Mock Caldecott 2026 discussion

Tokyo Night Parade by J.P. Takahashi and illustrated by Minako Tomigahara




The Hole by Lindsay Bonilla and illustrated by Brizida Magro




Wind Watchers by Micha Archer




Black Aggie: The History and Lore of Baltimore's Ghost Statue by Matthew Forsythe


This is our last group of books for 2026.

Did we miss your favorite?

Should the Forsythe book be Aggie and the Ghost?

My favorite is still Every Peach Is a Story by Masumoto and illustrated by Midori should be on more Caldecott lists. So many this year made me react vicerally to them.

Polar Bear and the Ballerina is strikingly beautiful. Gift of Dust also called me back over and over again.

Tokyo Night Parade was published in 2023, so I don't believe it would be eligible this year.

The Hole
This book was written in response to the tragic death of a real boy in Ohio. It is both heart-wrenching and heart-warming as the family in this story grieves for a child. It focuses on the living brother, and how his loss is like a huge hole in his life. The illustrations, rendered in watercolor washes, colored pencils and paper collage, faithfully depict the grief and good memories of the mourning family.

Wind Watchers
This was a beautiful book, yet with a simple, lyrical text. The acrylic ink and collage illustrations were lovely and went far beyond the text in depicting the wind in different seasons of the year. This may be one of her best books yet.