By Erika Kosin
Rowan Public Library
Every year in January, children’s librarians throughout the country wait with bated breath for the announcements of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), book and media awards.One of the most coveted awards is the Caldecott Medal, named in honor of 19th-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott, which recognizes the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in the United States within the past year.
To be eligible for the Caldecott Medal, a picture book must provide the child with a visual experience that is consistent with the storyline, theme or concept developed within the series of original images.
It must also respect the understandings, abilities and appreciations of the intended age group for whom the book was written whether 3 years old or 14. Keeping these criteria in mind, a committee must select the winner and honor books each year.
This year’s winner of the 2009 Caldecott Medal is a bedtime story illustrated with scratchboard and watercolor called “The House in the Night” by Susan Marie Swanson and Beth Krommes.Some past winners include:
– “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” by Brian Selznak. This 2008 Caldecott medal winner is a 533 page chapter book filled with wonderful black and white pencil drawings that are full of texture and movement. The illustrations allow you to follow along with Hugo as he discovers a world of silent movies, magic and science. A great read for third grade and up.
– “Rapunzel” by Paul O. Zelinsky. The tale of Rapunzel has been told and retold many times, but each individual illustration in Paul O. Zelinsky’s version could stand on its own. Each page is an oil painting depicting the story with Italian Renaissance flavor, giving a real time and place feel to this classic tale. It is no surprise that this book won the 1998 Caldecott award when it’s beautiful illustrations can be enjoyed by all ages.
– “Make Way for Ducklings,” by Robert McClosky. Winner of the 1942 Caldecott award, this tale follows Mr. and Mrs. Mallard around the city of Boston as they try to find the perfect place to hatch and raise their eight ducklings, finally landing in the Boston Public Garden. The charcoal drawings that set this book apart have since been brought to life in the form of a bronze statue erected in the Boston Public Garden in 1987 with a replica installed in Moscow in 1991. The book is still one of the most beloved Caldecott winners to date.For a list of Caldecott Medal winners from 1980 to the present, visit the Rowan Public Library Web site http://www.you seemore.com/RowanPLint/ hotpicks.asp?l=caldecott&n= Caldecott+Medal+Winners or for a complete list of medal and honor winners visit the ALA Web site at http://www.ala.org /ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awards grants/bookmedia/caldecott medal/caldecotthonors/caldecott medal.cfm.
Computer classes: Classes are free. Sessions are 90 minutes long. Class size is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis. Dates and times are subject to change without notice.
Headquarters ó Monday, 7 p.m., Absolute Beginners Computer Class; Thursday, 2:30 p.m., Digital Photos 101 with Paint.net; Feb. 9, 7 p.m., Introduction to Free Library Resources; Feb. 12, 2:30 p.m., Introduction to Internet Searching; Feb. 16, 7 p.m., Digital Photos 101 with Paint.net; Feb. 19, 2:30 p.m, Introduction to Free Library Resources.
South ó Feb. 9, 7 p.m., Basic Excel; Feb. 23, 7 p.m. Intermediate Excel.
Children’s Storytime: February-April, weekly story time. For information, call 704-216-8234.
Headquarters ó Monday or Wednesday, 11 a.m., Tiny Tots and Moms (infants-18 months); Tuesday, 10 a.m., Toddlers and Kinfolks (18-24 months), and 11 a.m., Toddlers and Kinfolks (24-36 months); Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Three through Five; 4 p.m., Noodlehead (4-8 years).
South ó Monday, 10:30 a.m., Preschool Time (3-5 years), 4 p.m. Noodlehead (4-8 years); Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Toddlers and Twos (12-36 months); Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Baby Time (0-12 months). East ó Tuesday or Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Preschool (2-5 years); Thursday, 11 a.m., Baby Time (6 months-2 years).
Teen program: Headquarters, Feb. 23, 5:30-7 p.m.; South, Feb. 17, 3:30-5 p.m.; East, Feb. 19, 5:30-7 p.m. Come to Rowan Public Library for a chocolate extravaganza. Learn how to melt and make decorated chocolate lollipops, hand dip some of your favorite foods in chocolate and compete in chocolate trivia.
Tuesday Night at the Movies: All movies are at 6:30 p.m. All movies are rated G, PG or PG 13; some movies are inappropriate for younger audiences. Children should be accompanied by an adult. Free popcorn and lemonade.Black History Month ó all movies feature predominantly African-American casts.
Tuesday, “The Great Debaters,” Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker; Feb. 10, “Uptown Saturday Night”; Feb. 17, “Let’s Do It Again”; Feb. 25, “A Piece of the Action.” The final three movies feature Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby.
Displays: Headquarters ó Rowan Doll Society by Bonnie Hodges and artwork by Fred Young; South ó Southern Piedmont Wood Turners by Barry Russell; East ó scrapbooking by Stacey Shaver.
Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.
Web site: For a listing of all library programs at all library locations, www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.