An Examination of Artistic Media Use Among Caldecott Medal and Honor Books and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award and Honor Books
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This study examines the artistic media, or tools used to create illustrations like paint, ink, or Adobe Photoshop, used by illustrators of Caldecott Medal and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award-winning picture books and Honor books from 2015 to 2025. By examining 86 unique titles, this research identifies and compares the trends between winners and honorees of both awards, with particular attention to those identifying as Black or African American. The findings reveal that Caldecott-recognized books display a greater diversity of media and more frequent use of mixed media, while Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award-recognized books are more likely to use a single medium, particularly oils and acrylics. These differences may reflect systemic influences, including cultural expectations, economic barriers, and norms of the literary establishment in publishing and award culture. The research highlights the implications of limited media diversity on visual literacy and identity development for African American children and calls for increased representation of Black illustrators across a wider array of artistic media. Expanding this representation is not only a matter of aesthetic variety but also of creative freedom, cultural affirmation, and equity.
DOI: 10.17615/xjs8-9a78
Author: Wheeler, Ian
Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Language: English
Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7154714522
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