Fast Five Fiction: 2023 Mock Caldecott

Edited to add: 

The 2023 Caldecott Winner was....

Hot Dog by Doug Salati

It's summer in the city, and this hot dog has had enough! Enough of sizzling sidewalks, enough of wailing sirens, enough of people's feet right in his face. When he plops down in the middle of a crosswalk, his owner endeavors to get him the breath of fresh air he needs. She hails a taxi, hops a train, and ferries out to the beach.

Here, a pup can run!

With fluid art and lyrical text that have the soothing effect of waves on sand, Doug Salati shows us how to find calm and carry it back with us so we can appreciate the small joys in a day.

Our choice, Berry Song by Michaela Goade did receive a Caldecott Honor. 

Coming up on Monday is the American Library Associations Youth Media Awards. Every year the American Library Association honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens. These awards include the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards. The winners are selected by committees of librarians and other literature and media experts. 

This week I got together with other northern Indiana Children's Librarians to hold our own Mock Caldecott. We read and evaluated numerous books and through discussion and multiple ballots found our winner. 

According to the votes, the winner was: 

Berry Song by Michaela Goade

On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries.

Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry.

Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry.

Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all. Michaela Goade's luminous rendering of water and forest, berries and jams glows with her love of the land and offers an invitation to readers to deepen their own relationship with the earth.

We had two books that scored high enough that they would be honor books. They are:

Forever Home: A Dog and Boy Love Story by Henry Cole

A heart-tugging story about an abandoned dog who is looking for a forever home -- and a boy who finds him!

There is a dog that no one wants. Abandoned and afraid, he must use his wits to survive the city’s streets. Sadly, no one comes for him.

Meanwhile, not far away, there is a boy who wants a dog more than anything in the world. But his room is a mess. He needs to help more around the house. And his parents tell him he must learn to be more responsible. Little does the boy know, there is a dog nearby longing for a forever home and someone to love him. And that dog has his eye on our boy!

Henry Cole masterfully weaves together two tender storylines that result in a heart-tugging wordless picture book that celebrates love, kindness, and compassion for animals.

The Talk by Alicia Williams

Jay’s most favorite things are hanging out with his pals, getting kisses from Grandma, riding in his dad’s cool car, and getting measured by his mom with pencil marks on the wall. But as those height marks inch upward, Grandpa warns Jay about being in too big a group with his friends, Grandma worries others won’t see him as quite so cute now that he’s older, and Dad has to tell Jay how to act if the police ever pull them over.

And Jay just wants to be a kid.

All Black and Brown kids get The Talk—the talk that could mean the difference between life and death in a racist world. Told in an age-appropriate fashion, with a perfect pause for parents to insert their own discussions with their children to accompany prompting illustrations, The Talk is a gently honest and sensitive starting point for this far-too-necessary conversation, for Black children, Brown children, and for ALL children. Because you can’t make change without knowing what needs changing.

The other books rounding out the top 5 were:

The Great Zapfino by Mac Barnett

From two Caldecott Honor–winning creators comes a sweet and inspiring picture book about a runaway circus performer who learns to face his fears and follow his heart.

When The Great Zapfino climbs to the top of the circus platform, all eyes are on him, waiting for his incredible leap. But Zapfino is afraid of heights! He can’t take the pressure and flees, boards a plane, and runs away to start a new life.

In the city, Zapfino starts work as an elevator operator in a tall building but soon learns you can never really outrun your fears. When disaster strikes, can Zapfino find the strength to be great?

Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual 

by Carole Boston Weatherford

This inspirational book encapsulates African American history and invites conversations at all levels. Carole Boston Weatherford's riveting text and Frank Morrison's evocative and detailed paintings are informative reminders of yesterday, hopeful images for today, and aspirational dreams of tomorrow.

Stretching more than four hundred years, this book features pivotal moments in history, such as the arrival of enslaved people in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619; Nat Turner's rebellion; the integration of the US military; the Selma to Montgomery marches; and peaceful present-day protests. It also celebrates the feats of African American musicians and athletes, such as Duke Ellington and Florence Griffith Joyner.

Visually stunning and incredibly timely, this book reckons with a painful history while serving as a testament to the human spirit's ability to persevere in even the most hopeless of circumstances. Its universal message of faith, strength, and resilience will resonate with readers of all ages.

The end of the book includes descriptions of the people, places, and events featured, along with a note from the author.

You can tune into the live stream of the Youth Media Awards on youtube on Monday, January 30 at 9 am. Or come back next week for another Fast Five Fiction where winners will be included!

Happy Friday and happy reading!