott. Depending on the amount of time available, a Mock Caldecott can include in-depth picture book studies or simply be a ballot that lets students vote on vibes. The reasons why different books win different awards can be a jumping-off point to discuss what we value in a book and what it is that makes certain books important to a reader. Giving students copies of a book and letting them study the pictures with their peers can be pretty powerful, and nothing beats a child’s perceptiveness. Kids have shown me things in illustrations that I missed after 25-30 readings.
The ALA announces the Caldecott and other award categories during the Youth Media Awards, held at the end of January or the beginning of February. This timing means we usually hold our Mock Caldecott when we return from winter break, giving us a few weeks before our vote can line up with the announcement of the actual winner.
Here is how I lay out a Mock Caldecott in an elementary school where I see classes once a week for 40 minutes.
Prior to the Unit
In the busy and fragmented weeks before the winter break, I’ll pull all the Caldecott winners off the shelves and make a display. Whenever I need a read-aloud in a pinch, I make sure it’s a Caldecott winner or honor book.
Week 1
I’ll introduce the medal. For older grades, it’s a quick review, and for younger grades, we spend more time on what the medal means and what it’s for. For K and 1st, we discuss the meaning of the word illustrator and briefly cover the criteria. In all grades, we focus on the idea that the illustrations have to convey something the text does not. Recently, I used the 2013 Caldecott winner This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen to demonstrate the criteria to kids in K-2nd and the 2022 Caldecott winner Watercress by Andrea Wang and Jason Chin with 3rd-5th graders.
Week 2 & 3
I will start by introducing the books that are being considered for the current year. The medal represents the books published in the last year, so 2024 books are considered for 2025. The Caldecott does not have a shortlist or a small number of books nominated. All books that meet the award criteria are fair game. I usually look at library blogs and social media accounts, but I also go with my gut, which is how my students knew all about Crown: An Ode to a Fresh Cut before it got its Caldecott nod!
Once I have five or so books, we’re ready to dive in. I usually start by splitting students into groups and giving each group one of the titles. Their job is to read the book together, check out the books according to the criteria, and then “sell” their book to the rest of the class. This is a great way to get a quick overview of all the titles. Sometimes, this can be done in one class, but it usually takes at least two.
Week 4
This is our voting week! I start by reviewing the criteria and each of our picks. I then create a slideshow with images of the book covers and pictures of the illustrators to add another layer of recognition for the students. Once the review is finished, students can vote. I have used several different formats, including detailed ballots or simply putting a sticker on a chart, but the easiest way has been via Google form.
Once all the voting is completed, I will announce both the winner of our school pick and the actual Caldecott winner over the school announcements.
Here are some books being considered at my school this year:
Any book that wins the Caldecott becomes an instant fixture of children’s literature. Beyond the recognition of current times, Caldecott books get special spots in bookstores, specific sections in the library, and inclusion on reading lists forever. This is a big part of the excitement around Mock Caldecott celebrations: who wouldn’t want their favorite book to get this honor?
As students, librarians, and readers make their guesses, the official Caldecott Committee of 2025 will soon let us know who the real winner will be!