I remember well-intentioned friends telling me, in my early book collecting days, that when in doubt, look for the Caldecott Medal books. Their thinking was that every year, hundreds of new books are vetted by the people who know best, and only the most exceptional are recognized for their excellence. 

When I think of Blueberries for Sal (1947 Honor), The Rooster Crows (1946 Winner), Prayers for a Child (1945 Winner), Make Way for Ducklings (1942 Winner), and  D’Aulaires Abraham Lincoln (1940 Winner), that recommendation rings true. Those books are profound works of art – both in art and in verse. They delight the child and they cultivate the reader’s taste. Raised on a feast of books like those, a child is apt to truly know what is a good, true, and beautiful book. 

But, something changed. Somewhere down the road, the standards or the submissions changed. So many gorgeous books were seemingly overlooked while disappointing ones were promoted. I guess I am old-fashioned and not keeping up with the times . . . but I struggle to think that the 2002 Honor The Stray Dog is in any way comparable to past Honor books like Blueberries for Sal or the 1985 Honor book Hansel and Gretl by Paul O. Zelinsky, or even the 1978 Honor book Castle by David Macaulay. I cannot believe we no longer have excellent illustrators and gifted storytellers. 

The Stray Dog is an uninspiring story about a family who discovers a dog while they are having a picnic in the park. They are smitten with the dog and think about him all week. They assume that he belongs to someone and wish he could be theirs. They even give him a name, Willy. When they return to the park the next week, the dog is still there. This time, however, he is running away from the dog catcher, because he is a stray and a menace. The children chase the dog, intercede with the dog catcher, and ultimately take him home. The story is fine but not special. 

I understand that the Caldecott Medal is not awarded to the author for the text, but rather to the artist for the illustration. So, if the art is compelling, then the story is secondary in consideration. Illustrator Marc Simont is a thrice-honored Caldecott artist. In this offering, however, I am unimpressed. Some scenes are very winning, like the opening spread. Most, however, are just not that interesting. The people are cartoonish and most of the pictures are only adequate. 

I am not opposed to this book. I don’t even dislike this book. But to think of it as one of the greatest works in children’s literature seems ridiculous. Books like this make me question the value and usefulness of these kinds of awards.