Each year, some Arlington Public School librarians team up with young book lovers to select the best picture book of the year. With guidance from the librarians, students in ten elementary schools analyzed the illustrations of up to a dozen potential Caldecott award-winning books before selecting their favorite.
Here are some of their 2010 choices:
- Glebe Elementary School
- Long Branch Elementary School
- Key Elementary
- McKinley Elementary School
- Patrick Henry Elementary
- Randolph Elementary School
We’ll find out how their choices stack up when the official 2010 Caldecott is awarded, on Monday, Jan. 10 (you can even follow the award ceremony live). Read more on From Tots to Tweens: 
Great idea. Find it interesting that the children did not pick the book that was actually the winner. Perhaps the grownups do not think the same way that children do?
Good question – we weren't sure, so we asked Kristi Jemtegaard, our resident Caldecott expert (having served on the Caldecott committee).Kristi told us that you are correct – personal, age related experience has a lot to do with the difference in choices. Children's reading experience is limited to only what they've seen so far in their lives. On the other hand, the adults on the awards committee have looked at thousands of published books, and have much more context to compare to. The committees even start by reviewing over 600 books, while the children generally review only 12 books.Kristi also told us that – as much as it is cool for the kids to try to pick the winner – the goal of the mock Caldecott is to engage them in critical examination of fine art and outstanding writing. The pride they take in their choices and their enthusiasm for the process is the real pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.