Randolph Caldecott

Starred review from July 22, 2013
Marcus (Listening for Madeleine) begins his biography of the illustrator for whom the Caldecott Medal is named with some historical background, describing the changes wrought in 19th-century Great Britain by the steam engine, which eased travel and greatly expanded distribution of media. He details Caldecott’s early days clerking in a bank and his search for freelance illustration work, then describes how diligence and charm lead to his first book-illustrating assignment, a great success: “The world had discovered a new genius,” as one of his contemporaries put it. Caldecott produced celebrated artwork for children’s books meant to be seen and purchased by train travelers on the run, until his untimely death at age 40. He left a legacy of illustration conventions still in use today: fully developed visual stories that complement the text; the spacing out of passages of text over many pages; even the idea of royalties rather than flat fees. Marcus’s thorough attention to detail, sober writing, and social conscience all contribute to an exemplary juvenile biography. A handful of illustrations enliven every spread, revealing the artist’s gift for capturing action in a few swift lines. Ages 10–15.

August 15, 2013
Timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Caldecott Medal, which honors excellence in picture-book illustration, a slender illustrated biography of its namesake. Though he created only 16 picture books for children in a sadly shortened but hugely productive career, Randolph Caldecott's (1846-1886) name has become inextricably linked to the form. Children's literature expert Marcus (Listening for Madeleine: A Portrait of Madeleine L'Engle in Many Voices, 2012, etc.) sketches his life swiftly but surely, introducing readers to a likable, hardworking professional. A sickly boy, Caldecott entered the workforce in 1861 at 15 as a clerk in a village bank--a job that left plenty of time for the young man to draw. He sold his first drawing before he turned 16, to a London newspaper. By 26, he was able to move to London to make his living as an illustrator; six years later, eager for a new challenge, he began to apply his talent to picture books. Though not a picture book itself, Marcus' book has the dimensions of a generously sized one. Caldecott's sketches, drawings and full-color picture-book illustrations appear throughout, as do other contemporary images that provide context. Carefully selected quotations bear witness to the artist's signature wit. The pages are of a thick, creamy stock that gives both text (set in a large, comfortingly antique-looking typeface) and illustrations a pleasing richness. Marcus provides a cogent analysis of the ways Caldecott revolutionized storytelling with pictures, creating a visual narrative that expanded on the written text and utilizing pacing and page turns to guide readers through the story. While it's a shame that some of the images referenced are not reproduced in the book, the copious examples that do appear attest to the artist's humor and growth. A worthy illustrated tribute to the man who arguably invented the modern picture book.

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Starred review from October 1, 2013

Gr 6 Up-Marcus has sifted through a variety of archival collections to find fresh material by and about the celebrated 19th-century British illustrator. Opening with an arresting self-portrait, the volume chronicles Caldecott's birth, rise in British social circles, travels, publications, marriage, and untimely death. The book is handsomely designed with a jacket bordered in the burnt sienna favored by Caldecott. Endpapers are decorated with cameos; thick, cream-colored paper lends richness. Marcus skillfully places his subject in historical context, weaving in such concepts as the impact of the advent of the train on the artist's energetic style and the influence of contemporaries (Turner, Whistler, Tenniel). He wonders, convincingly, if Caldecott had seen Muybridge's photographs proving that horses run with all four legs in the air-and if they inspired his depiction of John Gilpin's galloping horse that graces the Caldecott Medal. Art and quotations bolster the narrative, building the character of a complex man and ultimately detailing his contributions to picture-book design. The question of audience arises. With a trim size comparable to a portrait-style picture book, a page count of 64, and examples with clear child appeal, this is not pitched to academics. Yet, its scrupulous documentation, thorough back matter, and sophisticated language, e.g., "The epicenter of England's burgeoning textile industry, Manchester was a new kind of city," indicate it is also not for casual, child readers. It will be a delight for picture-book enthusiasts and a provocative introduction for those who want the backstory of the man behind the medal.-Wendy Lukehart, District of Columbia Public Library

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2013
Grades 6-12 *Starred Review* Published in time for the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Caldecott Medal is Marcus' lavishly illustrated biography of the man for whom the award is named. Caldecott, the man who could not stop drawing, was born on March 22, 1846, in Chester, England. He began drawing when he was six, but his first jobs were not as an illustrator; instead he served two stints as a bank clerk before finally moving to London in 1872 and beginning a career as a full-time artist. The book that first brought him wide attention, Washington Irving's Old Christmas, was published in 1875, and the first two of his hugely popular children's picture books appeared in 1878. The prolific Caldecott, who had suffered from frail health since a childhood bout of rheumatic fever damaged his heart, died at the tragically early age of 39 while on a taxing trip to the U.S. Marcus does a superb job of summarizing Caldecott's busy life while focusing much of his attention on the work that defined him. In his acute analysis of the artist's work, Marcus, not surprisingly, gives major attention to the picture books, a form invented by this incomparable innovator. This beautifully designed and illustrated large-format volume is a worthy tribute to the man who remains a giant in the world of children's literature.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

November 1, 2013
Randolph Caldecott (18461886) is especially known for his ability to make his subjects jump off the page, and Marcus is able to do the same for his subject here. With wit and fluency, he tells how a sickly English child who liked to doodle on the margins of his school books escaped an uninspired life as a bank clerk to become a celebrated artist. Caldecott enjoyed early success with his illustrations in newspapers and magazines, such as Punch and Graphic; in travel books; and in two collections of Washington Irving's tales. His work caught the eye of printer Edmund Evans, who was especially known for his fine children's picture books. Together he and Caldecott worked out a format using a small number of full-color pictures interspersed with rapid-fire line drawings printed in brown ink, and from there Edmunds allowed the artist to experiment, leading to several firsts in the picture book form that we take for granted today. Caldecott produced just sixteen picture books, his career cut short by poor health that led to his death at age thirty-nine. Marcus has skillfully selected quotes from Caldecott's personal correspondence that give readers a good sense of him as a person. After a rough transatlantic crossing, for example, he wrote to his friend that he hoped there would be an overland route discovered by the time of our return. Just as judiciously selected by Marcus are Caldecott's original illustrations from his books and his unpublished sketchbooks, with captions that provide context and guide our eyes. And the book itself is so beautifully designed and printed, with subtle colors suggesting Caldecott's own work, that both Randolph Caldecott and Edmund Evans themselves would be pleased. kathleen t. horning

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)