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1981 Caldecott Medal Winners and Honor Books

< Caldecott Medal and Honor Books

Fables

By: Arnold Lobel

Medal Winner
NOT REVIEWED

A pig flying through marshmallow clouds to a marzipan moon? A camel pirouetting through the desert? A wolf who looks suspiciously like an apple tree—or is it the other way around? A bear in a frying-pan hat and paper-bag boots?

Where can a reader—child or adult—find such marvelous things but in a fable? Arnold Lobel, creator of Frog and Toad, has given us his own funny and true fables. Each with a fresh and unexpected moral. Each accompanied by an illustration of glowing color and rich detail.

Indeed, the reader of Arnold Lobel's FABLES will be rewarded—just like the mouse who goes off to see the world—by many moments of happiness.

From the dust jacket of a later printing


The Bremen-Town Musicians

By: Ilse Plume

Honor
NOT REVIEWED

A Caldecott Honor Book interprets the classic story of friendship, loyalty, and music!

A donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster have grown too old to be useful to their masters. Because their masters want to get rid of them, they run away. Soon, they meet on the road and decide to go to Bremen-Town to be street musicians.

There they discover a cozy cabin occupied by robbers. It's up to the four friends to scare the robbers away in the most inventive way they can—opening up a warm, safe home for the new pals to settle into together.

From the publisher


The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher

By: Molly Bang

Honor
NOT REVIEWED

The Grey Lady loves strawberries. But so does the Strawberry Snatcher, and unfortunately for the Grey Lady he is not far away and getting closer all the time.

Past flower shops and bakeries he stalks her, silently, steadily, biding his time. He pursues her by foot along haunting red-brick paths, and then by skateboard into the mysterious depths of a swamp both beautiful and terrifying.

Closer and closer he gets, and yet the Grey Lady escapes him, in fantastic and marvelously improbable ways, until, in the heart of the forest the Strawberry Snatcher discovers instead—blackberries!

In this wordless allegory, author-illustrator Molly Bang has created a visual feast full of surprise and wonder. Her lively tale skillfully blends fantasy, suspense, and humor, and the magnificent illustrations are a treat for young and old alike.

From the dust jacket


Mice Twice

By: Joseph Low

Honor
NOT REVIEWED

Cat was hungry—so hungry, in fact, he could eat forty-seven grasshoppers or sixty-nine crickets or even a fine, fat sparrow. But what Cat really wanted was a nice, tender mouse. He set off to see Mouse, and after politely inquiring about her health, he invited her to dinner the next night. Mouse knew Cat's cunning ways well and accepted the invitation if she could bring a friend. "Mice twice!" thought Cat, licking his whiskers. By all means.

Much to Cat's surprise and anger, Mouse's friend turned out to be Dog and the plans for a mouse dinner were dropped immediately—at least for awhile. When Dog invited Cat to dine with him the following night, Cat decided to try a little turnabout. Thus begins a frenzy of uneasy hospitality with each new guest bigger and more ferocious than the last until, finally, Mouse puts an end to it all with a mystery guest so small, he's barely seen, but who packs a terrific wallop.

Joseph Low's amusing graphic illustrations capture all the wit and humor of this highly original, marvelously funny tale of one-upmanship in a book that will delight young readers everywhere.

From the dust jacket


Truck

By: Donald Crews

Donald Crews
NOT REVIEWED

A bright, classic book for truck-obsessed toddlers. This Caldecott Honor Book is from the beloved author-artist Donald Crews.

In this wordless picture book, a large red trailer truck packed with tricycles moves through pages of fog, truck stops, and crowded highways. "Beautifully executed and appealing."—School Library Journal

This is an ideal book to share with preschoolers, both at home and in the classroom—especially those who love books about transportation!

From the publisher