The Randolph Caldecott Medal honors the illustrator of the year's most distinguished American picture book for children. Presented every year since 1938, the medal is named for Randolph Caldecott, a 19th-century English illustrator known for the action, vitality and humor of his picture books. Receiving the Caldecott Medal virtually guarantees that the winning book will remain in print and on library and bookstore shelves for years to come.

2011 Winner

A SICK DAY FOR AMOS McGEE
written by Philip C. Stead
illustrated by Erin E. Stead
Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 9781596434028
Ages 2-6
32 pages
May 2010

Friends come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. In Amos McGee’s case, all sorts of species, too! Every day he spends a little bit of time with each of his friends at the zoo, running races with the tortoise, keeping the shy penguin company, and even reading bedtime stories to the owl. But when Amos is too sick to make it to the zoo, his animal friends decide it’s time they returned the favor.

2011 Honors

DAVE THE POTTER: ARTIST, POET, SLAVE
written by Laban Carrick Hill 
illustrated by Bryan Collier
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780316107310
Ages 3-6
40 pages
September 2010

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.

INTERRUPTING CHICKEN
written and illustrated by David Ezra Stei
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9780763641689
Ages 4-8
40 pages
August 2010

It’s time for the little red chicken’s bedtime story --- and a reminder from Papa to try not to interrupt. But the chicken can’t help herself! Whether the tale is HANSEL AND GRETEL or LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD or even CHICKEN LITTLE, she jumps into the story to save its hapless characters from doing some dangerous or silly thing. Now it’s the little red chicken’s turn to tell a story, but will her yawning papa make it to the end without his own kind of interrupting?