Winners of the Caldecott Medal: 1973-1977 Media Reviews Families.com

For more information about the origins of the Caldecott Medal, please see The Caldecott Medal and the Man for Whom it was Named. I am giving a brief synopsis of each book along with a comment about the artwork here and there. I am also including lists of the Honor winners for each year. I hope you enjoy my series. Feel free to comment!!

1973

“The Funny Little Woman” illustrated by Blair Lent; text retold by Arlene Mosel

This book is about a woman in Old Japan who liked to laugh and make rice dumplings. While she was cooking one morning, a dumpling got away from her and rolled right into a hole in the earth. She goes on a strange adventure under the earth, in search of her dumpling. When she comes across some wicked oni, they decide to keep her so that she may cook dumplings for them. When she tries to escape, the oni try to stop her. Does she get away? What happens to the little woman? The drawings of the oni look a little like Maurice Sendak’s “wild things.”

Honor Books

“Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti” adapted and illustrated by Gerald McDermott
“Hosie’s Alphabet” illustrated by Leonard Baskin; text: Hosea, Tobias & Lisa Baskin
“Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs” illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert; text translated by Randall Jarrell, retold from the Brothers Grimm
“When Clay Sings” illustrated by Tom Bahti; text: Byrd Baylor

1974

“Duffy and the Devil” illustrated by Margot Zemach; retold by Harve Zemach

This book is the retelling of a Cornish tale. This story is almost exactly like that of Rumpelstilskin. Duffy has to make a new pair of stockings for the squire, but she knows nothing about spinning. When she shouts, “The devil can make Squire Lovel’s stockings for all I care!” the devil does indeed appear. In exchange for this devil doing the spinning for Duffy, he vows to take her away in three years unless she can learn his name. The Squire eventually marries Duffy and Jone, the squire’s housemaid is told the story of Duffy’s knitting. She agrees to help Duffy. You will laugh when you find out what happens after Duffy tells the devil his name.

Honor Books

“Three Jovial Huntsmen” by Susan Jeffers
“Cathedral” by David Macaulay

1975

“Arrow to the Sun” by Gerald McDermott

“Arrow to the Sun” is a Pueblo Indian tale about the Boy, who is the child of the Lord of the Sun. All of the other boys mock him and shout that he has no father. So, he vows to go on a journey looking for his father. When the Boy comes across Arrow Maker, Arrow Maker turns the Boy into an arrow and shoots him into the heavens. There, the Lord makes the Boy prove that he is his son. The Boy succeeds. When the Boy returns to the earth, the people celebrate him. Most of the pictures in this book are in black and muted shades of yellow, orange, and brown. When the story speaks of power, bright colors are used to emphasize them. I found the drawings to be absolutely unique and beautiful.

Honor Book

“Jambo Means Hello: A Swahili Alphabet Book” illustrated by Tom Feelings; text: Muriel Feelings

1976

“Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears” illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; text retold by Verna Aardema

This books is the retelling of a tale from West Africa. The tale begins with a mosquito telling an iguana about what he saw. The iguana does not want to listen to the mosquito’s lies, so he puts sticks in his ears so that he can not hear him. This causes a whole other series of events which eventually leads back to the mosquito. When all of the jungle animals decide that the mosquito must be punished, she flees. The story says that the mosquito buzzes in people’s ears because she wants to know if everyone is still angry with her. The last drawing in the book gives the mosquito her answer. The pictures look like they were done in watercolor, the way that the colors blend. The illustrations are bold and bright.

Honor Books

“The Desert is Theirs” illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor
“Strega Nona” by Tomie de Paola

1977

“Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions” illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; text: Margaret Musgrove

This book goes through the alphabet, citing African people, animals, and traditions that begin with each letter. For the second year in a row, Leo and Diane Dillon were awarded the Caldecott Medal for their incredible artwork.

Honor Books

“The Amazing Bone” by William Steig
“The Contest” retold and illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian
“Fish for Supper” by M.B. Goffstein
“The Golem: A Jewish Legend” by Beverly Brodsky McDermott
“Hawk, I’m Your Brother” illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor