Hint: It involves spreadsheets.

Advent's librarian, Caroline Collins, has been running a Mock Caldecott Medal vote for six years. The Caldecott Medal spotlights children's book illustrators. It is named for nineteenth-century illustrator Randolph Caldecott and awarded each winter by the Association for Library Service to Children, an American Library Association (ALA) division.

"Mock Caldecotts are popular at other schools I've been at," Collins says. "It is a great way to get the kids thinking about picture books as art forms, as ways to tell stories."

Collins begins compiling her list in September to introduce Advent's Mock Caldecott lineup before Winter Break. ALA doesn't publish a list of finalists, so Collins has to build her own.

"Yes, there is a spreadsheet," Collins laughs. "It has become very scientific." 

To create Advent's list, Collins combs blogs, School Library Journal, Goodreads, and The Horn Book to see what books are popping up. She then thinks about representation, from art styles to the illustrator's identity to the identity of what the book portrays.

"It is always hard to whittle it down; there are so many good books," says Collins.

All students in ECC through Sixth Grade participate in the voting process. There is plenty of time to review the options, compare books, and revisit selections. Advent's picks mirror the official picks from the ALA, which shows that our students have their fingers on the picture book pulse!

On Monday, January 22, Collins went to every classroom to announce the winner of Advent's Caldecott: Evergreen, illustrated by Matthew Cordell*. Vashti Harrison's Big*, which won the ALA Caldecott, was selected as an honor book by Advent students. 

Advent's other picks were:

• The Tree and the River* by Aaron Becker @storybreathing

• Jumper* by Jessica Lanan @jessicalanan

• Once Upon a Book* by Grace Lin @pacylin and Kate Messner @katemessner

Congratulations to all of this year's Caldecott winners! Find the complete list of winners here: SLJ Reviews of the 2024 Caldecott Medal Winners & Honor Books.

*Disclosure: The School participates in Bookshop's affiliate program and earns a commission if you click through and purchase.