This year’s #ALAYMA21 features a FANTASTIC slate of books… and what better way to celebrate than with my ONLY blogpost of the year? That’s right, it’s that time again: EXTREME CALDECOTT PLACEMENT!

For those of you who are new to this, the basic idea is: With such an incredible honor, why stop at placing the Caldecott sticker on the book's cover? Why not go all in and insert it inside the book itself? (For those interested in checking out past years, here is exclusive access to the archives: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.)

Now, without further ado, your distinguished 2021 Caldecott Honorees:

THE CAT MAN OF ALEPPO, illustrated Yuko Shimizu, written by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha (Penguin/Putnam)

ME & MAMA by written and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera (Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster)

OUTSIDE IN, illustrated by Cindy Derby, written by Deborah Underwood (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Outside In Extreme Caldecott revised.jpg

A PLACE INSIDE OF ME, illustrated by illustrated by Noa Denmon, written by Zetta Elliott (Macmillian/FSG)

A Place Inside of Me extreme caldecott.jpg

and of course, the CALDECOTT MEDAL to the wondrous

WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS, illustrated by Michaela Goade, written by Carole Lindstrom (Macmillan/Roaring Brook)

We Are Water Protectors Exteme Caldecott.jpg

CONGRATULATIONS to all of this year’s winners and honorees! I hope you’re celebrating wherever you are!