Mock Caldecott 2026 discussion

The Lost Package by Richard Ho


I'll Meet You in Your Dreams by Jessica Young


The Tree in Me by Corinna Luyken


Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Pena

Could any of these publications be a Caldecott award winner?

You sure choose a great bunch this month! Every one of these titles is Caldecott worthy. The text and illustrations compliment one another perfectly in each book. I adore The Tree in Me. Probably the best work by Corinna Luyken so far. The gorgeous pastels make my heart skip a beat. My absolute favorite picture book so far this year is I'll Meet You in Your Dreams. The text is outstanding. I swoon at every page no matter how many times I read this title thanks to the lush, vibrant illustrations by Rafael Lopez. I am calling it for I'll Meet You in Your Dreams to win one or more awards in 2022.

The Tree in Me
I read this book in e-book format, not really my choice for reading a picture book, but the only format available to me at this time.
I enjoyed the book, and may have liked it even better in hard copy. I was intrigued by the author's concept; I had never thought that way about trees before. I really loved the artist's color palette--all those pinks, roses, and mauves mixed in with warm golds, bright blues, and dark gray-blacks. Because the author and artist are the same person, the illustrations adeptly depict the author's ideas and intent.

Milo Imagines the World
I enjoyed this sweet story of Milo using his imagination and artwork to wonder about the lives of the subway riders around him. While I am not really a fan of Robinson's illustrative style, I do think that it is an appropriate style for this story, and I do think that it perfectly captures the text and characters in the story.

Beverly wrote: "The Tree in Me
I read this book in e-book format, not really my choice for reading a picture book, but the only format available to me at this time.
I enjoyed the book, and may have liked it even b..."

I hope you get the opportunity to see this book physically. It is gorgeous.

I'll Meet You in Your Dreams
So far, this is my favorite book of this month (I have not seen Lost Package yet).
This is a beautiful book about parental love, no matter the age of the child or parent. The gorgeous paintings--rendered in watercolor, gouache, acrylic, pencil and ink--perfectly capture the tone and emotions in the lyrical text.

The Tree in Me is shaped tall like a tree! The pictures are shades of bright pink, browns and gold, and touches of smoky blue and black -- as bright, smudgy and fading in spots, and then speckled and splotchy on other pages. These illustrations provide wonderful detail to items almost hidden on the pages. Look for the apple cores and the worm!!! Caldecott worthy – indeed!!!

I'll Meet You in Your Dreams - The illustrations are hand-drawn and colored in soft shades. Each section of the story fills an open-spread, so the illustrations feel life-size! The thoughts that a family member will always be there for one another even though they are far away is so positive!

Milo Imagines the World might encourage children to keep a journal and draw their feelings, tell their stories, and illustrate their life. Caldecott potential? Yes!

The Lost Package - illustrations showcase two major cities, NY and San Francisco and the wide open country in-between, along I-80, as the family relocates across country. The pictures seem subtle but are vivid with rich colors and detail. The illustrations tell a beautiful story as well - seeing how packages are processed in the mail processing and delivery systems. Also, this is a beautiful pictorial story about making new friends and keeping the old. Quality book! Could be a Caldecott finalist.

The Lost Package
I really liked what Carol had to say about this book and agreed with her review, so I don't have much to add. I really liked that the family that was moving took the package under their wing so to speak and delivered it themselves. I also appreciated that the illustrator painted with watercolors and did not use any digital enhancements to her paintings.

This month has a wonderful field of books; I read all of them months ago and just had the recent pleasure of rereading them - and still loving them! The Tree in Me bursts with eye-popping color, and I'll Meet You in Your Dreams pulls at the heart with its journey through a lifetime of parental love. Likewise, The Lost Package is a touching homage to specially-delivered care packages, but, for me, Milo Imagines the World is in a league of its own. Its text and message about not judging others by their appearances plays out beautifully through Milo's sensitive, observant imagination and artistry. For me, it is such a precious story and visual journey through a heartsick child's mind as he grapples with strong emotions and tries to make sense of his upended world. I would be happy to see any of these books garner some award interest, but my hope is that Milo especially will receive accolades, and that, in the meantime, children will come to treasure it and will be inspired to create their own artwork to express their feelings and ideas.

The Lost Package: Although I appreciate the intention of this book, think the unique story will interest some young readers, and find the illustrations sweet, soft, and welcoming, I’m struggling to find it particularly special.

I'll Meet You in Your Dreams: This is a beautifully illustrated and comforting book that feels like a hug with the message that a parent will always be there to support their child. The mixed-media, double-page spread illustrations are rich in imagery & bold hues. Scenes are dynamic in that characters are usually looking right or up. Elements repeat in the background then foreground of subsequent pages (like an umbrella) creating a sense of connected progression, constant familial support & hope throughout the book. The storyline is evident from the illustrations alone. I also like there there is a vertical double-page at one point with the moles underground protected from the rain by the umbrella. My favorite pages present the child on the galloping purple horse and the lighthouse. I think this is a solid Caldecott contender this year.

I will circle back about the other two books once I get a chance to read them. The covers and illustrators alone excite me.

I enjoyed The Lost Package, particularly that it was understated and left a lot for the reader to fill in. I enjoyed the depiction of the various parts of the postal service process, but I don't see it as distinguished. Milo, on the other hand, has won my heart. This is a great example of a rich, layered, thoughtful picture book, and I especially appreciate the subtle inclusion of incarcerated parents in this book. I admit that I like the story and the text more than I like the illustrations, but I would be thrilled if Milo gets medal attention.