Caldecott vs. Newbery

The Caldecott Medal is an award given to the artist of the most distinguished picture book published during the previous year. The Newbery Award committee serves as the judges. The Newbery Medal is an award given to the most distinguished children's book published during the previous year. If a book is chosen to be considered for both awards, the committee chooses for which award it will be considered. A book cannot with both awards. In simplified language, the Caldecott Medal is an award for the most outstanding illustrator, and the Newbery Medal is an award for the most outstanding author.

In my personal opinion, the believe that the content or storyline of a book is more important that the illustrations. In fact, many great pieces of children's literature do not have any illustrations at all. Therefore, the Newbery award is more important to me. This could be because I teach to a 3rd/4th grade audience. If I were in younger grades or had small children, then I might think differently.

I do not think illustrations are unimportant. Some of my favorite picture books of all time were chosen because of their illustrations. The picture books that I favor are because the artist was able to bring the characters and story alive through the pictures. The most beautiful illustrations I think I have ever seen are in the picture book Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. You can feel the pain and triumphs Harriet felt just by looking at her facial expressions in the pictures.