Caldecott Medal Honors 5 Picture Books with Distinguished Illustrative Excellence | ALA Youth Media Awards 2025

The SLJ reviews editors rounded up our reviews of the books lauded at the 2025 Youth Media Awards. Here, the reviews of the Caldecott Medal and Honors winners.

Randolph Caldecott Medal

Chooch Helped by Andrea L Rogers (text) & illus. by ­Rebecca Lee Kunz. Levine Querido. Oct. 2024. 48p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781646144549.

K-Gr 4–Little brother Chooch (atsutsa, pronounced a-choo-ja, is the Cherokee word for boy) just wants to help his older family members and contribute in his own way. Whether it is helping with the grape dumplings, fixing the bikes, or assisting his big sister with constructing a clay pot, the sister’s patience is tested as her little brother looks up to her, but doesn’t perform tasks as well as she can. This story is a reminder that teachers were once students and to remember what it was like to be in the other person’s shoes, yearning to learn from those you look up to. The artwork is warm and flushed, almost like a heart pulsing from the warmth of inclusion and support. In dynamic, shifting perspectives, the illustrations are laced with Cherokee imagery and design, accommodating the Cherokee vocabulary words, which are offered with a simple pronunciation breaking down the syllables. The daily activities where Chooch “helps” (readers will see how loosely defined that word is) are intentional choices that are connected to important events that impacted generations of Southeastern tribes. VERDICT This recommended story reminds readers how they could lead by example for those who are curious and want to also be included in the joys of life, be it miniscule chores or creating art.-Reviewed by Kaitlin Srader


Randolph Caldecott Medal Honors

Noodles on a Bicycle by Kyo Maclear (text) & illus. by Gracey Zhang. Random House Studio. Aug. 2024. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780593706084.

PreS-Gr 2–Maclear’s book is a glistening blend of imagination and innocence, perfectly capturing the wonder of childhood exploration. Children watch, amazed, as the delivery men set off every morning, delicately balancing their stacks of noodles while they traverse around the city on bicycles. The children try to put themselves in the delivery men’s shoes by balancing bowls of water on their own bicycle, but find it is not so easy. The delivery men are painted as acrobats, able to weave around the dangers that might make them lose their noodles, and yet in the end, they come home, and they are just human. Zhang’s ink and gouache illustrations are the perfect match for the story, providing vibrant and muted colors as appropriate that bring the world to life and show all of the beauty of the city and the delicate balancing act of the delivery men. VERDICT This is a heartwarming tale with an engaging story and beautiful illustrations that are sure to entertain children.-Reviewed by Jessica Clark 

 

Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo (text) & illus. by Cherry Mo. Penguin Workshop. Jun. 2024. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780593661345.

PreS-Gr 2–In a moving picture book debut, a young Cantonese immigrant finds a way to make friends in her new home through the power of food. The opening illustrations show a bright Asian cityscape with fireworks illuminating the sky fading into an American suburban neighborhood with nondescript houses and a moving van on the street. Borrowing from graphic novels, panel illustrations with speech bubbles adeptly show Jun’s attempts at speaking to classmates. Full-page illustrations with muted colors coupled with excellent and detailed facial expressions convey Jun’s homesickness contrasted with bright illustrations to show the other kids laughing and happy while she struggles. When she opens her lunchbox and thinks about her old home, colorful fireworks appear and she is seen looking overjoyed sharing food with friends and family in her old life. After a few days, three kids join her table; she shares her food and they share theirs, including pizza and hamburgers. The final spread shows her walking home with her new friends and her mom preparing a spread of Asian food and tea for them to enjoy. Back matter asks relevant questions in English and both Hangul and spoken Cantonese. VERDICT Inspired by Mo’s move from Hong Kong to the United States at the age of 10, this remarkable story about finding comfort in a new home by bringing along familiar traditions is a must-purchase for picture book collections and will resonate with any child who has struggled to fit in.-Reviewed by Carrie Voliva 

 

My Daddy Is a Cowboy by Stephanie Seales (text) & illus. by C.G. Esperanza. Abrams. Jun. 2024. 48p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781419760815.

PreS-Gr 3–An early morning wake-up call is an exciting adventure for the young narrator here, who goes with Father on a horseback ride through the usually busy city where they live. After greeting and caring for their horses, the pair saddle up and ride, relishing the quiet and each other’s company, especially Daddy’s stories about riding when he was little. The beautiful sunrise reveals other people out, who smile and wave at the pair. It’s a wonderful example of a narrative about a family doing interesting things together in their community. The Afro-Panamanian community ties are evident and will provide opportunities for some readers to compare and contrast this experience to their own. It would also make an excellent mentor text for narrative writing. Vividly hued oil paintings are a perfect accompaniment to the text, adding visual details and cultural elements to the story. The pictures also reflect a deep love between the father and child as well as for the horses. VERDICT This is a lovely depiction of a parent sharing their culture with their child in a way that will feel refreshingly new and happily familiar.-Reviewed by Debbie Tanner

 

Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains by Anita Yasuda (text) & illus. by Yuko Shimizu. HarperCollins/Clarion. Sept. 2024. 48p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780063242418.

Gr 2-5–“Junko’s hill was her entire world” opens this biography of an amazing mountaineer. At age 10, after climbing Mount Chausu, Junko Tabei found her passion. As an adult in Tokyo, she joined a mountaineering club that accepted women and spent her weekends climbing. She married a fellow mountaineer, started her family, and continued climbing. Tabei also “knitted other women climbers together, just as a ridge joins mountain tops. Like her, they wanted opportunities above the clouds.” Tabei dreamed of climbing Mount Everest, and with careful planning, she and group of women set off to climb the tallest peak. Near the end of their climb, “a dragon’s roar shook the night. AVALANCHE!” They survived, but most of their supplies were gone, with only enough oxygen for Tabei and Ang Tsering Sherpa, her guide, to finish the ascent. They succeeded and Tabei became the first woman to ascend Everest. Tabei continued to climb, but also returned to Nepal to help clean up trash left by climbers, plant orchards, and advocate for protecting the environment. ­Shimizu’s stunning, traditional Japanese art style in muted colors draws readers in with surprising details and touches of whimsy—a young Tabei is shown with mountains and peaks in her hair. The ­language is poetic and descriptive. ­Author’s note, time line, glossary, sources, and ­bibliography are included. VERDICT Tabei’s life and ­accomplishments are ­succinctly delivered with engaging text and brilliant illustrations to celebrate this trailblazing woman. Strong first buy.-Reviewed by Tamara Saarinen

 

 

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