Caldecott Medal 1957: Complete list of winners

The 1957 Caldecott Medal marked a beautiful moment in children’s literature when the American Library Association honored A Tree Is Nice by Marc Simont, recognizing the power of understated illustration and lyrical simplicity. Simont’s gentle watercolor paintings perfectly captured Janice May Udry’s poetic text about the everyday wonder of trees—from climbing their branches to raking their leaves. It was a year when the prestigious award, officially known as the Caldecott Medal (and often searched as the Caldecott Prize or Newbery’s artistic companion), chose a book that celebrated the natural world through a child’s eyes, eschewing the more ornate illustration styles of previous decades.

What makes this particular Caldecott win notable is how it reflected a shift in children’s book illustration toward accessibility and warmth. Rather than elaborate, fantastical imagery, Simont offered readers something they could recognize in their own neighborhoods and backyards. His approach influenced countless illustrators who followed, proving that the most profound children’s literature didn’t need to be complicated or overly decorative. The 1957 Caldecott Medal winner remains a testament to how the simplest subjects, rendered with genuine affection and skill, can leave the deepest impression on young readers.

Picture Books

• A Tree Is Nice by Marc Simont