Children's Literature: Caldecott, Newbery and Coretta Scott King Awards

Every year, the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), honors the best in childrens literature. The Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, and Coretta Scott King Award are the among the most sought after honors for childrens books.

The Newbery Medal

In 1921, Frederic G. Melcher proposed to the ALA that an award be established to recognize outstanding works of childrens literature. He suggested naming the award after John Newbery, an 18^th-century bookseller. The goal of the award: To encourage original creative work in the field of books for children. To emphasize to the public that contributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or novels. The Newbery Award thus became the first honor in the world designated explicitly for childrens books. Prior winners include many favorites in contemporary juvenile literature:

Holes (1999)

Bud, not Buddy (2000)

A Year Down Yonder (2001)

Crispin: The Cross of Lead (2003)

The Tale of Despereaux (2004)

Kira-Kira (2005)

The Higher Power of Lucky (2007)

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village (2008)

The Graveyard Book (2009)

When You Reach Me (2010)

Moon over Manifest (2011)

The Randolph Caldecott Medal

Randolph Caldecott stood out as one of the preeminent children's illustrators in 19^th-century England. He brought a special humor, movement, and vitality to illustrations. When in 1937, a member of the Newbery Committee suggested a second award for illustration, it seemed natural to name it after Caldecott.

Each year, the Newbery Medal Committee also selects a winner for the Caldecott Medal. American picture books published in the previous year are eligible. Past winners include the following exceptional childrens books:

Animals of the Bible (1938)

A Tree Is Nice (1957)

The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship: A Russian Tale (1969)

Shadow (1983)

Hey, Al (1987)

Smoky Night (1995)

So You Want to Be President? (2001)

The Hello, Goodbye Window (2006)

The House in the Night (2009)

The Lion and the Mouse (2010)

A Sick Day for Amos McGee (2011)

The Coretta Scott King Award

The purpose of the Coretta Scott King Award is to recognize exceptional African American authors and illustrators. Greer named the award for Coretta Scott King to commemorate her continued efforts to promote the vision of peace that her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. introduced during a period of great turmoil in US history.

The Coretta Scott King Award was the idea of Glyndon Greer, who organized the award in 1969 with the help of other New Jersey Library Association members. The first award was presented the following year. It was not until 1974 that illustrators were also recognized; now an author and illustrator win the prize each year. In 1979, the award was officially recognized and adopted by the ALA.

Elijah of Buxton (2008)

Bad News for Outlaws (2010)

One Crazy Summer (2011)

These award-winning books for children offer excellent inspiration for collectors young and old. They provide a means of introducing kids to books of lasting value and remind adults of the beauty and simplicity of youth. Many of them became rare books in exceptional condition, especially in first edition or signed by the author.

Which award-winning childrens books are in your personal library?