Mock Caldecott 2026 discussion

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise




To the Front!: Clara Barton Braves the Battle of Antietam by Claudia Friddell




Powwow Day by Traci Sorell




Farmhouse by


Some wonderful books this month! What are your thoughts?

Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall is my top pick for the gold medal. Blackall truly deserves the highest award. Her work is about a large family who lived in a nine-teenth century farmhouse and property in the Catskills of New York. Although the home had to be demolished, Sophie saved clothing, photographs, curtains, magazines, composition books etc. that belonged to the original owners and their children. Farmhouse was created in layers. According to the author's note in the book, Blackall started with the reverse side of a roll of wallpaper and added floors and walls and furniture made from scraps and fragments she found in the house. The illustrations were also created using Chinese ink, watercolor, gouache, and colored pencils, Blackall created Milkwood Farm on this property. It is a rural retreat for artists and writers. I read that Sophie Blackall made this remarkable book while ill with shingles. Amazing!

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise could win a Caldecott honor. It is a gorgeous picture book that seems to be universally loved and appreciated.

River is recovering from an illness (cancer?) and cannot dance in this year's powwow. This book was selected as one of the Mock Caldecott group's October nominees. I haven't been particularly impressed with this year's selections. Powwow Day has some lovely double page spreads with girls dancing in colorful dresses. In a "normal" year, I wouldn't be impressed.

Knight Owl
This excellent story is accompanied by large, appealing illustrations; making this book a great candidate for a story time. The juxtaposition of the very small owl with the very large human knights is hilarious. Unfortunately, this book is way too cute and funny to be considered by the Caldecott committee.

Farmhouse
I pretty much agreed in my review with what Laura wrote, above.
My review:
The most fascinating thing about this book is that the illustrations were made from bits and pieces of an old, falling-down farmhouse in New York. Some of those bits and pieces included wallpaper, composition books, newspapers, brown paper bags, clothing handkerchiefs, curtains, and string. All these bits and pieces were tied together with ink, watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil. The text relates incidents in the lives of twelve children and two parents who live in the house through many years. The collages help tell the stories and expand on the text. A gorgeous and memorable book.

I'm holding a mock Caldecott competition with my 1st-6th graders this semester. So far they loved Knight Owl and Hot Dog and did not love Blue at all. I'm looking forward to reading Farmhouse to them next. We have also read Kick Push and Nigel and the Moon.

Knight Owl is a charming, can't missed read aloud! The illustrations are GORGEOUS! This one is definitely a contender for the Caldecott. My Mock Caldecott friends picked a winner.

Farmhouse What a great way to learn about the family structure on our American farms in the 19th century and early 20th century.This story is based on the writer’s purchase of an old farm in New York that also provided her a falling-down house hidden in the brambles. Inside the farm, Blackall gathered materials to help her recreate a journal or storybook, of such, for the family that lived there. Blackall wishes, in writing this story, to honor the history of farm families and farmhouse across America. To illustrate the book, she used the back of wallpaper as her background and added layers of items from the house and family, collage style. The detail is incredible; readers can spend hours looking at the pictures in this book – imaging and then perhaps wanting to research this time in history. Blackall encourages readers to look into their own history and tell stories to keep, cherish, and pass along to family generations to come. Pretty sure...this is my thoughts on Caldecott GOLD! It's solid gold!

Knight Owl is a real problem solving story - a real thinker on the spot! One night, Knight Owl is faced with peril. How does he handle this dangerous situation. The illustrations and use of lighting are delightful. A real sweet and chuckle-worthy story! Readers will like!

To the Front As a child, I read stories about Clara Barton. She was one of my heroes – a nurse of outstanding merit during the Civil War. It pleases me to see this picture book written for today's children. The end pages are light purple - a fitting color to honor a hero! The illustrator studied real photos of life during the Civil War and on the war fields; the illustrations resemble real-time photographs in the war fields. Colors, tone, and light or the lack of light reveal a war played out at night, nightfall, or in the early hours of day. Candles lit the way for surgeons. Clara Barton’s face, body, and hands are often lit to show her as the angel of the battle-field. And that she was. This is worthy of many awards in children's literature.

Today is tribal Powwow Day. Everyone wants to see little River dance in her pretty jingle dress. However, River is sick. She goes to the celebration but sits with her family.

Many different dances are performed during Powwow Day. A Jingle dance in the arena can be performed as a healing dance. River wants to dance badly, but she is too ill this year. As the drums beat throughout the story, the illustrations seem to flow in rhythm. The illustrations are muted but detailed. The colors are gorgeous. At the end of the book is a great discussion of the powwow celebrations. This is a great book about indigenous cultures.

At this point, the multi-faceted Farmhouse is my top pic for the Caldecott. I've combed over it several times now, and each reading/viewing offers up another discovery. It is gorgeously and intricately illustrated and written well, too, and I think children will be enthralled by the little dollhouse-like details of family life. Its only downside, though it shouldn't be, is that Blackall has already won two Caldecott medals.

Knight Owl is a charming read. The illustrations are lovely and entertaining, and the text is sweet, with a great message about friendship and overcoming differences. I'd be pleased to see this book earn a Caldecott.

To the Front was an informative read for me since I did not know much about Clara Barton. Although the illustrations are beautifully rendered, I'm thinking that this book might have a better shot at a Sibert.

I admit, I found Powwow Day was not at the same level as the other picks for this month and not a strong contender for Caldecott recognition.