Mock Caldecott 2026 discussion

Lubna and Pebble written by Wendy Meddour and illustrated by Daniel Egneus

Camp Tiger written by Susan Choi and illustrated by John Rocco

The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Sarah Jacoby

The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander illustrated by Kadir Nelson

We are half way through the year and still have so much to read!
What did you think of these titles? Do you have a favorite?

Lubna and Pebble is a marvelous book. One is immediately drawn to the mesmerizing cover. Unless I am mistaken, I believe the author is a resident of England and the illustrator, Greece. It is unable to win the Caldecott unless they have dual citizenship.

How I would love The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown to win the Caldecott. Here is my review for it:

Wow! What a remarkable, subversive, unique picture book biography. Mac Barnett has truly outdone himself. It is a fascinating, funny and stunningly beautiful book. I like how the marvelous illustrator, Sarah Jacoby used this title for the book the librarian or teacher rabbit is reading to the little rabbits. Shown is the beautiful floral flyleaf where there is a Margaret Wise Brown quote. I wonder how many ppl will notice. Margaret Wise Brown would love this biography-Anne Carroll Moore (NY Public Library Children's Librarian), would not. It is a shame that one woman held so much power. I wonder how many wonderful books she marked with her rubber stamp Not Recommended for Purchase by Expert. The Important Thing is an important book. I hope it gets the recognition it deserves during awards time 2020.

The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown
The important thing about this picture book biography, is that Mac Barnett wrote it in a similar style to the way MWB wrote The Important Book. It is a somewhat unconventional biography, in that he doesn't write about her childhood or schooling, but concentrates on interesting tidbits in her life, but most importantly, about the rejection of her books by the famous New York Public Library's children's librarian Anne Carroll Moore, and MWB's response. The impressionistic watercolor illustrations are a bit retro, and perfectly suited to the text. While most of the illustrations feature people, a few of the illustrations depict an adult rabbit reading to a circle of young rabbits, who are looking at various MWB books. Very creative and innovative.

Camp Tiger
This is a very interesting fantasy. A talking tiger appears at a family's campsite in a pine woods forest in the US. I would have thought that the tiger was a figment of the youngest boy's imagination, except that the entire family of four can see it and talk with it. The tiger joins the family on their hikes and fishing trips without ever being aggressive. But it is the kindergarten-going-on-first-grade boy who bonds with the tiger more than the other family members. On a few pages, the youngster even stripes his own face tiger fashion. The artwork is beautiful and realistic; mostly single- and double-page spreads, with some panels as well. Unusual, creative, and fascinating.

The Undefeated
This is a beautifully illustrated book, featuring realistic oil paintings of many African Americans of yesteryear and today, accompanied by a poem that uses appropriate words beginning with "un-": unforgettable, undeniable, unflappable, and many more. Some of the well-known personalities include Jesse Owens, Zora Neale Hurston, Phillis Wheatley, Langston Hughes, Serena Williams, LeBron James, and many others. In his afterword, author Alexander tells about the writing of the poem. The back matter also includes brief biographies of the people in the book. This is well-deserving of a Caldecott, and a shoo-in for a Coretta Scott King Illustrator award.

The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown
Barnett and Jacoby have an honor book for sure. My review:
I wanted to love this book. I started off not loving it. And then I loved it. So I reserve the right to change my number of stars. Barnett's writing is genius - deep and compelling - but written so children will understand. This is a book to talk about. Maybe even with a 13 year old that keeps getting smacked with life's curve balls. I think Marc Barnett and Sara Jacoby have created an important book. I want to learn more about Margaret Wise Brown. That is an impoortant thing.

The Undefeated
My pick for the gold. Here's my review:
This is the book. This is the book by which everything I read this year will be judged, and I mean EVERYTHING - children, teens, adult, poetry, fiction, informational, all 2019 literature. Sitting at the desk, eating lunch, writing reviews, stacks of picture books. This one was last. And the tears rolled. I couldn't stop them. Involuntary. The language, the art - I can't pull quotes because without the art or the entire poem quotations are just words hanging in the air.

Camp Tiger
It's beautiful. I am not sure it is a Caldecott book. The illustrations are almost too realistic.

Cathy wrote: "Camp Tiger
It's beautiful. I am not sure it is a Caldecott book. The illustrations are almost too realistic."

I just want to point out that Flotsam by David Wiesner (the 2007 Caldecott award winner) was as photo-realistic as it gets. So, realistic illustrations do not prevent a book from being awarded a Caldecott award.

Beverly wrote: "Camp Tiger
This is a very interesting fantasy. A talking tiger appears at a family's campsite in a pine woods forest in the US. I would have thought that the tiger was a figment of the youngest boy..."

The illustrations were very good, but I didn't particularly care for the story. I didn't find it unique or memorable

Jodie wrote: "Beverly wrote: "Camp Tiger
This is a very interesting fantasy. A talking tiger appears at a family's campsite in a pine woods forest in the US. I would have thought that the tiger was a figment of ..."

I agree. The cover art and illustrations are so amazing. I am not a fan of the confusing, odd story.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Important Thing about MWB and Lubna and Pebble, but The Undefeated left me speechless. The illustrations are powerful, emotional, beautiful--truly distinguished. My choice for Caldecott thus far.