Orbus Pictus Award

Orbus Pictus Home

"Textbooks for Children"

Orbus Pictus Award winner and honor books take nonfiction topics and help bridge the gap from fiction pre-literate books to non-ficiton pre-literate books. For example, such books as The Flight, Martin's Big words, and The Man Who Made Time Travel all focus on important historical figures and present them in such a way so children can understand. The books also transition closer to a standard non-ficiton book with the more standard size and appearance. In Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters, and How Many Baby Pandas? there are notes in the back of the book that talk about specific pages to help the reader understand what's being described. The notes are to be used as a glossary for the reader to refer back to when a clarification is needed in the reading.

The books noted often shed light on historical events or figures that are not regularly discussed, but a child should be knowledgeable about. For example, the 2002 Award Winning book, Black Potatoes, tells about the everyday lives of the Irish during the Great Irish Potatoe Famine, which is not a standard topic taught in schools. Another example of this is Hurry Freedom, which provides the reader a look into the lives of African Americans who lived in California during the Gold Rush. The Great Fire, is another award winning book which tells about the Chicago Fire, and how a series of events led to the "Great Fire" which devastated Chicago in 1871. Therefore, if a person or event is not thoroughly covered in a typical history lesson is a good indication that the book is award or honor material.

This award also favors oppression. In both winners and honor books, there is a form of opression that plays a conflict in the plot. An oppression is present in multiple ways, but primarly focuses on obtaining a specific goal. In books like Christmas in The Quarters, Christmas in the big house, the opression is caused by beinging slaves. However, the slaves still had a goal of attaining a successful Christmas. Hurry Freedom also focuses on the oppression of blacks during the gold rush in hopes of having freedom and to be a considered a full U.S. citizen. In biographical books, opression is still clearly present. In Martin's Big Words, The Life of Martin Luther King, jr., King is overcoming black oppression in hopes to obtain a goal of having equal rights regardless of race.This oppression is also present in Hellen Keller, Her Life in Pictures as Hellen was blind and deaf, but through her struggles still mannaged to have a rewarding life and learned a way of communicating and learning through others.

The illustrations in the books are more realistic. For example Helen Keller: her life in pictures is a book that shows only black and white photos as well as in Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator. The illustrations in Martin's Big Word's and The Flight are rendered in a realistic fashion to bring a greater sense of intimacy to the events that occur. The Leonardo Da Vinci also falls into this category of realistic illustrations. In books like How Many Baby Pandas? and Spiders the pictures are not only real photos, but they're filled with vivid colors.

Orbis Pictus Award Winner and Honor Books

Honor Book 2002

_Martin's Big Words : The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr_ By Doreen Rappaport Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Martin Luther King, Jr believed that everyone was equal regardless of their color. He would preach, march, and pray for equal rights and fair treatment despite his safety being at risk.

Award Winner 2002

_Black potatoes : the story of the great Irish famine, 1845-1850_ By Susan Campbell Bartoletti

The Irish potato faminie struck in 1845 and blighted the potatoe crops of Ireland for five years. The British believed the plight was self-inflicted, leaving the Irish to suffer and starve through the famine.

Award Winner 2001

_Hurry Freedom: African Americans in Gold Rush California_ By Jerry Stanley

The Gold Rush offered an opportunity for advancement to African Americans. Despite the discrimination they experienced, they were able to buy their freedom and even run their own businesses.

Award Winner 1992

_Flight: The Journey of Charles Lindbergh_ by Robert Burleigh Illustrated by Mike Swimmer

On May 20, 1927 Charles Lindbergh began a solo 3,600 mile trip from New York to Paris, France on his small plane the Spirit of St. Louis. He would have to stay awake for over 30 hours and hope for the best because he had chosen to leave behind his parachute.

Honor Book 2010

_How Many Baby Pandas?_ by Sandra Markle

While being raised in China, the baby pandas are kept under watch from the moment their born to adults.

Award Winner 2009

_Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator_ by Shelley Tanaka

Amelia Earhart a famous flier which tells her life from the moment she first saw an airplane to her dissapearence.

Honor Book 2008

_Spiders_ by Nic Bishop

Spiders vary in sizes and have different features which can be found everywhere.

Honor Book 2008

_Helen Keller: Her Life in Pictures_ by George Sullivan

Helen Keller a deafblind women life is told through pictures from her childhood to adult.

Award Winner 1989

_The Extraordinary Life: The Story Of A Monarch Butterfly_ by Laurence Pringle

A monarch butterfies journey of finding its way to where all monarch butterflies are destined.

Honor Book 2005

_Actual Size_ by Steve Jenkins

The actual size of animals that very few of us get to see up close and personal.

Honor Book 2004

_The Man Who Made Time Travel_ by Kathryn Lasky

Set in the 1700's, a young man creates one of the most valuable contributions to know man kind.

Honor Book 2002

_The Dinosaurs Of Waterhouse Hawkins: An Illuminating History Of Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins_ by Barbara Kerley

In 1800's Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins proves that using your imagination can come to great importance, no matter what age.

Honor Book 1995

_Christmas in the big house, Christmas in the Quarters_ by Patricia C. McKissack and Frederick L. McKissack

Describes slave's preperation and events that take place during Christmas even though freedom isn't an option.

Award winner 1996

_The Great Fire_ by Jim Murphy

Describes the events that occured during the Fire of October 8, 1871and what poor judgments lead the fire to be uncontrollable.

Award Winner 1997

_Leonardo Da Vinci_ by Diana Stanley

Follows the Life of Leonardo Da Vinci and the troubles faced growing up to become educated and what lead him to become a revolutionary artist

Award Winner 2000

_Through My Eyes_ by Ruby Bridges

Follows the racial hardships Ruby Bridges is faced with as she is the first ever black student enrolled in an all white public school in 1960.