Julie Danielson

Kim: Our list went up today, but we will remember your suggestion! Sam: Ditto!

Posted : Sep 14, 2017 06:14

Sam Juliano

My dozen favorites in no particular order so far, though there are a number yet to release I still need to see: Wolf in the Snow (Matthew Cordell) The Secret Project (Winter and Winter) A Perfect Day (Lane Smith) Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets (Ikua Holmes) The Seashore Book (Zolotow; Wendell Minor) Tony (Erin E. Stead) The Antlered Ship (Fan Brothers) How to Be a Bigger Bunny (Florence and Wendell Minor) Life on Mars Wake Up! (Helen Frost and Rick Lieder) How to Be an Elephant (Katherine Roy) Life (Brendan Wenzel) Life Brian E. Wilson above I mourn the ineligibility of Town is By the Sea, and was so happy it scored big at the Boston-Horn Book Awards.

Posted : Sep 14, 2017 05:10

Kim Bene

Hi Julie, Little Fox in the Forest by Stephanie Graegin is my favorite picture book, so far, this year. It is a beautifully illustrated book with a lovely wordless story!

Posted : Sep 14, 2017 02:36

Julie Danielson

Thanks again to everyone. Rosanne, we'll do our best to find books from smaller pubs. I know that, in my own blogging/writing, that's very important to me, though I'm not sure I've seen those two yet.

Posted : Sep 14, 2017 12:25

Cindy Olson

I need to read a lot more but… "Grand Canyon" illustrated by Jason Chin (partly because…die cuts!!) "Tony" illustrated by Erin Stead

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 11:52

Rosanne Parry

One of the great joys of becoming a bookseller (at Portland's legendary indie Annie Blooms) is my growing awareness of small, regional, and academic presses. I have seen some really interesting picture books from new presses. Here are two small press titles that have really distinctive visual styles that I'd love to see get some attention. TOLLY by Maryanna Hoggatt is the author/creator's first picture book and the first offering by Portland press Overcup. It is to my thinking the style of photographic book most likely to win a Newbery. Hoggatt creates stunning puppets stages them in elaborate settings and photographs them. It's quite stunning to see the depth of attention to detail in her work. The other is LIZABETH LOU GOT A ROCK IN HER SHOE by Troy Howell, illustrated by Kathryn Car and is published by Ripple Grove Press. It's also a photographic book. Here the images are derived from cut paper, arranged in a 3-D scene, carefully lit and photographed. The books has a retro feel with it's sepia tones but I've only ever seen one other book working in this particular cut and sculpted paper form-- last year's wordless gem The Snow Rabbit by a French artist so not eligible but clearly one of the most artful books of the year. I hope you will give these books a look and also I hope we will all look beyond the big publishing houses and at least consider some of the gems of the small press world.

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 09:01

C. Maynard

O. Jeffers currently resides in NY but spends time in Norther Ireland as well--would he not be eligible? I really hope he is.

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 08:17

Brian E. Wilson

I know, I know! I too am seriously bummed that Suzy Lee cannot be considered for This Beautiful Day. My other heartbreaker: Sydney Smith's beautiful work for the Boston Globe-Horn Book honor recipient Town Is by the Sea isn't eligible. : (

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 07:32

Julie Danielson

Thanks, all! Jill, sadly, Suzy Lee is ineligible for this award. And I'm unsure about Oliver Jeffers' eligibility. I thought I knew this. I think I need more coffee today. More soon!

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 07:28

Jill Swanson

This Beautiful Day Wolf in the Snow also loved All the Way to Havana and Now A few books I haven't seen yet but I'm betting I will love: A Boy, A Mouse, and a Spider Grandmother Thorn Muddy

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 07:13

C. Maynard

I second/third Now--Portis All the Way to Havana-- Curato The Antlered Ship--Fan Brothers I'm very excited about two books from authors who split their time between countries: Danza-- Duncan Tonatiuh Here We Are--Oliver Jeffers (out in Nov)

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 05:07

Kazia Berkley-Cramer

The Book of Mistakes definitely tops my list this year. I'm so hoping y'all will post about it!

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 02:56

Brian E. Wilson

Wolf in the Snow-Matthew Cordell The Ring Bearer-Floyd Cooper, and Where's Rodney? also illustrated by Floyd Cooper I second A Perfect Day-Lane Smith and Black Cat, White Cat-Elisha Cooper Out of Wonder-illustrated by Ekua Holmes (even though one could argue it's an illustrated book, not a picture book) All the Way to Havana-ill. by Mike Curato The Antlered Ship--ill. by The Fan Brothers (both born in the US) Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut-ill. by Gordon C. James The Boy and the Whale-Mordicai Gerstein Life-ill. by Brendan Wenzel I second After the Fall-Dan Santat

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 03:08

Matt Bowers

So far, my favorites of what I've read are: The Book of Mistakes - Luyken The Unexpected Love Story of Alfred Fiddleduckling - Ering Triangle - Klassen (Barnett) The Secret Project - Winter (Winter)

Posted : Sep 13, 2017 12:24

Jules

Eric, thanks for weighing in. Jennifer: Hear! Hear!

Posted : Sep 12, 2017 09:42

Jennifer Schultz

Jules--I've often had Helen Frost's photographic books on my Caldecott lists--photography is an art and storytelling technique just as much as illustration is, and it's a shame that it hasn't been recognized as such by award committees. Now that graphic novels have been recognized, perhaps photography is next!

Posted : Sep 12, 2017 09:25

Eric Carpenter

Off the top of my head I'd same my current favorites are: Dazzle Ships Claymates Creepy Pair of Underwear The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse Now After the Fall Wolves in the Snow

Posted : Sep 12, 2017 08:02

Jules

Thanks, Jennifer! And, yes, photography is most certainly eligible. The question is, though, does it get its due? This is a question Martha briefly addressed earlier this year, primarily pointing to a post by Travis Jonker: https://www.hbook.com/2017/05/blogs/calling-caldecott/does-photographic-illustration-get-its-due/. Martha wrote: "As Travis reminds us, no book using photographs as its sole medium has ever won the Caldecott. But — as we have learned over the past few years — never say never. " Maybe we can discuss that this year here at Calling Caldecott.

Posted : Sep 12, 2017 04:52

Jennifer Schultz

My favorites so far: Full of Fall (April Pulley Sayre)--are photographs eligible? Now (Antoinette Portis) A Perfect Day (Lane Smith) Blue Sky, White Stars (Kadir Nelson) Big Cat, Little Cat (Elisha Cooper) Over and Under the Pond (author: Kate Messner; illustrator:Christopher Silas Neal)

Posted : Sep 12, 2017 04:48