The following review is in partial fulfillment of the requirements for LS5603.20, Genre 1.
1. Bibliography
Marcus, Leonard S. 1998. A Caldecott celebration: Six artists and their paths to the
Caldecott Medal. New York: Walker and Company. ISBN 0-8027-8658-8.
2. Plot Summary
A Caldecott Celebration is a book about six winners of the prestigious Caldecott Medal. The author chose one winner from each of the six decades in which the medal had been awarded at the time the book was written. The featured illustrators are Robert McCloskey (Make Way for Ducklings, 1942), Marcia Brown (Cinderella; or the Little Glass Slipper, 1955), Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are, 1964), William Steig (Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, 1970), Chris Van Allsburg (Jumanji, 1982), and David Wiesner (Tuesday, 1992). Each section has a story about the illustrator's techniques and the inspiration for the prize-winning book, and is illustrated with pictures from the books themselves. Most sections also include examples of first drafts, sketches, or models used by the artists.
At the end of A Caldecott Celebration, Leonard S. Marcus includes a list of every Caldecott Medal winner from 1938 through 1998, a glossary of terms used in the book, and an index of proper names.
3. Critical Analysis
A Caldecott Celebration has many of the characteristics of a quality book. Leonard S. Marcus introduces the reader to six real people and uses enough anecdotes and stories about each that they become interesting as people and not just as illustrators. In each section, Marcus includes quotes from the illustrator that tell how and why that illustrator did his or her work. For example, he quotes Robert McCloskey as saying, "You rather have to think like a duck when you put together a book like [Make Way for Ducklings]." This eventually prompted McCloskey to share his apartment with 16 ducks. Each section offers some surprising, interesting bit of information.
The layout of the book is visually appealing. The illustrations are, naturally, of excellent quality since they are from Caldecott books. They represent many different styles and types of illustrating. Marcus also has a photograph of each author and the cover of the award-winning book at the beginning of each section. The illustrations serve to extend what Marcus has written. Rather than just saying that David Wiesner used thumbnail drawings to see his entire book at once, Marcus reproduces the thumbnails for the reader. He also uses illustrations to show the wide-ranging effect of the books and illustrators he has profiled. There are photographs of a bronze sculpture of McCloskey's ducklings and a fort-six foot long mural of Maurice Sendak's Wild Things.
4. Review Excerpts
Booklist (starred review): "A beautifully made book, this will serve as a fine resource for children interested in illustration and for teachers researching author/illustrator studies. " (Reviewed November 15, 1998-- Carolyn Phelan
Children's Book Page: "My only gripe about this lovely little book is that it isn't longer!"--
Alice Cary
5. Connections
This book could serve as an introduction to the books and authors presented. It could also be an inspiration for students to create their own artwork as they see that even professional artists start with simple ideas and develop them.
Other books about how artwork for books is created:
Cummings, Pat. Talking with Artists, vol. 1. ISBN 0027242455
Bang, Molly. Picture This: How Pictures Work. ISBN 1587170302
Marcus, Leonard S. Side by Side: Five Favorite Picture Book Teams Go to Work.
ISBN 0802796168
Marcus, Leonard S. Ways of Telling: Conversations on the Art of the Picture Book.
ISBN 0756797047
1. Bibliography
Marcus, Leonard S. 1998. A Caldecott celebration: Six artists and their paths to the
Caldecott Medal. New York: Walker and Company. ISBN 0-8027-8658-8.
2. Plot Summary
A Caldecott Celebration is a book about six winners of the prestigious Caldecott Medal. The author chose one winner from each of the six decades in which the medal had been awarded at the time the book was written. The featured illustrators are Robert McCloskey (Make Way for Ducklings, 1942), Marcia Brown (Cinderella; or the Little Glass Slipper, 1955), Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are, 1964), William Steig (Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, 1970), Chris Van Allsburg (Jumanji, 1982), and David Wiesner (Tuesday, 1992). Each section has a story about the illustrator's techniques and the inspiration for the prize-winning book, and is illustrated with pictures from the books themselves. Most sections also include examples of first drafts, sketches, or models used by the artists.
At the end of A Caldecott Celebration, Leonard S. Marcus includes a list of every Caldecott Medal winner from 1938 through 1998, a glossary of terms used in the book, and an index of proper names.
3. Critical Analysis
A Caldecott Celebration has many of the characteristics of a quality book. Leonard S. Marcus introduces the reader to six real people and uses enough anecdotes and stories about each that they become interesting as people and not just as illustrators. In each section, Marcus includes quotes from the illustrator that tell how and why that illustrator did his or her work. For example, he quotes Robert McCloskey as saying, "You rather have to think like a duck when you put together a book like [Make Way for Ducklings]." This eventually prompted McCloskey to share his apartment with 16 ducks. Each section offers some surprising, interesting bit of information.
The layout of the book is visually appealing. The illustrations are, naturally, of excellent quality since they are from Caldecott books. They represent many different styles and types of illustrating. Marcus also has a photograph of each author and the cover of the award-winning book at the beginning of each section. The illustrations serve to extend what Marcus has written. Rather than just saying that David Wiesner used thumbnail drawings to see his entire book at once, Marcus reproduces the thumbnails for the reader. He also uses illustrations to show the wide-ranging effect of the books and illustrators he has profiled. There are photographs of a bronze sculpture of McCloskey's ducklings and a fort-six foot long mural of Maurice Sendak's Wild Things.
4. Review Excerpts
Booklist (starred review): "A beautifully made book, this will serve as a fine resource for children interested in illustration and for teachers researching author/illustrator studies. " (Reviewed November 15, 1998-- Carolyn Phelan
Children's Book Page: "My only gripe about this lovely little book is that it isn't longer!"--
Alice Cary
5. Connections
This book could serve as an introduction to the books and authors presented. It could also be an inspiration for students to create their own artwork as they see that even professional artists start with simple ideas and develop them.
Other books about how artwork for books is created:
Cummings, Pat. Talking with Artists, vol. 1. ISBN 0027242455
Bang, Molly. Picture This: How Pictures Work. ISBN 1587170302
Marcus, Leonard S. Side by Side: Five Favorite Picture Book Teams Go to Work.
ISBN 0802796168
Marcus, Leonard S. Ways of Telling: Conversations on the Art of the Picture Book.
ISBN 0756797047
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