Caldecott Medal for The Snowy Day (1963)

April is the month in which we recognize and celebrate children's literature here at The University of Southern Mississippi. The School of Library and Information Science's Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival brings an all-star cast of authors and illustrators to Hattiesburg, and people from all over the country populate every nook and cranny of the Thad Cochran Center. The last three years have given us a different experience. The festival has been online, which hasn't been too bad. The virtual entity has allowed people who wouldn't normally attend the festival to participate on Zoom. Of course, nothing equates the face-to-face energy that is emanated from the common love of children's literature.

The de Grummond Children's Literature Collection counts the Ezra Jack Keats (EJK) papers as one of its premiere holdings. Along with the amazing art by Keats, there are interesting pieces of ephemera and correspondence. The correspondence contains letters from Mr. Rogers, Langston Hughes, and many other people with whom Keats corresponded. One particularly interesting piece in the papers is the Caldecott Award that was presented to Keats in 1963 for his classic book, The Snowy Day. Historically significant, it is the first Caldecott Award winning book to feature a Black child as the protagonist.

For the Item of the Month, I thought people might find the image of EJK's actual Caldecott Medal interesting. For those unfamiliar with the Caldecott Award, it is an award given annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Prior to 1937, the Newbery Award was the single award for children's books, but due to an idea by Frederic G. Melcher, the Caldecott Award was established.

Named for the 19th century English illustrator, Randolph Caldecott, the medal has an illustration taken from Caldecott's book, The Diverting Story of John Gilpin. The illustration on one side shows an image of John Gilpin on a runaway horse being followed by squawking geese, braying dogs, and surprised onlookers. The gold-colored round medal has "THE CALDECOTT" at the top and "MEDAL" at the bottom.

The other side of the medallion has an illustration of Gilpin carefully carrying a heavy pie accompanied by three birds. Surrounding the upper portion of the medal are the words "FOR THE MOST DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN PICTURE BOOK FOR CHILDREN." In a semi-circle at the bottom of the medal are the words "AWARDED ANNUALLY BY THE CHILDREN'S AND SCHOOL LIBRARIANS SECTIONS OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION." Right under the image of Gilpin is Keats name—Ezra Jack Keats, and under that is the year 1963.

Ezra Jack Keats' life changed after receiving the Caldecott. He illustrated many books for children and even received a Caldecott Honor for his 1969 book, Goggles!

For more information about Ezra Jack Keats or the Caldecott Award, contact Ellen Ruffin at or 601.266.6543.

Text by Ellen Ruffin, Curator of the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection