Although the purpose of the awards is to encourage original and creative work in the field of books for children, the awards also guarantee that those books will become classics of children's literature and part of every library's collection. The Caldecott and Newbery Awards also mean phenomenal sales. Many adults see that Gold Award Medal seal on the book's cover as a way to identify the best in children's literature and make the right book purchase for their child. Stewig's committee, which will determine the most distinguished picture book for children published in 1997, holds its first meeting next month. Everyone on the 15-member committee will review more than 600 picture books during the coming year.
Book publishers provide the copies.
Many of the committee members must put in their committee time after they've worked their regular, full-time jobs. There may be representatives from small-town libraries, universities, major metropolitan libraries, and grade schools. By definition, the illustrations must be at least as important as the text. In a good picture book, the text and illustrations are so intertwined that you can't imagine the book without either. His enthusiasm for the picture book keeps him constantly on the lookout for new talent.