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The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker




Simon and the Better Bone by Corey R. Tabor




Finding Papa by Angela Pham Krans




Big by Vashti Harrison


These books have been released on the market for quite awhile and they continue to gain praise.
Are they strong competitors for the Caldecott award?

I have three of the four selections. The three I own are wonderful.

Simon and the Better Bone is adorable and for the youngest children. Based on Aesop's The Dog and his Reflection (but with a happier ending). Tabor won a Caldecott for Mel, Fell. He uses the same technique of having the reader open the book vertically. The pastel illustrations, colored pencils and acrylic paint create magic in Simon and the Better Bone.

The Tree and the River is a wordless picture book and gorgeous. Every page a wonder depicting time lapse of human civilization, the natural world, and rejuvenation. Lots to look at and lots for a classroom to talk and think about.

It's high time that Vashti Harrison won a Caldecott. She is so deserving. This is the first book Harrison has written as well as illustrated. Maybe the best depiction of self-acceptance in a picture book that I have ever read. I would be shocked if Big didn't win a 2024 medal.

I haven't read Finding Papa yet but it is illustrated by Caldecott award winner, Thi Bui (A Different Pond). I can't imagine it not being a great book.

Simon and the Better Bone
This is my favorite of the four books this month, simply because I love humorous, quirky picture books.
I thought it very clever how Tabor was able to extend a simple fable into a humorous picture book. On each vertical double-page spread, the top illustration is the real dog and the bottom page is his reflection. Young readers will get a kick out of how the dog argues with his own reflection. I hope this book gets some Caldecott love.

The Tree and the River
An ambitious look at how a civilization can rise and eventually disappear again, leaving a natural landscape in its place. The reader should pay especial attention to the course of the river, the tree growing by the river, and the roofs on the buildings. The illustrations were rendered in pencil, gouache, and digital paint. I think this one is Caldecott worthy.

Finding Papa
This is a powerful story, written and illustrated by two people who knew first hand what it was like to escape from one country and make their way to a new one. Angela describes the journey made by her courageous mother, with Angela on her back, to make their way to America to find the Papa who had gone before them. Thi's illustrations are wonderful, following and expanding on their adventures on every page.

Big
I also thought this book had a powerful message about being happy and content with who one is and how one looks. There was a lot of symbolism in this story--the girl trying to fit onto the double page spreads, and then finding a way to push out through the gatefold. I also liked that she washed off the gray so that the pink would shine through again. The illustrations were a foundational and important part of the story, and so the book is certainly award-worthy.

BIG - To a child, most say, "Raise your arms and show how big you are!" As we get older being big might not elicit such a positive meaning. The young Black girl is this story is quite bigger than the other children. She is bullied; it is difficult to be too big for the swingset and the dance recital. And the little girl gets her feelings badly hurt! Read how the young girl gains self-worth. Vashti uses soft pink pastels to illustrate the story which seems to soften the harshness of the first few pages of the story. Though the story is sad, it has a positive conclusion and afternote by the author / illustrator. And it is hopeful that readers will ponder how words and attitudes can hurt the feelings of others. Worthy of Caldecott mix.

Simon and the Better Bone - Could be in the Caldecott mix for 2024 with this book that will certainly have everyone tickled and laughing! A great read aloud! (I read it to a 3 year old and couldn't keep her attention with the gist of the story!)

The Tree and the River - Wordless - the pages progress through time and change : perhaps 500 years. In the beginning the river and tree are happily growing. Then people begin to settle here in the perfect spot. Over time, people change the trees and the river. In time, the river is used as a dividing line for the people, and conflicts arise. There’s gloom and doom as the pages reflect how the lovely environment is being destroyed; but, alas, there is a glimmer of hope and beauty. This allows the reader to look at society and ponder what can be done to improve our world. It is truly a thought-provoking book and should be shared with all ages. I can see creative writing classes using this book for students to think about a sense of hope. Caldecott worthy indeed!