The Caldecott Medal

This has been awarded annually by the American Library Association since 1938 "to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children." Like the Newbery, there is one medal winner and usually a number of honor books, which I list below the medal books. Also known loosely as the Caldecott award, winners are likely to stay in print indefinitely due to the Caldecott's prestige.

The links in the book titles mostly take you to the book's page at Bookshop, a bookselling website that supports independent booksellers. Some take you to Amazon. These are affiliate links; purchases made through them earn me a commission.

Scroll down past the book lists for links for more information about the Caldecott and some interesting opinion pieces.

Caldecott Medal winners:

• 2026: Fireworks, illustrated by Cátia Chien, written by Matthew Burgess.
• 2025: Chooch Helped, illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz, written by Andrea L. Rogers.
• 2024: Vashti Harrison, illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison. Also a CSK Honor book.
• 2023: Hot Dog, illustrated and written by Doug Salati.
• 2022: Watercress, illustrated by Jason Chin, written by Andrea Wang. Also a Newbery Honor book.
• 2021: We Are Water Protectors, illustrated by Michaela Goade, written by Carole Lindstrom.
• 2020: The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Kwame Alexander. Also the CSK Illustrator Award winner.
• 2019: Hello Lighthouse, illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall.
• 2018: Wolf in the Snow, illustrated and written by Matthew Cordell.
• 2017: Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, illustrated and written by Javaka Steptoe. Also the CSK Illustrator Award winner.
• 2016: Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear, illustrated by Sophie Blackall, written by Lindsay Mattick.
  • Celebrating with Champagne and Donuts: Sophie Blackall's reaction.
• 2015: The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, written and illustrated by Dan Santat.
  • An Interview with Dan Santat: Beekle as Metaphor.
  • Dan Santat: "I Never Really Thought that I Had a Chance"
• 2014: Locomotive, by Brian Floca.
• 2013: This Is Not My Hat, by Jon Klassen.
• 2012: A Ball for Daisy, by Chris Raschka.
• 2011: A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead.
• 2010: The Lion & the Mouse, written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.
• 2009: The House in the Night, by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes.
• 2008: The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick.
• 2007: Flotsam, by David Wiesner. His third Caldecott Medal.
• 2006: The Hello, Goodbye Window, by Norton Juster, illustrated by Chris Raschka.
• 2005: Kitten's First Full Moon, by Kevin Henkes.
• 2004: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, by Mordecai Gerstein.
  • Interview with Mordecai Gerstein (2004)
• 2003: My Friend Rabbit, by Eric Rohmann. The ALA press release praises it as a "lighthearted celebration of a friendship that will last..."
• 2002: The Three Pigs, by David Wiesner. The ALA press release said: "The plot and form of a familiar folktale unravels as the pigs are huffed and puffed off the page and into a new world."

---

---

Caldecott Honor books:

• 2026:
  • Every Monday Mabel, illustrated and written by Jashar Awan.
  • Our Lake, illustrated and written by Angie Kang.
  • Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave, illustrated and written by Drew Beckmeyer.
  • Sundust, illustrated and written by Zeke Peña.
• 2025:
  • Home in a Lunchbox, illustrated and written by Cherry Mo.
  • My Daddy Is a Cowboy, illustrated by C.G. Esperanza, written by Stephanie Seales.
  • Noodles on a Bicycle,illustrated by Gracey Zhang, written by Kyo Maclear.
  • Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, written by Anita Yasuda.
• 2024:
  • In Every Life, illustrated and written by Marla Frazee.
  • Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter, illustrated by Molly Mendoza, written by Aida Salazar.
  • There Was a Party for Langston, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, written by Jason Reynolds.
  • The Truth about Dragons, illustrated by Hanna Cha, written by Julie Leung.
• 2023:
  • Ain't Burned All the Bright, illustrated by Jason Griffin, written by Jason Reynolds. An illustrated YA novel!
  • Berry Song, illustrated and written by Michaela Goade.
  • Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement, illustrated by Janelle Washington, written by Angela Joy.
  • Knight Owl, illustrated and written by Christopher Denise.
• 2022:
  • Have You Ever Seen a Flower?, illustrated and written by Shawn Harris.
  • Mel Fell, illustrated and written by Corey R. Tabor.
  • Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, written by Carole Boston Weatherford. Winner of CSK Awards for Author and Illustrator. Sibert Honor Book.
  • Wonder Walkers, illustrated and written by Micha Archer.
• 2021:
  • A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart, illustrated by Noa Denmon, written by Zetta Elliott.
  • The Cat Man of Aleppo, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, written by Irene Latham & Karim Shamsi-Basha.
  • Me & Mama, written and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera.
  • Outside In, illustrated by Cindy Derby, written by Deborah Underwood.
• 2020:
  • Bear Came Along, illustrated by Le-Uyen Pham, written by Richard T. Morris.
  • Double Bass Blues, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez, written by Andrea J. Loney.
  • Going Down Home with Daddy, illustrated by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyons.
• 2019:
  • Alma and How She Got Her Name, written and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal.
  • A Big Mooncake for Little Star, written and illustrated by Grace Lin.
  • The Rough Patch, written and illustrated by Brian Lies.
  • Thank You, Omu!, written and illustrated by Oge Mora.
• 2018:
  • Big Cat, Little Cat, written and illustrated by Elisha Cooper.
  • Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, illustrated by Gordon C. James, written by Derrick Barnes. Also a Newbery Honor and a CSK Author Honor and Illustrator Honor book.
  • A Different Pond, illustrated by Thi Bui, written by Bao Phi.
  • Grand Canyon, written and illustrated by Jason Chin.
• 2017:
  • Leave Me Alone!, written and illustrated by Vera Brosgol.
  • Freedom in Congo Square, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Carole Boston Weatherford.
  • Du Iz Tak?, written and illustrated by Carson Ellis.
  • They All Saw a Cat, written and illustrated by Brendan Wenzel.
• 2016:
  • Trombone Shorty, by Troy Andrews, illustrated by Bryan Collier. Also a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner.
  • Waiting, by Kevin Henkes.
  • Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Ekua Holmes.
  • Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson. Also a Newbery Medal winner.
• 2015:
  • Nana in the City, by Lauren Castillo.
  • The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art, by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Mary GrandPré.
  • Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen.
  • Viva Frida, by Yuyi Morales.
  • The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Also a Sibert Informational Award winner.
  • This One Summer, by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki. A graphic novel! (my personal excited comment). Also a Printz Honor Book.
• 2014:
  • Journey, by Aaron Becker.
  • Flora and the Flamingo, by Molly Idle.
  • Mr. Wuffles!, by David Weisner.
• 2013:
  • Creepy Carrots!, by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown.
  • Extra Yarn, by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen.
  • Green, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.
  • One Cool Friend, by Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by David Small.
  • Sleep Like a Tiger, by Mary Logue, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski.
• 2012:
  • Blackout, by John Rocco.
  • Grandpa Green, by Lane Smith.
  • Me . . . Jane, by Patrick McDonnell.
• 2011:
  • Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, by Laban Carrick Hill, illustrated by Bryan Collier (also a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner).
  • Interrupting Chicken, by David Ezra Stein.
• 2010:
  • All the World, by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee.
  • Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski.
• 2009:
  • A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, by Marla Frazee.
  • How I Learned Geography, by Uri Shulevitz.
  • A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet.
• 2008:
  • Henry's Freedom Box, by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
  • First the Egg, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.
  • The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain, by Peter Sís. Also a Robert F. Sibert Award winner.
  • Knuffle Bunny, Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, by Mo Willems.
• 2007:
  • Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet, by David McLimans.
  • Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Also a CSK Honor book.
• 2006:
  
  • Rosa, written by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Bryan Collier.
  • Zen Shorts, by Jon J. Muth.
  • Hot Air: ...the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride, by Marjorie Priceman.
  • Song of the Waterboatman and Other Pond Poems, written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beckie Prange.
• 2005:
  • The Red Book, by Barbara Lehman.
  • Coming on Home Soon, illustrated by E.B. Lewis, written by Jacqueline Woodson.
  • Knuffle Bunny, by Mo Willems
• 2004:
  • Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, by Mo Willems
  • What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?, illustrated by Steve Jenkins, written by Robin Page
  • Ella Sarah Gets Dressed, by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
• 2003:
  • The Spider and the Fly, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi, written by Mary Howitt
  • Hondo & Fabian, by Peter McCarty
  • Noah's Ark, by Jerry Pinkney
• 2002:
  • Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Doreen Rappaport
  • The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins, illustrated by Brian Selznick, written by Barbara Kerley
  • The Stray Dog, by Marc Simont

More information:

• More information about the Caldecott Medal: this link leads to the official site for the Caldecott, which includes a complete list of past winners.
• Overlooked by the Caldecott?, by Elizabeth Bluemle: Some illustrators who have not been recognized (from 2011).
• More Women Artists Deserve the Caldecott Medal, from Kirkus Reviews (2020).
• Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz by Gender, by Elizabeth Bluemle: An interesting analysis.
• Which Publisher Has Won the Most Caldecott Medals This Century?, by Travis Jonker. A breakdown as of 2026. new
• Could Randolph Caldecott Win the Caldecott Medal?: An editorial by Anita Silvey from 1986--some time ago, but interesting for the issues discussed.

Children's Book Awards Index page

Newbery Medal | Coretta Scott King Award | Lifetime Achievement Awards | Young Adult Awards
NBA Young People's Award | Sibert Informational Book Award | Pura Belpré Award | Scott O'Dell Award

The Purple Crayon home page