Illustrator Barbara Cooney won the Caldecott Medal in 1959 for her book 'Chanticleer and the Fox,' an adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Nun Priest's Tale.'
It is the story of a fox who dupes the king of the barnyard, and threatens the barnyard kingdom. The book also won the Kerlan award in 1992, and is included in the ALA's list of Notable Books of its time. The illustrations are quite reminiscent of their time. Hand drawn pictures such as these always leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling.
In 1980, Barbara Cooney again won the Caldecott Medal. This time it was for 'Ox-Cart Man' by Donald Hall. This book was based on a poem he had written about a farming family who use an ox-cart to travel to market to sell their goods. He specifically chose her to illustrate his book.
In 1991, David Macauley won the Caldecott Award for his book Black and White. It's like four simultaneous stories all rolled into one. However, that isn't readily apparent the first time you look through it. The book challenges you to look at it again and again, to see how stories can depend on both the illustrations and the written word. I have a feeling its value is lost if viewing on a Kindle, though.
David Macauley also won the Caldecott Honor in 1974 for his book Cathedral and in 1978 for Castle. Both of these books have amazingly detailed illustrations of each structure, along with the history and construction of each.
Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions by Margaret Musgrove won the Caldecott Medal in 1977 for the illustrations done by Leo and Diane Dillon. The stunningly detailed illustrations beautifully capture the information provided by Musgrove. Her meticulous research is evident, as she has managed to profile 26 different African tribes, from A to Z.
People have all kinds of preconceived notions about Africa, and don't take into account that more than one culture exists there. It's a rich continent that is full of life and tradition. This book is a great way to explore it and really speaks to children and adults. They are easily captivated by its illustrations and want to read more of it.
This is a book I have had in my personal collection for years and believe belongs on all children's bookshelves.
