Special Collections
Caldecott Award Winners
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The Boy of the Three-Year Nap
by Dianne SnyderA poor Japanese woman maneuvers events to change the lazy habits of her son
The Bremen Town Musicians
by Ilse PlumeThe book is all about the four aged animal friends trying to make living for them as they were escaped from their cruel masters.
Casey at the Bat
by Ernest Lawrence Thayer"And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out." Those lines have echoed through the decades, the final stanza of a poem published pseudonymously in the June 3, 1888, issue of the San Francisco Examiner. Its author would rather have seen it forgotten. Instead, Ernest Thayer's poem has taken a well-deserved place as an enduring icon of Americana during the golden era of sport.
Castle
by David MacaulayThe word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue, and grandeur. What could be more perfect for an author/illustrator who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern man?
With typical zest and wry sense of humor punctuating his drawings, David Macaulay traces the step-by-step planning and construction of both castle and town.
Cathedral
by David MacaulayReaders worldwide recognize Caldecott Medal winner David Macaulay's imaginary Cathedral of Chutreaux. This critically acclaimed book has been translated into a dozen languages and remains a classic of children's literature and a touchstone for budding architects.
Cathedral's numerous awards include a prestigious Caldecott Honor and designation as a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year for Macaulay's intricate pen-and-ink illustrations. Journey back to centuries long ago and visit the fictional people of twelfth-, thirteenth-, and fourteenth-century Europe whose dreams, like Cathedral, stand the test of time.
This title has been selected as a Common Core text exemplar (Grades 6-8, Informational Texts: Science, Mathematics, and Technical Studies).
A Chair For My Mother
by Vera B. WilliamsThe jar of coins is full. The day has come to buy the chair--the big, fat, comfortable, wonderful chair they have been saving for. The chair that will replace the one that was burned up--along with everything else--in the terrible fire. A book of love and tenderness filled with the affirmation of life.
Chanticleer and the Fox
by Geoffrey Chaucer and Barbara CooneyWinner of the 1959 Caldecott Medal this interpretation of the Nun's Tale from the Canteberry Tales, is a great lesson.
A Child's Calendar
by John UpdikeA collection of twelve poems describing the activities in a child's life and the changes in the weather as the year moves from January to December.
Winner of the Caldecott Honor
A Child's Good Night Book
by Margaret Wise BrownSleepy bunnies, sleepy kangaroos, and sleepy children snuggle down as night approaches. Originally published in 1943, this cozy story is a welcome addition to the classic board book line.
Cinderella or the Little Glass Slipper
by Charles PerraultThe fairy tale about a gorgeous and poor girl named Cinderella who is ill-treated by her stepmother and stepsisters. Will she find her prince?
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type
by Doreen Cronin and Betsy LewinFarmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type. All day long he hears:
Click, clack, MOO.
Click, clack, MOO.
Clickety, clack, MOO.
But Farmer Brown's problems REALLY begin when his cows start leaving him notes.... Doreen Cronin's understated text and Betsy Lewin's expressive illustrations make the most of this hilarious situation. Come join the fun as a bunch of literate cows turn Farmer Brown's farm upside down.
Coyote
by Gerald McdermottCoyote, who has a nose for trouble, insists that the crows teach him how to fly, but the experience ends in disaster for him.
Crown
by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. JamesThe barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices.
A fresh cut makes boys fly.
This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair—a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.
Dave the Potter
by Laban Carrick HillTo us it is just dirt, the ground we walk on... But to Dave it was clay, the plain and basic stuff upon which he formed a life as a slave nearly 200 years ago. Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter living in South Carolina in the 1800s. He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave. In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal, National Book Award nominee Laban Carrick Hill's elegantly simple text and award-winning artist Bryan Collier's resplendent, earth-toned illustrations tell Dave's story, a story rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty.
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal
The Desert Is Theirs
by Byrd BaylorSimple text and illustrations describe the characteristics of the desert and its plant, animal and human life.
Dick Whittington and His Cat
by Marcia BrownThis a the well-loved tale of the London waif whose cat's prowess as a ratter results in Dick's becoming a successful merchant and Lord Mayor of London.
Winner of the Caldecott Honor
A Different Pond
by Bao PhiAcclaimed poet Bao Phi delivers a powerful, honest glimpse into a relationship between father and son and between cultures, old and new.
A Different Pond is an unforgettable story about a simple event—a long-ago fishing trip.
As a young boy, Bao Phi awoke early, hours before his father's long workday began, to fish on the shores of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not recreation. A successful catch meant a fed family. Between hope-filled casts, Bao’s father told him about a different pond in their homeland of Vietnam.
The New York Times has said that Bao Phi’s poetry “rhymes with the truth.” Together with graphic novelist Thi Bui’s striking, evocative art, Phi’s expertly crafted prose reflects an immigrant family making its way in a new home while honoring its bonds to the past.
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
by Barbara KerleyNot until the mid 1800s were dinosaurs heard of in Victorian England. But when artist Waterhouse Hawkins built the first life-size models of dinosaurs in his native England, and later in America, he dazzled the world with his awe-inspiring creations. The author and illustrator present a story of consuming passion, triumph, loss, and a remarkable legacy that lives on today. Full-color illustrations.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
by Mo WillemsWhen a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon! But you've never met one like this before. As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love being able to answer back and decide his fate. In his hilarious picture book debut, popular cartoonist Mo Willems perfectly captures a preschooler's temper tantrum. Images and image descriptions available.
Drummer Hoff
by Barbara EmberleyIn this poem seven soldiers create a cannon, but Drummer Hoff has the last chance to "fire it off" Winner of the 1968 Caldecott Medal
Duffy and the Devil
by Harve ZemachIf you remember the story of Rumpelstiltskin, there will be no surprises here. And, the first paragraph may illicit load graons from those who are blind. Caldecott Medal winner. " Squire Lovel of Trove had no wife. His housekeeper, Old Jone, did the cooking and the cleaning for him. But the sharpness had long since gone out of her eyesight, so she couldn't do fine chores any more, like spinning and sewing and knitting. After a time the squire's clothes got so rough and ragged that he thought he'd better go find a maid to be Jone's helper."
Duke Ellington
by Andrea Davis PinkneyEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, "King of the Keys," was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. "He was a smooth-talkin', slick-steppin', piano-playin' kid," writes master wordsmith Andrea Pinkney in the rhythmic, fluid, swinging prose of this excellent biography for early readers. It was ragtime music that first "set Duke's fingers to wiggling." He got back to work and taught himself to "press on the pearlies." Soon 19-year-old Duke was playing compositions "smoother than a hairdo sleeked with pomade" at parties, pool halls, country clubs, and cabarets. Skipping from D.C. to 1920s Harlem, "the place where jazz music ruled," Duke and his small band called the Washingtonians began performing in New York City clubs, including the Cotton Club, where Duke Ellington and his Orchestra was officially born.
The Egg Tree
by Katherine MilhousKaty and Carl spent a wonderful Easter on a Pennsylvania farm with their cousins and Grandmom. They took part in their first Easter Egg hunt which turned out to be most exciting when Katy found something special in the attic. What Katy finds, and what grandmother does about it, makes a charming story. Out of it comes the Egg Tree with hundreds of colored Easter eggs on its branches. The Egg Tree won the Caldecott Medal in 1951.
Ella Sarah Gets Dressed
by Margaret Chodos-IrvineElla Sarah may be little, but she has a BIG sense of style--and it isn't at all like that of her mother, father, and older sister. Yet they all want her to dress just like them! Ella Sarah will have none of it--and when her flamboyantly dressed friends arrive, it's clear that Ella Sarah's favorite outfit is just right for her. Margaret Chodos-Irvine's spirited story will gently nudge young children toward independence--providing plenty of exuberant colors and patterns to identify along the way.
Winner of the Caldecott Honor
Fables
by Arnold Lobelpig flying through marshmallow clouds to a marzipan moon? A camel pirouetting through the desert? A wolf who looks suspiciously like an apple tree-or is it the other way around? A bear in a frying-pan hat and paper-bag boots? Where can a reader-child or adult -find such marvelous things but in a fable? Arnold Lobel, creator of Frog and Toad, has given us his own funny and true fables. Each with a fresh and unexpected moral. Each accompanied by an illustration of glowing color and rich detail. Indeed, the reader of Arnold Lobel's fables will be rewarded - just like the mouse who goes off to see the world - by many moments of happiness. Winner of the 1981 Caldecott Medal This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.