Caldecott Award

MEET KEVIN HENKES!

About Kevin Henkes-author and illustrator

Henkes grew up planning to be an artist until a teacher inspired him to become a writer. His writing talent combined with his artistic talents are represented with passion in his books. He wrote his first book in 1981, All Alone. He has received many “runner-up” awards in addition to the Caldecott Award in 2005 for Kitten’s First Full Moon. He won Newbury Honor for his novel, The Year of Billy Miller in 2014. His most recent award is for Waiting, which won both Caldecott Honor Award and Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Award. He writes picture books, mouse books, and novels.

Be sure to check out  https://kevinhenkes.com/ for some great videos and other resources! 

Here is a review of one of his books that has won the Caldecott Award: 

Caldecott Winner: Kevin Henkes

Kitten’s First Full Moon

Kevin Henkes

               Things aren’t always what they appear to be, especially with the imagination of a child. In this story, kitten sees her first full moon and mistakes it for a bowl of milk. She desperately wants this bowl of milk and tries many times, unsuccessfully, to reach the bowl of milk (moon). Finally, tired, wet, and hungry she returns home to find a bowl of milk, “just waiting for her.” The story creates suspense and is easy for toddlers to relate to, as the setting and characters are simple. There is always something that is just out of reach for children, just like kitten. Within the story the kitten does not give up trying to reach that “bowl of milk.” The illustrations beginning with the gray hues on the cover with kitten licking her paw in front of the moon are entrancing to both young and old, evoking emotions of wonder in the night. The endpapers are of particular interest to young readers with the many moons on a gray sky, which symbolizes all the things that seem just out of reach. The story begins with text on the left and illustration to the right, starting readers off feeling a conflict about to arise, and progresses with framed illustrations allowing us to evaluate what is happening to kitten. Throughout there is a repetition of, “Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting,” and it is placed on an all-white spread with just the kitten and moon shaded with gray. Children can predict and respond from the illustration the words that will be read, focusing on their feelings of “just waiting.” Towards the end of the story kitten is jumping out of the frame, showing us her final attempt to get the bowl of milk. The final page shows an unframed, peaceful and accomplished sleeping kitten, guiding us to a gentle ending of the suspenseful tale. With inviting illustrations and simple story, kids will want to read this again and again.       

BIBLIO: 2004, HarperCollinsPublishers, Ages 1 to 5, $11.59.

REVIEWER: Jennifer Debo

Format:Hard cover

ISBN:0060588284

A Full List of Kevin Henkes' current book list (April 2018)  

Picture Books and Novels

·        All Alone (1981)

·        Clean Enough (1982)

·        Return to Sender (1984)

·        Bailey Goes Camping (1985)

·        Grandpa & Bo (1986) — Council of Wisconsin Writers Picture Book Award

·        Once Around the Block (1987) — Library of Congress Best Books of the Year

·        Two Under Par (1987)

·        The Zebra Wall (1988)

·        Jessica (1989)

·        Shhhh (1989)

·        Words of Stone (1992)

·        The Biggest Boy (1995)

·        Good-bye, Curtis (1995)

·        Sun & Spoon (1997)

·        Circle Dogs (1998) — Charlotte Zolotow Award: Highly Commended 1999

·        The Birthday Room (1999)

·        Oh! (2000)

·        Olive's Ocean (2004) — Newbery Honor Book

·        Kitten's First Full Moon (2004) — Caldecott Medal

·        A Good Day (2007)

·        Bird Lake Moon (2008)

·        Birds (2009)

·        Old Bear (2009)

·        My Garden (2010)

·        Little White Rabbit (2011)

·        Junonia (2011)

·        The Year of Billy Miller (2013) — Newbery Honor Book

·        Waiting (2015) — Caldecott Honor

·        Egg (2017)

·        In the Middle of Fall (2017)

Mouse books

·        A Weekend with Wendell (1986) — Children's Choices 1987

·        Sheila Rae, the Brave (1987)

·        Chester's Way (1988) — ALA Notable Children's Books 1988

·        Julius, the Baby of the World (1990) — ALA Notable Children's Books 1990, Booklist Editors Choice 1990

·        Chrysanthemum (1991)

·        Owen (1994) — Caldecott Honor, Phoenix Picture Book Award 2013

·        Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse (1996)

·        Wemberly Worried — ALA Notable Children's Book 2000, Parenting Magazine — Reading Magic Award 2000, Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books 2001, School Library Journal Best Children's Books 2001

·        A Box of Treats (2004)

·        Julius' Candy Corn

·        Lilly's Chocolate Heart

·        Wemberley's Ice Cream Star

·        Owen's Marshmallow Chick

·        Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick

·        Lilly's Big Day (2006)

·        Penny and Her Song (2012)

·        Penny and Her Doll (2012)

·        Penny and Her Marble (2013)