Caldecott Medal 2001: Complete list of winners

The 2001 Caldecott Medal, one of children’s literature’s most prestigious honors, crowned a delightfully unexpected winner that proved picture books could tackle serious subjects with humor and visual flair. David Small’s So You Want to Be President? took home the medal, showcasing illustrations that brought American presidential history to life with witty, energetic artwork perfectly matched to its tongue-in-cheek exploration of the nation’s commanders-in-chief. Small’s distinctive cartooning style transformed what could have been a dry civics lesson into something kids actually wanted to read—a perfect demonstration of why the Caldecott, awarded annually by the American Library Association since 1938, remains the gold standard for excellence in children’s picture book illustration.

What made Small’s victory particularly noteworthy was how the judges recognized that strong illustration could make educational content engaging without sacrificing artistic merit. The Caldecott Medal has always celebrated picture books where the artwork is essential to the storytelling, and this year’s choice showed the award’s appreciation for illustrators who could be both intelligent and entertaining, proving that children’s books could make readers laugh while teaching them something real.

Below you’ll find details about this year’s standout achievement in children’s picture book illustration:

Picture Books

• So You Want to Be President? by David Small