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Caldecott Medal Award Winners

The Caldecott Medal 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 published that year. It was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. Together with the Newbery Medal, it is the most prestigious American children's book award.

Randolph Caldecott, the namesake of the Caldecott Medal, started his career as a banker. Yet he was always sketching the buildings and landscapes that surrounded him. In 1861, Caldecott had his first drawing published in the Illustrated London News. After more of his work appeared in both local and London publications, Caldecott finally took the plunge and moved to London to make a life for himself as an artist.

Often called the “father of children’s picture books,” Caldecott also drew pieces to illustrate the news and often submitted humorous drawings. He was published in Punch, Harpers Monthly, and New York Daily Graphic. Caldecott set himself apart from contemporaries like Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway with his bold use of colors and textures. His works are remarkable for the way he fuses art and language.