Theodor Geisel Award

Origins:

The award is named for the world-renowned children’s author, Theodor Geisel. "A person’s a person no matter how small," Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, would say. "Children want the same things we want: to laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted." Brilliant, playful, and always respectful of children, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents. In the process, he helped them to read. The award itself was first established in 2004, but not actually presented until two years later.

Criteria for this award:

Since 2006, The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award has been given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. The winner(s), recognized for their literary and artistic achievements that demonstrate creativity and imagination to engage children in reading, receives a bronze medal. Honor Book authors and illustrators receive certificates, which are presented at the ALA Annual Conference.

Commonality found in these books:

The common theme found in these books is the theme of friendship. In Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa, and Hi! Fly Guy, all of the protagonists are children and have an animal or insect as a best friend to carry on there adventure. And in A Splendid Friend, Indeed and There is a Bird on your Head! the protagonist and the best friend seem to be both animals but the common theme of friendship still exists. The animal protagonist thread continues in Wolfsnail: A Backyard Preditor, Move Over, Rover!, Amanda Pig And The Really Hot Day, and Are You Ready to Play Outside?

Many of the Geisel Award winners and Honor Books that have animal protagonists have conflicts with the weather. In Amanda Pig And The Really Hot Day, Move Over, Rover!,  and Are You Ready to Play Outside?  all of the animal protagonists deal with immperfect weather conditions but must find a way to enjoy the day. For example in Amanda Pig And The Really Hot Day, Amanda complains that it's the hottest day it's ever been in her life. She tries drinking water, eating an ice pop, and sitting under a tree all to somehow enjoy the hottest day of her life. In the end she does actually enjoy the day and the book ends with her enojoying a cool breeze under the stars with her family. In Move Over, Rover! a dog named Rover is enjoying the day snuggled in his doghouse eating a bone until it starts to rain. As it begins to rain the other animals in the backyard decide to come inside his doghouse. Now not only does Rover have to deal with the thunder and lightning of the rain, but his once cozy doghouse is becoming quite cramped. In the end the rain does stop and Rover is able enjoy his doghouse alone with his bone. In Are You Ready to Play Outside? Piggie is very excited to enjoy a day of fun in the sun with his best friend Gerald. Unfortunately, it soon begins to rain and Piggie thinks the day is ruined. Next the two friends notice some worms enjoying the rain and decide to give playing in the rain a chance. Gerald and Piggie actually have lots of fun playing in the rain and the day is not ruined. These books show that even if the weather is not as perfect as you might like you can still have a great day.  Another common thread found in Geisel medal winners and honor books is exploring the unusual animals in our world.  Two books that contain this theme are Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre and Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell.  These books give children a new view of nature's ugly side.  Vulture View uses beautiful artwork and poetic phrasing to portray the life of an aerial scavenger.  At the end of the book the the author gives scientific information about Turkey Vultures in terms that children can understand.  Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator uses detailed photographs to illustrate the feeding habits of a carnivorous snail.  Like the Turkey Vulture, the Wolfsnail can be considered ugly and gross, but they are a necessary part of the ecosystem.  In Vulture View the vultures are shown eating dead carcasses, and in Wolfsnail the snail eats another smaller snail.  Both of these books portray the animals in a different light so that children can get a better understanding of these unusual animals.  The Theodore Geisel Award seems to priviledge books that focus on art that brings out the creativity and imagination in a story.  For example, the book One Boy is about a young boy that uses words to make other words while imagining a story line within each picture.  This is shown throughout the story beginning with the first page that states,"one boy" (Seeger) and the second page uses part of the words from the first page to create a story line of the boy that states,"all alone" (Seeger).  These two pages use the word "one" to show that a word that stands alone can create other words.  The pattern of creativity and imagination also appears in the book, Not a Box.  This book is about a rabbit who takes his imagination beyond the average use of a cardboard box.  For example, throughout the story the rabbit is asked why he is playing with a box, and his reply is always,"It's not a box." (Portis)  Rabbit's imagination is outlined throughout the books by imagining the box to be a racecar, a burning building, and even a boat in the middle of the ocean.  These two books truly capture the creativity and imagination of the Geisel Award, by taking something as it is and imagining it to be something else.

Award Link: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/geiselaward/index.cfm

2006 Medal Winner

Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas Written by Cynthia Rylant

Henry and his family go to visit his great grandfather at a retirement home one summer day. That day Henry and the great grandpas set out for a fun summer day.

2006 Honor Books

Hi! Fly Guy Written by Tedd Arnold

A boy in search of a pet to enter into a contest finds himself a fly with lots of personality.

A Splendid Friend, Indeed Written by Suzanne Bloom

A diligent polar bear tries to read, write, and think silently while a very energetic goose tries to capture his attention.

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa Written by Erica Silverman

Cowgirl Kate and her hungry horse Cocoa share each other's company out on the farm.

Amanda Pig And The Really Hot Day Written by Jean Van Leeuwen

Amanda Pig tries selling lemondade, hiding in a fort, relaxing under a tree, and almost everything to try and to beat the heat on a summer day.

2007 Medal Winner

Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways Written by Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Zelda and Ivy the fox sisters decide to runaway, create a time capsule and a secret concoction in three brief stories.

2007 Honor Books

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride Written by Kate DiCamillo

Mercy the porcine wonder and Mr. Watson go for their standard Saturday afternoon drive.  When a surprise is found in the backseat, folly ensues.

Move Over, Rover! Written by Karen Beaumont

Rover is snuggled safe and dry inside his doghouse--until, one by one, the other animals in the backyard show up looking for a cozy place to sit out the storm.

Not A Box Written by Antoinette Portis

A little bunny thinks outside of the box to go on exciting adventures.

2008 Medal Winner

There Is a Bird on your Head! Written by Mo Willems

Piggie and Elephant are hanging out like any other day. Piggie then notices that birds are nesting on top of her friend Gerald's head. When Gerald notices that birds are on his head he panics and turns to Piggie for help.

2008 Honor Books

First the Egg Written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

In an unrelated series of pictures one event happens after another.

Hello, Bumblebee Bat Written by Darrin Lunde

A traveling bat named Bumblebee is answering a series of facts about himself.

Jazz Baby Written by Lisa Wheeler

A rhythmic family that enjoys making music lyrics inside a home have a baby that also joins in on the rhythms.

Vulture View Written by April Pulley Sayre

Follow a vulture on its daily search for a unique food source in the hot desert air.

2009 Medal Winner

Are You Ready to Play Outside? Written by Mo Willems

Piggie and Elephant Gerald are ready for a day of fun in the sun. Unexpectedly, it begins to rain, and the two must find a way to still enjoy their day.

2009 Honor Books

Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator Written by Sarah C. Campbell 

A Wolfsnail searches the backyard for other tasty snails and slugs to eat but must watch out for birds.

Chicken Said, "Cluck!" Written by Judyann Ackerman Grant

Young Earl and Pearl choose to plant pumpkin seeds without the help of chicken, and her annoying cluck.  When grasshoppers decide to nibble on the pumpkins, chicken's cluck becomes useful.

Stinky Written by Eleanor Davis

Stinky, a monster afraid of children, does everything in his power to create a plan that will scare a young boy from his stinky swamp.

One Boy Written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

A lonely boy paints ten pictures while considering the connection within words.