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LARC Mocks: 2023 Picture Books

Working list of starred reviews to be considered for the Mock Caldecott and Newbery Award

2023 Picture Books

Agostini, Alliah L.  Big Tune: Rise of the Dancehall Prince.  K 1/1/23

Aguilera, Claudio.  9 Kilometers.  K 11/15/22, PW 12/19/22

Alexander, Kwame.  An American Story.  BL 11/1-15/22, PW 12/19/22

Alvarez, David with David Bowles.  Ancient Night.  K 1/15/23

Armand, Glenda.  All Aboard the Schooltrain: A Little Story from the Great Migration.  K 11/15/22, BL 12/1-15/22, PW 12/19/22

Aronson, Katelyn.  When PB Met J.  K 11/1/22

Becker, Aaron.  The Tree and the River.  K 12/1/122

Bentley, Tadgh. One Chicken Nugget.  K 1/1/23

Bowles, David.  Ancient Night. SLJ 1/23

Boyton, Sandra.  Woo Hoo! You're Doing Great!  K 1/15/23

Brown, Lisa.  The Hospital Book.  K 1/1/23

Brown, Tameka Fryer.  That Flag.  SLJ 12/22

Brun-Cosme, Nadine.  Rabbit, Duck, And Big Bear.  K 12/15/22

Charles, Tami.  We Are Here.  K 12/1/22, PW 12/19/22

Cordell, Matthew. Evergreen. PW 12/12/22, SLJ 1/23

Dabarera, Dinalie.  Quiet Time With My Seeya.  K 12/15/22

Doerrfeld, Cori.  Beneath.  K 12/1/22

Donaldson, Julia.  Welcome to the World.  BL 12/1-15/22

Fisher, Lalena. Friends Beyond Measure. PW 12/12/22, SLJ 1/23

Fogliano, Julie.  All the Beating Hearts.  K 11/15/22

Fontenaille, Elise.  At the Drop of a Cat. K 10/15/22

Frazee, Marla.  In Every Life.  K 11/15/22, PW 12/19/22, SLJ 1/23

Hartman, Brooke.  Watch Out for the Lion!  SLJ 12/22

Herreros, Ana Cristina.  The Amazing and True Story of Tooth Mouse Perez.  K 1/1/23

Hest, Amy.  Sometimes It's Nice to Be Alone.  K 11/1/22, SLJ 1/23

Hillenbrand, Will.  The Voice in the Hollow.  K 11/1/22

Ho, Joanna.  One Day.  K 1/15/23

Howes, Katey. Woven of the World. PW 12/19/22

Joy, Mackenzie.  Wallflowers.  K 11/15/22

Khalil, Aya.  The Night Before Eid. A Muslim Family Story.  K 1/1/23

Kemp, Laeken Zea.  A Crown for Corina.  SLJ 1/23

Krans, Angela Pham.  Finding Papa.  SLJ 1/23

Lam, Maple.  Dim Sum, Here We Come! K 12/1/22

Lin, Grace & Kate Messner.  Once Upon a Book. K 11/15/22

Lobel, Anita. Good Morning, Good Night. PW 12/5/22

Meza, Erika.  To The Other Side. K 1/1/23

Montanari, Eva.  What Does Little Crocodile Say at the Beach? K 1/1/23

Muhammad, Ibtihaj.  The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship.  K 1/1/23

Muth, Jon J. Stillwater and Koo Save the World. PW 12/19/22, K 1/1/23

O'Hara, Mo.  Hush, Little Rocket.  K 1/1/23

Peterson, Isaac.  Gray in the Moonlight.  SLJ 1/23

Piven, Hanoch. Dream Big, Laugh Often And More Great Advice From the Bible.  K 1/15/23

Provensen, Alice.  The Truth About Max.  K 11/1/22

Rayner, Jacqueline K.  Lost Cat!  K 1/1/23

Rogers, Kim.  Just like Grandma.  BL 12/1-15/22

Ruttan, Molly.  Something Wild.  K 12/1/22

Sayre, April Pulley.  In Between.  K 1/1/23

Shatokhin, Oleksandr.  Yellow Butterfly: A Story from Ukraine.  K 11/1/22

Silvestro, Annie.  Bravo, Little Bird!  K 12/1/22

Siqueira, Ana.  Abuela's Super Capa.  SLJ 1/23

Stith, Shaunna & John Stith.  Black Beach: A Community, an Oil Spill, and the Origin of Earth Day.  BL 12/1-15/22.

Straub, Emma.  Very Good Hats. K 10/15/22, PW 11/28/22

Strickland, Shadra. Jump In! PW 11/28/22, K 12/1/22

Stutzman, Jonathan. Soon, Your Hands. PW 1/9/23

Sullivan, John. Stanley's Secret. PW 10/31/22

Sworder, Zeno.  My Strange Shrinking Parents.  K 1/1/23

Wynter, Anne.  Nell Plants a Tree.  BL 12/1-15/22, K 1/1/23

Yumoto, Kazumi.  The Bear and the Wildcat.  K 11/1/22

Criteria

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  1. In identifying a “distinguished American picture book for children,” defined as illustration, committee members need to consider:
    1. Excellence of execution in the artistic technique employed;
    2. Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept;
    3. Appropriateness of style of illustration to the story, theme or concept;
    4. Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through the pictures;
    5. Excellence of presentation in recognition of a child audience.
  2. The only limitation to graphic form is that the form must be one which may be used in a picture book. The book must be a self-contained entity, not dependent on other media (i.e., sound, film or computer program) for its enjoyment.
  3. Each book is to be considered as a picture book. The committee is to make its decision primarily on the illustration, but other components of a book are to be considered especially when they make a book less effective as a children’s picture book. Such other components might include the written text, the overall design of the book, etc.

Note: The committee should keep in mind that the award is for distinguished illustrations in a picture book and for excellence of pictorial presentation for children. The award is not for didactic intent or for popularity.