The Randolph Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association , to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
To choose the winner and honor books, GEPL Youth Department staff read books published in 2021, met to discuss their nominees, and chose their winner, Have You Ever Seen a Flower by Shawn Harris.
Have You Ever Seen a Flower explores how a flower can activate all five senses and expand your perspective of the world around you. Its neon color palette isn’t afraid to use moments of negative space and gray scale for dramatic effect. We also loved Shawn Harris’ use of pencil, an art tool that is a favorite amongst young artists.
Staff also recognized the following books, as close contenders for the prize.
Wishes by Muon Thi Van and Victo Ngai
We Became Jaguars by Dave Eggers and Woodrow White
The official 2022 Caldecott winners chosen by the panel of elected or appointed judges (librarians and other people involved in children’s literature) will be announced on Monday, January 24 at 8 am via live video stream . We are excited to find out who won and compare the winners to our choices!