Favorite Caldecott Award Winners 1990-1999

What’s crazier than a book with flying frogs?

A book with absolutely no words.

My boys absolutely love the sci-fi plot as well as the chance to tell the story their way.

Description: The whimsical account of a Tuesday when frogs were airborne on their lily pads will continue to enchant readers of all ages.

From learning their colors along with this book to actually understanding the meaning of this book, my boys have had an ongoing fascination with Ed Young’s version.

They’ve also produced a terrific audio CD to go with it, so I often catch my kids reading the story on their own.

Description: “It’s a pillar,” says one. “It’s a fan,” says another.

One by one, the seven blind mice investigate the strange Something by the pond.

And one by one, they come back with a different theory.

It’s only when the seventh mouse goes out-and explores the whole Something-that the mice see the whole truth.

Boy does this boy get into trouble.

And boy do my boys love all the shenanigans David gets into.

Description: When David Shannon was five years old, he wrote and illustrated his first book.

On every page were these words: NO, DAVID! . . . and a picture of David doing things he was not supposed to do.

Now David is all grown up. But some things never change.

There are many versions of the Rapunzel story out there; however, the deeply rich paintings in this book captured the imagination and attention of my boys.

Description: Trapped in a tower with no door, Rapunzel is allowed to see no one but the sorceress who has imprisoned her-until the day a young prince hears her singing to the forest birds. . . .

The timeless tale of Rapunzel is vividly and magnificently brought to life through Paul O. Zelinsky’s powerful sense of narrative and his stunning oil painting.

I can’t say enough about this book. It’s such a delightful, fanciful book about a boy’s wish for snow.

We read it all winter long. And don’t miss the audio CD — it’s awesome to listen to in the car.

Description: No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything.

Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella.

Not even the television or the radio forecasters.

But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it.