Comments on: Calling Caldecott 2013 ballot #1 results

By: Robin Smith

Robin Smith — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:18:57 +0000

Susan–
This thread has gotten wonky, so I can’t reply to you directly in the right place.
I will share my students’ Mock Caldecott results. I am writing a new post in two seconds.

By: Susan Dailey

Susan Dailey — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:19:45 +0000

Robin,

Did your 2nd graders vote for a Caldecott winner? If so, do you mind sharing the results?

By: Robin Smith

Robin Smith — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:20:08 +0000

I will add one thing about Extra Yarn: it definitely improves with repeated readings. Of course, I always like a book a lot more after I hear my students talk about it.

By: Robin Smith

Robin Smith — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:29:46 +0000

Though I am a knitter, I couldn’t care less about the whole knitting needle issue. (My knitting kids here noticed it right off, though!! ) Though Extra Yarn was one of my class’s honor books, I couldn’t get my children to explain what it was about Extra Yarn that they appreciated. The kids who disliked it really disliked it. One boy, who was in the Green and Step Gently Out camp, hated the pickup truck scene, saying “the strings are in the wrong place for knitting, Ms. Smith!!” They really did not like the ending–the part about being happy. Kids of this age love a lesson book and they saw this as a lesson book–stick up for yourself, even if people offer you money; make the world more beautiful is what they thought the book is about. They also love, love Ungerer’s The Three Robbers and there was a lively discussion about that and the fact that the windows reminded them of the hats, though they were dying to see the actual robbers.

For what it’s worth, my children chose Z if for Moose by a landslide, with Abe Lincoln’s Dream. Chloe and the Lion and Extra Yarn as honor books.

By: Lolly Robinson

Lolly Robinson — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 20:08:11 +0000

I’m fascinated by the possibilities here among the young folks on the ballot: chances for both a win and an honor, two honors, whatever. With two illustrated by Jon Klassen, two written by Mac Barnett, and one each from the Steads (the sweetest couple in picturebookdom?), there’s something inevitable going on here. If not this year, then soon.

That said, I am also REALLY hoping for good news for both Z Is for Moose and Green.

By: Jonathan Hunt

Jonathan Hunt — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:54:24 +0000

I don’t understand all the EXTRA YARN love either. I’d much rather see Klassen win for THIS IS NOT MY HAT.

By: Sam Bloom

Sam Bloom — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:45:21 +0000

Wow. Did I go 0-for-3? I think I did. No, wait – two Stead books are still alive, so I must assume I voted for one of them. Still, I bid a tearful goodbye to Kadir and Step Gently Out. I only hope the real committee shows more love for one or both of those lovely books.

I’m with KT – to me there is nothing necessarily wrong with Extra Yarn, but I don’t find it all that fantastic. Gimmicky, yes – distinguished, no. If I had to rank our remaining 9 titles, it would be in the bottom third. And KT, I got quite a laugh out of your comment about the knitting needles!

By: JMartin

JMartin — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:39:56 +0000

What an amazing year, when anyone can point to several books outside his/her favorites as also well-poised to last.

I’m three-for-three (A Home for Bird, Extra Yarn, and Moose), but the second ballot may break me. I purchased all three for after-school reading programs, and then both Home and Extra Yarn for myself.

Extra Yarn is v. nearly word and picture-perfect, and the best work yet by two of our most accomplished – Barnett and Klassen. “She still had extra yarn” is my new mantra, a reminder that we can always bring more to any situation. Kids love the transformation of Paul Simon’s My Little Town; the sweaters “for things that didn’t even wear sweaters; and the ultimate mystery of how the box is empty for the archduke, but full for Annabelle. Utterly life-affirming, and yet completely devoid of schmaltz .

But, but – A Home for Bird is also v. nearly perfect, and the best work yet by the stelllar Philip Stead. Here he’s written a story, not a situation like the lovely Amos McGee, and one that germinates in a reader’s soul. Why? Perhaps it is the echos of Lear, as Vernon and Bird – in an outfitted teacup and spoon-oar – “followed the river into the great unknown.” Perhaps it is the cheerful menschiness of Vernon, who always assumes the best (shy? sad? brave?) of his mute friend. Perhaps it is the luxurious satisfaction that Vernon finds Bird’s undeniably true home, even though Bird never can himself express what he seeks.

Both books join the canon of classics.

By: KT Horning

KT Horning — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:48:25 +0000

Whaaaah! My first choice didn’t make the cut, so now I’m going to have to figure out another favorite.

I’m going to have to take another look at Extra Yarn since it’s getting so much attention here and elsewhere from people I admire and respect. I read it when it first came out and thought it was just okay. I found the story sort of bland, and while the illustrations were a bit more more interesting, but I much prefer the style in Klassen’s other book we are considering. (How great it is that we have two vastly different books by the same illustrator to compare!)

But then I don’t knit.

I went back and read the comments in the original post about this for some insight into what makes it stand out, and most of them — okay, all of them — were about the knitting and the position of the needles. If I were on the committee, this wouldn’t really be a deciding factor for me either way because I really don’t care about the needles that much and I would soon get tired of listening to people talk about them. So for someone like me who doesn’t care about knitting, what makes this book stand out as distinguished.

Try to convince a non-knitter that this should get one of my three votes.

By: Elizabeth Dillow

Elizabeth Dillow — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:17:42 +0000

I read too fast. This afternoon. See, strong opinions make me anxious ; )