I've talked before about what a (surprisingly) rich year it's been for picture books. As have others. It's also been another strong year for graphic novels (viz. Sisters and El Deafo and This One Summer and more) — an art form that, based on the definition of the picture book in the criteria, is arguably eligible for Caldecott consideration:

"1. A 'picture book for children' as distinguished from other books with illustrations, is one that essentially provides the child with a visual experience. A picture book has a collective unity of story line, theme, or concept, developed through the series of pictures of which the book is comprised."

And now bloggers Travis Jonker and John Schumacher have finished releasing their countdown of the "Top 20 Books of 2014" with their final, top-of-the-top 5 picks. It's a great list. I bring it to your attention here on Calling Caldecott because, of their FIVE top books of the year, THREE are visual experiences for a child. THREE. (Two picture books — The Farmer and the Clown and Sam & Dave Dig a Hole — and one graphic novel memoir, El Deafo.)

Pretty impressive. I rest my case.