Throughout 2014 I had the pleasure to blog about several great books! And these three went on to win some major awards on February 2nd at the ALA Midwinter Conference. Here are my original capsules from my blog! Congratulations to the winners!
The 2015 Caldecott Winner (capsule review originally posted April 17, 2014):
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, written and illustrated by Dan Santat. This magical and highly imaginative charmer offers illustrations packed with lovely and humorous details that readers will enjoy exploring. The story feels inspired by Miyazaki, yet it is its own unique self. The tale begins with the little marshmallow-like (with legs and friendly waving hands) creature being born on the island where imaginary friends wait to be beamed up to the real world, paired with children. But no kid dreams up this poor little guy. Instead of giving up and waiting around, he takes matters into his own hands and travels "through unknown waters" to the real world, one that perplexes the critter. Santat then gives us human society through the protagonist's eyes, and he gives us moments that are both sad and satirical. Will Beekle ever find a child who will embrace him as an "imaginary friend"? Santat has illustrated many fun books for children, but this might be his finest achievement yet as a picture book artist. Funny, poignant, rich in detail, a real keeper.
The 2015 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner (capsule review originally posted December 8, 2014):
Firebird, written by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Christopher Myers.
Myers' vibrant illustrations leap off the page in this inspirational
ballet book written by the legendary American Ballet Theatre soloist (the second
African American soloist in ABT's history and the first in more than two
decades). The opening shows a young girl feeling anxious because she wishes she
could excel as a dancer, and Myers' expressive work conveys her feelings of fear
and hope. Copeland appears with a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder and to
tell her "...don't you know/you're just where I started." The author then says
that with hard work and dedication, the girl (a stand-in for the reader) can
achieve her dreams and "learn how to fly" and soar like a swan, a firebird "for
sure." A final note from the author offers a photo of Copeland in her amazing
Firebird outfit, and Myers' brilliant drawing of her in this role lights up the
facing page. A striking work.
2015 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award (capsule review originally posted on September 25, 2014):
Viva Frida, written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales, photography by Tim
O' Meara. This is a truly unique celebration of the artistic vision of
brilliant artist Frida Kahlo. Using spare bilingual (Spanish/English) text,
Morales presents a playful and sensitive Kahlo who embraces life, love, and her
imagination. Beautifully composed photographs capture a Frida figurine in
motion, interacting with animals such as a monkey and a dog. Then Morales
inserts a haunting dream sequence done with masterfully composed paintings as
Kahlo flies and comes to the aid of a wounded deer. This lovely creature
joins the Frida figure in the real world, inspiring one of her pieces of art.
Diego Rivera makes a special appearance, too! The final triumphant spread with
the words "Vivo! I live!" gives me goosebumps every time I look at it. A
stirring, wondrous creation with excellent back matter. 
3 comments:
Just wrote a long comment but it went somewhere, never to be seen again. "The Right Word" was my pick going in but Beekle so much better I feel. You would really like "The Right Word" too I think, but it's not for all kids where as Beekle really is. Not that child-friendly appeal is probably
...a factor but Beekle deserved his crown I feel. Long live Beekle, champion of us all. :)
Sue, The Right Word is excellent! So intricate--some of the illustrations are incredibly detailed. And the endpapers are amazing. I included it on my 15 favorite non-fiction picture books of 2014. Thank you so much for the comment and sharing your thoughts about these 2 great books!
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