As a children's librarian and a person who closely follows the Caldecott Committee as well as having been a guest lecturer at a Library School, I am taken back by Ms. Chang's remarks regarding her reading these two books to a class. Is this not against the Caldecott guidelines to judge a book by a class reception. Is it not against the guidelines to "spill the beans" before the time.
I question whether Ms. Chang is familiar with the Caldecott Committee and if she should remain on it for the final decision.
B. Benigno
10:00 AM
Anonymous said...
As a children's librarian and a person who closely follows the Caldecott Committee as well as having been a guest lecturer at a Library School, I am taken back by Ms. Chang's remarks regarding her reading these two books to a class. Is this not against the Caldecott guidelines to judge a book by a class reception. Is it not against the guidelines to "spill the beans" before the time.
I question whether Ms. Chang is familiar with the Caldecott Committee and if she should remain on it for the final decision.
B. Benigno
10:00 AM
Karen Gardner reports that Mary Chang, one of 15 committee members on the Caldecott committee read two books to a third-grade class in Williamstown, PA.
Chang read the children two very different books she is considering giving her vote to when the committee decides the award next January -- "Walt Whitman, Words for America, written by Barbara Kerley and illustrated by Brian Selznick, and "Kitten's First Full Moon," written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes.[Image][Image] I have seen the Whitman book and it is an astonishing, beautiful and important work. I never guess the Caldecott. It will be fun to see what wins this year.
Of the Caldecott award Chang said:
"It's not a popularity contest, but I'll remember it," Chang told them. "There were enough supporters of 'Walt Whitman' to make me think that it's possible, but there were more people who enjoyed the fun of 'Kitten's First Full Moon.'"
The experience was such a positive one that Chang said she would continue to read to groups of children to gauge their reactions to the various books she is considering giving her vote to.
"I was actually very pleased by their reaction," said Chang. "I wanted to see if it was connecting with them, and obviously it was."
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Close this window Jump to comment formAs a children's librarian and a person who closely follows the Caldecott Committee as well as having been a guest lecturer at a Library School, I am taken back by Ms. Chang's remarks regarding her reading these two books to a class. Is this not against the Caldecott guidelines to judge a book by a class reception. Is it not against the guidelines to "spill the beans" before the time.
I question whether Ms. Chang is familiar with the Caldecott Committee and if she should remain on it for the final decision.
B. Benigno
10:00 AM
As a children's librarian and a person who closely follows the Caldecott Committee as well as having been a guest lecturer at a Library School, I am taken back by Ms. Chang's remarks regarding her reading these two books to a class. Is this not against the Caldecott guidelines to judge a book by a class reception. Is it not against the guidelines to "spill the beans" before the time.
I question whether Ms. Chang is familiar with the Caldecott Committee and if she should remain on it for the final decision.
B. Benigno
10:00 AM