Congratulations to our first winner of the Epi Kardia Christmas Book Give Away, Kristin from North Carolina, who won the drawing for The Perfect Mix by Diane Phillips!  As well, for commenting on Our Favorite Christmas Books blog post and having her name drawn, Angie from Illinois won a hard back copy of the beautiful children's book,Christmas Day in the Morning. Keep those comments coming! Besides entering you in the next drawing, they are a real blessing to us! Subscribe to our mailing list on the sidebar at right and make a comment on the blog by Saturday, November 29th to enter our this weeks' drawing.  Read below to see the two books we are giving away this week!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving,

Dana

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Have you ever been to the library and noticed that some of the children's books have medals embossed on the front covers? For those of you who don't know, these books are award winners. The two most common awards for children's books are the Newbery Medal, for excellent writing, and the Caldecott Medal, for outstanding illustrations.

The Newbery Medal was the first award for children's literature in the world and is named after John Newbery, an 18th century book seller. The first medal was awarded in 1922 to Hendrik Willem van Loon for his book, The Story of Mankind. Today, the committee that awards the medal is made up of school and public librarians. According to the American Library Association (ALA), the goal of the award is "To encourage original creative work in the field of books for children. To emphasize to the public that contributions to the literature for children deserve similar recognition to poetry, plays, or novels. To give those librarians, who make it their life work to serve children's reading interests, an opportunity to encourage good writing in this field."

The Caldecott Medal "shall be awarded to the artist of the most distinguished American Picture Book for Children published in the United States during the preceding year. The award shall go to the artist, who must be a citizen or resident of the United States, whether or not he be the author of the text. Any book published in the preceding year shall be eligible to be considered for either award or both awards" according to the ALA. Originally the Newbery committee also selected the Caldecott winners beginning in 1937, but for the 1980 medals, two separate committees were formed. The Caldecott Medal was created in honor of Randolph Caldecott, a 19th century children's book illustrator and the engraving on the medal is taken from one of Caldecott's books.Both medals designate honor books that didn't win the actual award, but are considered honorable mentions.

While there isn't room in a single blog to review all of the medal winners, I've selected some of our favorites, in hope of helping you narrow down your own selection. Award winning books make wonderful gifts and family keepsakes! As well, we use a large number of these books in Epi Kardia Curriculum, particularly the Newbery medal winners, in many different grade levels. So peruse our choices and let us know your favorites as well!

Newbery Medal

These books can all be found in various grade levels of Epi Kardia curriculum.

I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Bordon de Trevino (1965) - This book, written in the form of an autobiography, portrays the interesting and intense story of a slave who becomes an artist. After a challenging start, Juan ends up working with Diego Velazquez, a favorite of the Spanish court under King Philip IV. The two become devoted friends allowing Juan an insider's view of the life of this acclaimed artist. The dialogue and descriptive writing create an enjoyable and historical story.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (1990) - I will never forget listening to this book on tape with my daughter, Ally, while we were traveling. It was just the two of us and I had to pull my car over at one point because I was crying! Based on a true story, this is the account of one Danish family who took in the Jewish friend of their daughter and hid her until her family could escape from the Nazis. Lowry writes with such a poignant voice that you're drawn into the true courage of the people during WWII who risked their lives for others. One of my favorite books of all time, I recommend it to anyone, especially those families with girls ages 8-12.

 The Bronze Bow (1962) and The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1959) by Elizabeth George Speare - These books are both featured in Epi Kardia curriculum, not only for their wonderful relevance to history, but also because of Speare's tremendous writing ability. Her characters seem so real that you feel like you've made new friends and are sad to see them go when the books end. I remember reading The Bronze Bow to my daughter and three other young ladies that I helped home school. Each day, they would work so hard to get to reading time because they couldn't wait to continue the story. Some days, I read aloud for more than an hour because they didn't want me to stop. These are the books that help you instill a real love of literature in your children from the early years!

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (1944) - Although not as ill-behaved, I do believe Johnny Tremain is as well known as Tom Sawyer! The story takes place during the American Revolution and you get to watch Johnny mature as he becomes more involved in the war effort. Boys love having a character their own age who chooses to be in the middle of the fray! Written during a time when children were still considered to be children, Forbes treats the time period and storyline with dignity while maintaining an exciting plot. Definitely in the top three works of fiction that every student should read by middle school.

Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray (1943) - This entertaining story presents an historical picture not often seen in literature: the world of the traveling bards during the Middle Ages. With vivid characters and great descriptive adventure, this tale tracks an eleven-year-old boy who is kidnapped and must hunt for his father and his dog. Along the way, he learns many life lessons. Gray is sensitive in her content, but doesn't let the fact that this is a children's book slow the story down for a minute.

Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith (1958) - Horn Book magazine calls this novel "the best Civil War fiction for young people." It is certainly among the best! One of the unique qualities about this book is it's presentation of both sides of the war. As well, it covers the Western campaign, which is not commonly the setting of Civil War novels. Stand Watie, the key historical figure in the novel, was the leader of the Cherokees and a brigadier general in the Confederate Army. Harold Keith, the author, grew up in Cherokee country and his obvious love for history became apparent when he interviewed over 20 Civil War veterans and spent five years writing this book. Boys and girls alike will appreciate the action and adventure! You will appreciate that your children are learning and enjoying it!

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Lamath (1956) - Nathaniel Bowditch, a true historical figure, created nautical navigation advancements that changed the sailing world. Written as a novel, the story of Nat's life is fascinating to many children. Longing for the life of a sailor, but being physically too small, Nat found another way to dedicate himself to the high seas! The quality of writing and the historical accuracy make this a must have classic!

Caldecott Medal

Saint George and the Dragon written by Margaret Hodges and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (1985) - Adapted from the much longer classic, The Faerie Queen, this is one of those wonderful books that introduces literature to younger children in a big way. Hyman's award winning illustrations with vibrant colors and amazing details will keep even the brightest child interested! This is one of those books that children love to look at again and again.

Abraham Lincoln written and illustrated by Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire (1940) - Despite the fact that this book was written almost 70 years ago, the content is as relevant and easy to read today as ever. The D'Aulaires present a well rounded, unbiased version of Lincoln's life with unique illustrations. They use the illustrations to tell the story as much as the words. As Lincoln grows in text, he does the same in art. As he ages in text, you begin to notice the changes in the artwork details. Oversized and larger than life, this book, as well as others written and illustrated by the D'Aulaires, will appeal to children from very young to older elementary.

Ox-Cart Man written by Donald Hall and illustrated by and illustrated by Barbara Cooney (1980) - The simplicity of the artwork in this book for young children seems rather old world today. I was shocked when I realized that it was a more modern Caldecott Medal winner! It presents an honest and picturesque representation of 19th century farm life in New England. The details make an excellent introduction to rural living for little ones. The text, although not actually poetry, flows as if it is.

Grandfather's Journey written and illustrated by Allen Say (1994) - This beautifully illustrated version of an immigrant's path to the United States is based on the author's grandfather, who came from Japan. The sepia tones and muted coloring remind one of actual aged photographs. It is clear that Say loves both the land of his birth and the land of his adulthood. As with all excellent children's books, his writing is simplistic and dramatic at the same time. This book makes a useful source for copy work with its direct prose.

The Glorious Flight written and illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen (1984) - This enthralling story of Louis Bleriot, a Frenchman who built and flew a plane across the English Channel, provides children with the great adventures involved in the history of flight. Again, sepia toned illustrations tie the straightforward and specific text with the time period. The basic structure of the characters in the illustrations appeal to children as they seem almost child designed themselves. The blending of colors creates a realistic backdrop for an amazing historical event.

Rapunzel illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky (1998) - Zelinsky spent a great deal of time and energy researching the origins of this fable, so this retelling provides a very traditional perspective in the prose. Many modern retellings of fairy tales have a politically correct twist; not so with Zelinsky. Even with this excellent retelling, the artwork really steals the show. Rapunzel's golden locks make every young lady (and maybe even her mother) long to grow their hair. The illustrations are mindful of classic Renaissance paintings with full expressions and rich colors. Even the lighting astounds the eye, seeming realistic. Beware! You may cry when Rapunzel's glorious trendels are shorn, but don't worry, the story ends as it should. 

 Related activity: There are a multitude of wonderful books, whether it's the writing or the illustrations, that never receive an award. Have your children design medals to give to your favorite books. You could give medals for writing and illustrations, but other ideas may also come to mind including books that demonstrate Christ and friendship books. Let your children design the medals on paper then you can adhere the designs to foil covered cardboard circles. If you don't want to stick the medals right on the book fronts, you can punch a hole in each medal and tie ribbon through it, then have your children use the medals as bookmarks. If your child writes a "book" of his own, it's a great opportunity to encourage him and create a medal just for his book.  

For a complete listing of the Caldecott and Newbery Medals, you can visit the American Library Association (ALA) at www.ala.org.      

We'd love to hear about your favorite Caldecott and Newbery books. If you comment with a title, be sure to let us know why you or your child prefer that particular book. Remember, by commenting on this blog, you are automatically entered in the drawing for our next book give away. You need to comment by November 29th in order to enter the next drawing. The winner of that drawing will actually receive two Newbery Medal books: Johnny Tremain and Number the Stars!

Now it's time to get a cup of hot tea, gather your children around and take off on your next reading adventure! God bless you and your family during this Thanksgiving holiday!

In Christ,

Beth