Every year awards are distributed for books for many different reasons. This page will provide you with a little insight on some of the awards that are given out and for what purpose.
The Newbery Award and Caldecott Award are both given by the Association for Library Service to Children which is a division of the American Library Association. Every year the Newbery Medal is awarded "to the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published in the United States during the previous year." Books that do not receive a Newbery Medal but are still worthy of attention receive the Newbery Honor Seal. Several authors may receive this in one year. Regardless of what award is given, there are certain criteria that must be met in order to be a recipient. To read more about this award along with the specific criteria and past winners, please follow this link Award Criteria.
Along the same lines, the Caldecott Medal is awarded each year "to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in English in the United States during the preceding year." The same is true for the Caldecott Honor citation. Books that would be considered runners-up to the Award winner will be honored with this citation. To learn more about this award and past recipients please follow this link Award Criteria
When asked if one is more important than the other, I would have to respond no. Yes, the text and its presentation is important. However, the illustrations are very important to those little fingers that pull books from the shelves. Even though we follow the cliche "Never judge a book by its cover", young children still do. They are drawn into books with brightly colored, vivid pictures. They use the illustrations to help decode words and for making predictions. They are both very prestigious rewards and both very necessary when it comes to children's literature.
International Awards
The Batchelder Award is given to an American publisher for a children's book considered to be the best that is published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and then translated into English and published in the United States. This year's recipient was A Faraway Island which was originally published in Sweden.
The Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz Prize is awarded to Spanish women authors. The chosen book is also translated into English for publication.
The Dromkeen Medal is awarded to an Australian citizen for recent work that makes a significant contribution to the appreciation and development of children's literature.
The Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People is awarded annually to reward a Canadian author for excellence in the writing of an outstanding work of historical fiction for young readers.
RESOURCES
Department of Education. 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2010
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/fiction/awards/aw3.htm
Batchelder Award. American Library Association. December 12, 2006. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/batchelderaward/index.cfm
Newbery & Caldecott Award. 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
http://www.slideshare.net/guestcdd210/newbery-caldecott-award
Newbery Honor Book Award. 2009 Love to know." Retrieved July 11, 2010
http://childrens-books.lovetoknow.com/Newbery_Honor_Book_Award
Newbery vs. Caldecott. Ask the Editors. Infoplease. © 2000–2007 Pearson Education, publishing as
Infoplease. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
http://www.infoplease.com/askeds/newbery-vs-caldecott.html
