SJPL Mock Caldecott 2024

The San Jose Public Library staff held their 7th annual Mock Caldecott discussion on January 11, 2024, in-person for the first time since 2020.

The Caldecott Award is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Staff read a variety of pre-selected titles and discussed as a group which book or books could take home this year's award based on the award's criteria. After some thoughtful and lovely discussion, the SJPL staff voted for a winner and three honor titles.

If you are curious about who will take home the Caldecott and other youth book awards this year, tune in to the Youth Media Awards announcement on Monday, January 22, 2024, at 5:00 AM PST.

SJPL Mock Caldecott 2024 Winner

There Was A Party for Langston, book cover

There Was A Party for Langston written by Jason Reynolds and illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey

Back in the day, there was a heckuva party, a jam, for a word-making man. The King of Letters. Langston Hughes. His ABCs became drums, bumping jumping thumping like a heart the size of the whole country. They sent some people yelling and others, his word-children, to write their own glory.

Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, and more came be-bopping to recite poems at their hero’s feet at that heckuva party at the Schomberg Library, dancing boom da boom, stepping and stomping, all in praise and love for Langston, world-mending word man. Oh, yeah, there was hoopla in Harlem, for its Renaissance man. A party for Langston.

 



Honor Titles

An American Story, book cover
A Flag for Juneteenth, book cover
Bunny & Tree, book cover