Young at Art: A Selection of Caldecott Book Illustrations

Through picture books, readers embark on visual journeys that engage all of the senses and encourage curious, imaginative, and thoughtful interactions with the world around them. Since 1938, the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, has recognized the significant impact of art on early reading experiences, awarding the Caldecott Medal for excellence in this area. Named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott, the prestigious and highly coveted medal is awarded annually to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

The exhibition Young at Art: A Selection of Caldecott Book Illustrations includes original illustrations from Caldecott Medal recipients and from “runner-up” Honor books, as well as other illustrations by award-winning artists. This exhibition of works from Wichita Falls Museum of Art’s permanent collection celebrates the vision and talent of twenty-eight award-winning artists, including the first Caldecott Award recipient Dorothy P. Lathrop (1938), two-time winner Chris Van Allsburg (1982, 1986), and Maurice Sendak (1964), whose work Where the Wild Things Are, like Van Allsburg’s Jumanji and The Polar Express, was adapted for the big screen. These illustrations are widely recognized not only as artistic classics in children’s literature but also as the source of countless beloved memories for the young and young at heart.

More than mere relics of the carefree days of youth, picture books occupy a unique place in our cultural landscape. For generations, images have worked alongside text, not in any subordinate manner, but as crucial components in the construction and exploration of story worlds. The transformative power of picture books is undeniable for the many ways young readers are invited to and enthusiastically participate in reading.

The Caldecott Collection of Children’s Book Illustrations is part of the permanent collection of the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas. The museum has collected children’s book illustrations for more than fifty years.

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Tour Schedule

Young at Art: A Selection of Caldecott Book Illustrations is touring May 2018 through April 2021. The dates below reflect five-week exhibition periods. All dates are currently booked or on hold. Please contact MoreArt@maaa.org or (800) 473-3872 x208/209 to be added to a waiting list. Dates are subject to change.

  • May 15–June 20, 2018 Wildwood Park for the Arts, Inc.
    Little Rock, AR     booked
  • July 5–August 16, 2018 Temecula Valley Museum
    Temecula, CA     booked
  • September 1–October 5, 2018 Moses Lake Museum
    Moses Lake, WA     booked
  • October 21–November 30, 2018 Fort Morgan Museum
    Fort Morgan, CO     booked
  • December 15, 2018–March 10, 2019 Mayborn Museum, Baylor University
    Waco, TX     booked
  • March 25–April 30, 2019 Provo City Library
    Provo, UT     booked
  • May 15–June 20, 2019 Elkhorn Valley Museum
    Norfolk, NE     booked
  • July 5–October 5, 2019 Midland County Public Libraries
    Midland, TX     booked
  • October 21–November 30, 2019 Troy-Hayner Cultural Center
    Troy, OH     booked
  • December 15, 2019–January 19, 2020 Hays Public Library
    Hays, KS     booked
  • February 3–April 30, 2020 Bell County Museum
    Belton, TX     booked
  • May 15–June 20, 2020 Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council
    Stephenville, TX     booked
  • July 5–August 16, 2020 Houston Public Library
    Houston, TX     booked
  • September 1–October 5, 2020 Chelsea District Library
    Chelsea, MI     booked
  • October 21–November 30, 2020 Lyman Allyn Art Museum
    New London, CT     booked
  • December 15, 2020–January 19, 2021 San Francisco Public LIbrary
    San Francisco, CA     booked
  • February 3–March 10, 2021 Chandler Museum
    Chandler, AZ     booked
  • March 25–April 30, 2021 Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council
    Texarkana, TX     booked

Exhibition Details

approximately thirty-five original illustrations and fifteen books

  • Content

    Fee Includes

    Press Kit
    Registrar’s Packet
    Programming Guide
    Gallery Guide
    Text Panels
    Narrative Labels
    Full Insurance
    Installation Instructions
    Custom-Designed and Built Crates

  • Curated By

    Danny Bills, curator of collections and exhibitions at Wichita Falls Museum of Art

  • Organized By

    Wichita Falls Museum of Art at Midwestern State University

  • Out-of-Region Rental Fee

    $3,900

  • In-Region Rental Fee

    $2,730

  • Duration

    five weeks

  • Shipping

    Van Line

  • Running Feet

    approximately 150

  • Square Feet

    250

  • Security

    Limited

  • Number of Crates/Total Weight

    two crates/660 pounds

  • Insurance

    The exhibition is fully insured by ExhibitsUSA at no additional expense to you, both while installed and during transit.