Special Collections
Caldecott Award Winners
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We Are Water Protectors
by Carole LindstromInspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption―a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade. Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all . . . When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth And poison her people’s water, one young water protector Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.
Henry's Freedom Box
by Ellen Levine and Kadir NelsonA stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist.
Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse. Henry grows up and marries, but he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday -- his first day of freedom.
Winner of the Caldecott Honor
John Henry
by Julius LesterJohn Henry is stronger than ten men, and can dig through a mountain faster than a steam drill. Julius Lester's folksy retelling of a popular African-American folk ballad has warmth, tall tale humor, and boundless energy.
Jerry Pinkney illustrates the story with "rich colors borrowed from the rocks and the earth, so beautiful that they summon their own share of smiles and tears" (Booklist).
Caldecott Honors Book
Hansel and Gretel
by Rika LesserPaul O. Zelinsky's stunning Caldecott Honor Book allows readers to see the story of Hansel and Gretel anew. Full color. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.
Always Room for One More
by Sorche Nic LeodhasLachie MacLachlan, the generous hero of this enchanting picture book, is the delightful exception to the rule that the Scots are a thrifty lot. To his "wee house in the heather" where he lives with his wife and ten children, the good-natured Lachie invites every traveler who passes on a'stormy night, assuring all that "there's always room for one more.'" Tinkers, tailors, shepherds, even dogs -sing and dance the night away until, alas, the rafters groan and the walls of his hospitable little home bulge to the bursting point. But Lachie's kindness is repaid. Just how his grateful guests eventually say a wonderful "thank-you" provides a delightfully warm ending to this lilting narrative.
Wee Gillis
by Robert Lawson and Munro LeafA Caldecott Honor Book by the creators of the beloved Story of Ferdinand; Wee Gillis lives in Scotland. He is an orphan, and he spends half of each year with his mother's people in the lowlands, while the other half finds him in the highlands with his father's kin. Both sides of Gillis's family are eager for him to settle down and adopt their ways. In the lowlands, he is taught to herd cattle, learning how to call them to him in even the heaviest of evening fogs. In the rocky highlands, he stalks stags from outcrop to outcrop, holding his breath so as not to make a sound. Wee Gillis is a quick study, and he soon picks up what his elders can teach him. And yet he is unprepared when the day comes for him to decide, once and for all, whether it will be the lowlands or the highlands that he will call his home. Robert Lawson and Munro Leaf's classic picture book is a tribute to the powers of the imagination...
A Very Special House
by Ruth KraussContinuing a two-year program to bring back twenty-two Maurice Sendak treasures long out of print, our second season of publication highlights one of the most successful author-illustrator pairings of all time. A pioneer of great children's literature, Ruth Krauss published more than thirty books for children during a career that spanned forty years. Krauss and Sendak collaborated on eight books, and we are delighted to reintroduce four of these gems in brand-new editions, together with a favorite Maurice Sendak picture book.
This Is Not My Hat
by Jon KlassenWINNER OF THE 2013 CALDECOTT MEDAL! From the creator of the #1 New York Times best-selling and award-winning I Want My Hat Back comes a second wry tale. When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly), trouble could be following close behind. So it’s a good thing that enormous fish won’t wake up. And even if he does, it’s not like he’ll ever know what happened. . . . Visual humor swims to the fore as the best-selling Jon Klassen follows his breakout debut with another deadpan-funny tale.
Hershel And The Hanukkah Goblins
by Eric A. KimmelA traveler rids a village synagogue of ghosts. A Caldecott Honor Book.
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
by Barbara KerleyNot until the mid 1800s were dinosaurs heard of in Victorian England. But when artist Waterhouse Hawkins built the first life-size models of dinosaurs in his native England, and later in America, he dazzled the world with his awe-inspiring creations. The author and illustrator present a story of consuming passion, triumph, loss, and a remarkable legacy that lives on today. Full-color illustrations.
The Snowy Day
by Ezra Jack KeatsNo book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favorite of millions, as it reveals a child's wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. Images and image descriptions available.
Goggles!
by Ezra Jack KeatsTwo boys must outsmart the neighborhood bullies before they can enjoy their new treasure, a pair of lensless motorcycle goggles. Can they do it?
The Hello, Goodbye Window
by Norton JusterFrom the book: The kitchen window at Nana and Poppy's house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it. Told in her voice, her story is both a voyage of discovery and a celebration of the commonplace wonders that define childhood. It is also a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild. The illustrations in this book look like pictures colored by a child. Pictures are described. This book received the Newberry Award.
What Do You Say, Dear?
by Sesyle JoslinA handbook of etiquette for young ladies and gentlemen to be used as a guide for everyday social behavior. For very small children.
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
by Steve JenkinsA nose for digging? Ears for seeing? Eyes that squirt blood? Explore the many amazing things animals can do with their ears, eyes, mouths, noses, feet, and tails in this beautifully illustrated interactive guessing book by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page.
Winner of the Caldecott Honor
Three Jovial Huntsmen
by Susan JeffersDespite the many animals in the forest, three hunters see only a ship, a house, and a pincushion and find nothing to shoot.
Snow-white and the Seven Dwarfs
by Randall JarrellThe story of the most gorgeous girl named Snow-White and her cruel stepmother.
Swamp Angel
by Anne Isaacs and Paul O. ZelinskySwamp Angel can lasso a tornado, and drink an entire lake dry. She single-handedly defeats the fearsome bear known as Thundering Tarnation, wrestling him from the top of the Great Smoky Mountains to the bottom of a deep lake.
Caldecott Medal-winning artist Paul O. Zelinsky's stunning folk-art paintings are the perfect match for the irony, exaggeration, and sheer good humor of this original tall tale set on the American frontier.
A Caldecott Honor Book
An ALA Notable Book
A Time magazine Best Book of the Year
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Paddle-to-the-Sea
by Holling Clancy HollingA young Indian boy carves a little canoe with a figure inside and names him Paddle-to-the-Sea. Paddle's journey, in text and pictures, through the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean provides an excellent geographic and historical picture of the region.
America's Ethan Allen
by Stewart H. HolbrookThis book presents the life and legends of Colonel Ethan Allen and Green Mountain boys of the American Revolution.
One Fine Day
by Nonny HogrogianFrom the book: A delightful telling makes this story of a greedy fox's adventure as catchy as a nursery rhyme. This book was the recipient of the 1972 Caldecott Medal.
Saint George and the Dragon
by Margaret HodgesWinner of the 1985 Caldecott Medal. Set "in the days when monsters and giants and fairy-folk lived in England," this retelling of a classic and well-loved tale recounts the battle between Saint George and the Dragon a creature so huge and fearsome that his tail "swept the land behind him for almost half a mile," and whose "deep jaws gaped wide, showing three rows of iron teeth ready to devour his prey." In graceful and evocative prose, Margaret Hodges retells the dramatic story from Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene. Trina Schart Hyman portrays the monstrous dragon; the long, horrible battle; and the final victory celebration in exquisite detail, bringing her full artistic genius to bear in this work. Both storyteller and artist have re-created this timeless legend in a book for children of generations to come. MARGARET HODGES first thought of retelling the story of Saint George and the Dragon when a professor of hers mentioned that he had read Spenser's Faerie Queen, to his four year old granddaughter. After Mrs. Hodges saw a reading of the story enacted by puppets, she "became devoted to Saint George" and says that she finds him "everywhere in paintings, sculpture, stained glass, in poetry, and, above all, in legends of many lands. Saint George, it seems, is loved everywhere for his courage and virtue. In Spenser's version the character of Una is equally brave and adventurous." Margaret Hodges is Professor Emeritus in the School of Library and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh. She has written over twenty books for children and has a special interest in folklore and legends passed down through the oral tradition. TRINA SCHART HYMAN describes herself as "an old-fashioned, traditional kind of illustrator," who welcomed the chance to try out all her romantic ideas on this retelling of Saint George and the Dragon. In the process, she "gained a lot of respect for all her old heroes and their warlike ways," and admits that she was very relieved when the Dragon was finally killed. In the borders of the book, she has painted flowers that are indigenous to the British Isles. Trina Schart Hyman lives in Lyme, New Hampshire, and has illustrated many classic fairy tales for children, including Snow White and The Sleeping Beauty.
Dave the Potter
by Laban Carrick HillTo us it is just dirt, the ground we walk on... But to Dave it was clay, the plain and basic stuff upon which he formed a life as a slave nearly 200 years ago. Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter living in South Carolina in the 1800s. He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave. In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal, National Book Award nominee Laban Carrick Hill's elegantly simple text and award-winning artist Bryan Collier's resplendent, earth-toned illustrations tell Dave's story, a story rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty.
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal
Waiting
by Kevin HenkesWhat are you waiting for? An owl, a puppy, a bear, a rabbit, and a pig—all toys arranged on a child’s windowsill—wait for marvelous things to happen in this irresistible picture book by the New York Times–bestselling and Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes. Five friends sit happily on a windowsill, waiting for something amazing to happen. The owl is waiting for the moon. The pig is waiting for the rain. The bear is waiting for the wind. The puppy is waiting for the snow. And the rabbit is just looking out the window because he likes to wait! What will happen? Will patience win in the end? Or someday will the friends stop waiting and do something unexpected? Waiting is a big part of childhood—waiting in line, waiting to grow up, waiting for something special to happen—but in this book, a child sets the stage and pulls the strings. Timeless, beautiful, and deeply heartfelt, this picture book about imaginative play, the seasons, friendship, and surprises marks a new pinnacle in Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes’s extraordinary career. “The short sentences of the text flow with the precision one would expect from a master picture-book creator like Henkes. Little ones, to whom each experience is new, will know what it’s like to dream and wait.”—ALA Booklist
Owen
by Kevin HenkesOwen is attached to his fuzzy yellow blanket--and he won't give it up. But when school starts, Owen's mother knows just what to do.
1994 Caldecott Honor Book.