The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to a children's book illustrator who has published a work of immense creativity that furthers the field of illustration within the previous year. The Caldecott Medal entered the 20th century by honoring an illustrator who often turned to the stories and songs of the past to revamp them into fun and vibrant books for modern children. Join us today as we continue our Caldecott Medal Winning Illustrators series by taking a closer look at the winner of the 2000 Caldecott Medal: Simms Taback.
Who is Simms Taback?
Writer and Illustrator Simms Taback was born in New York City in 1932. He graduated from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and served in the Korean War. After returning, he worked as the art director for illustrious organizations such as the New York Times and CBS Records. He taught at both the School for Visual Arts and Syracuse University, founding Push-Pin Studios and the Illustrators Guild, which merged into the New York Graphic Artists Guild, for which he was instrumental in developing ethics, pricing, and guidelines. He wrote and illustrated over forty children's books, earning a Caldecott Honor for There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly and the Caldecott Medal for Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. He passed away in 2011.
Where else have you heard of Tabak?
Throughout his career, Tabak illustrated numerous posters in conjunction with Scholastic. These posters illustrated scientific concepts, holidays, recipes, the alphabet, or important concepts like sharing and cooperation. Many of these posters are still available, so past and current students will likely see his work in their classrooms, even if they haven't read any of his books. Also, in perhaps the most exciting crossover event in children's book history, Tabak illustrated the artwork on the very first Happy Meal box for McDonald's, which featured illustrations, games, and puzzles.
Examining Taback’s Artistic Style
When developing an idea for a book, Taback would often draw and redraw the same idea repeatedly, beginning in pencil, then turning to pen and colored pencil, attempting many ideas before settling on the final draft of the illustration selected for inclusion in the book. His final illustrations often used various media, such as drawings, die-cuttings, and collages, and were always depicted in vibrant colors. He often depicted folktales from his Jewish faith. Animals were another frequent subject.
Collecting Taback
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
Winner of the 2000 Caldecott medal, this charming picture book written and illustrated by Taback debits a man named Joseph who starts the story with an overcoat. As it gets worn out, he turns it into a jacket, then makes and remakes it until he is left with only a button. This story of making something out of very little is based on the Yiddish folk song “I Had a Little Overcoat.” Bright-colored dye cuts, adorable animals, and a worthwhile message make this book a must-have. It was also awarded the National Jewish Book Award.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback
Based on the classic children's song, Taback's 1999 Caldecott Honor book There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly features die-cuts that allow readers to glimpse inside the Old Lady to see the fly she swallows, as well as the spider and increasingly strange array of items she swallows. Vibrant color and silly illustrations made this book a humorous read for children who enjoy their books a little gross.
