#HBOutoftheBox #HBWeekinReview: ALA Awards coverage; Jan/Feb #HBMag #HBPubPreviews #5Qs for Corey R. Tabor, @ashleybelote.bsky.social, @jencalonita.bsky.social, + @meerasub.bsky.social and Danica Novgorodoff; Mar/Apr #HBMag #HBStars; #CallingCaldecott x2; + more! www.hbook.com/story/blogs/...

The 2026 Robin Smith Picture Book Prize The ninth annual winner ofthe Robin Smith Picture Book Prize, honoringlate Calling Caldecott cofounder Robin Smith, is Island Storm, written by Brian Floca, illustrated by Sydney Smith.

#CallingCaldecott: The 2026 Robin Smith Picture Book Prize goes to Brian Floca and Sydney Smith's ISLAND STORM (Porter/Holiday)! www.hbook.com/story/the-20... #Caldecott #picturebooks

The 2026 Caldecott Announcement The winner of the 2026Caldecott Award is Fireworks, illustrated by Cátia Chien and written by Matthew Burgess.

#CallingCaldecott on 2026 #Caldecott winner FIREWORKS: "This is one of those Caldecotts readers are going to be enjoying for years." www.hbook.com/story/the-20... #ALAYMA26 #ALAYMA @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social @clarionbooks.bsky.social @harperkids.bsky.social #CátiaChien @matthewburgessj.bsky.social

#HBOutoftheBox #HBWeekinReview: January #NotesfromtheHornBook w/ #5Qs for Hyewon Yum; @adibkhorram.bsky.social #TalkswithRoger; #CallingCaldecott x2 (including the mock vote results!); + more! www.hbook.com/story/blogs/...

Three days more... A sincere thank you to those who make this blog possible!

#CallingCaldecott: Three days more...until the Youth Media Awards announcements! Countdown to #Caldecott with @kweideflynn.bsky.social and @adriennepettinelli.bsky.social www.hbook.com/story/three-... #kidlit #picturebooks #ALAYMA @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social

From the Editor — January 2026 From the January 2026 issue of Notes from the Horn Book.

January #NotesfromtheHornBook Elissa Gershowitz's editorial: "Earlier today, @thehornbook.bsky.social’s #CallingCaldecott blog announced the results of our MOCK #Caldecott vote. The voters chose a winner + 1 honoree—2 HB favorites, both on our annual #HBFanfare list" sbee.link/aj8xe6f43g

Results of the 2026 Calling Caldecott mock vote The votes have been counted;CallingCaldecottreadershave spoken.

#CallingCaldecott: The votes are in! The results of our 2026 Mock Vote yielded a winner (by a lot more than a whisker) + 1 honor #picturebook www.hbook.com/story/result... #kidlit #Caldecott @harperkids.bsky.social @brianlies.bsky.social @clarionbooks.bsky.social @matthewburgessj.bsky.social

2026 Calling Caldecott Mock Ballot — Now Open! Cast your (mock) vote for the most distinguished American picture book!

ICYMI on #CallingCaldecott: Our 2026 mock #Caldecott ballot is now open! Cast your (mock) vote for the most distinguished American #picturebook by noon on Tuesday, 1/20! sbee.link/3cmgnfyd6u #kidlit

#HBOutoftheBox #HBWeekinReview: Jan/Feb #HBMag Field Notes column "Storytime Smash Hits"; #CallingCaldecott x4 (including the mock ballot!); + more! www.hbook.com/story/blogs/...

2026 Calling Caldecott Mock Ballot — Now Open! Cast your (mock) vote for the most distinguished American picture book!

#CallingCaldecott: Our 2026 mock #Caldecott ballot is now open! Cast your (mock) vote for the most distinguished American #picturebook by noon on Tuesday, 1/20! www.hbook.com/story/2026-c... #kidlit

Books we missed Too many great picture books...too little time!

#CallingCaldecott: @adriennepettinelli.bsky.social finishes our coverage of 2025 #picturebooks with "Books we missed" www.hbook.com/story/books-...

A Knot Is Not a Tangle Sylvie Shaffer on Vesper Stamper's illustrations for A Knot Is Not a Tangle, written by Daniel Nayeri:

#CallingCaldecott @sylvieshaffer.bsky.social on A KNOT IS NOT A TANGLE by Daniel Nayeri + Vesper Stamper (Knopf/ @randomhousekids.bsky.social) "As w/ an intricately knotted Persian rug, each sq inch of this bk is maximized to include as much detailed beauty as possible" www.hbook.com/story/a-knot...

Night Light Cathryn M. Mercier on Michael Emberley's Night Light:

#CallingCaldecott: Cathryn M. Mercier on NIGHT LIGHT by Michael Emberley (Holiday): "This gem of a book exhibits a discerning integration of art and text in the most Caldecott-worthy ways." www.hbook.com/story/night-...

#HBOutoftheBox #HBWeekinReview: Jan/Feb #HBMag Table of Contents + Editorial; #CallingCaldecott x4; + more! www.hbook.com/story/blogs/...

Dear Acorn (Love, Oak) Annisha Jeffries discusses Melissa Sweet's mixed-media collage illustrations for Dear Acorn (Love, Oak): Letter Poems to Friends, written by Joyce Sidman.

#CallingCaldecott: Annisha Jeffries on DEAR ACORN (LOVE, OAK) by @joycesidman.bsky.social; illus. by Melissa Sweet ( @clarionbooks.bsky.social / @harperkids.bsky.social ): "The illustrations extend the poems’ meaning and reward close looking and rereading" www.hbook.com/story/dear-a...

Aggie and the Ghost

#CallingCaldecott: @adriennepettinelli.bsky.social on AGGIE AND THE GHOST by @mattforsythe.bsky.social (Wiseman/ @simonkids.bsky.social): "Each image is a kaleidoscope of colors...while also exuding a calm energy that works in concert w/ the dry wit of the text" www.hbook.com/story/aggie-...

Imogen

#CallingCaldecott: Shelley Isaacson on IMOGEN by @epartridge.bsky.social + @yukoart.bsky.social (Viking/ @penguinkids.bsky.social ) "The genius of Shimizu’s art is how she pays homage to Imogen’s work, thru well-researched illus, while expressing her own creative flair" www.hbook.com/story/callin...

Moon Song Allison Grover Khoury on Michaela Goade's Moon Song:

#CallingCaldecott: Allison Grover Khoury on MOON SONG by Michaela Goade ( @littlebrownyr.bsky.social ): "A beautifully told and illustrated book honoring the Tlingit understanding of the relationship between darkness and light reflected in the deep winter." www.hbook.com/story/moon-s...

Dancing with Water Nicholl Denice Mongomery on why Tonya Engel's

#CallingCaldecott: Nicholl Denice Montgomery on DANCING WITH WATER by Gwendolyn Wallace; illus. by Tonya Engel (Kokila/ @penguinkids.bsky.social ): "Engel's illustrations are an excellent pictorial representation of the story and themes" www.hbook.com/story/blogs/...

#HBOutoftheBox #HBWeekinReview: Nov/Dec #HBMag #HBPubPreviews #5Qs for @normfeuti.bsky.social , @caroleweatherford.bsky.social and Frank Morrison, + Eric Velasquez; #CallingCaldecott; Nov #HBHerald; + more! sbee.link/nt7qfcvrwk

A Place for Us Scot Smith considersJames E. Ransome's A Place for Us: the book

#CallingCaldecott: Scot Smith on A PLACE FOR US by James E. Ransome ( @nancyrosep.bsky.social / @penguinkids.bsky.social ): the book "excels where it matters the most in a story of this nature, in its excellence of the presentation in recognition of a child audience." www.hbook.com/story/a-plac...

#HBOutoftheBox #HBWeekinReview: Nov/Dec #HBMag board book roundup; #CallingCaldecott x2; + more! www.hbook.com/story/blogs/...

Second-round nomination results! A four-way tie?!

#CallingCaldecott: Kitty Flynn on second-round nomination results "Four titles tied for first place" www.hbook.com/story/second... #Caldecott

Call for second-round nominations It's time for our second round of nominations! Select three more titles!

ICYMI on #CallingCaldecott: It's time for our second round of nominations! Select three more titles by the end of TODAY! www.hbook.com/story/call-f... #Caldecott #kidlit #picturebooks

Cat Nap

#CallingCaldecott: Marva Anne Hinton on CAT NAP by @brianlies.bsky.social (Greenwillow/ @harperkids.bsky.social ): "The way Lies was able to successfully work in all of these different styles is amazing." www.hbook.com/story/cat-nap

#HBOutoftheBox #HBWeekinReview: #HBFanfare25 booklist + #HBFanfare extras + December #NotesfromtheHornBook w/ #Fanfare25 annotations; #CallingCaldecott x2; + more! www.hbook.com/story/blogs/...

Call for second-round nominations It's time for our second round of nominations! Select three more titles!

#CallingCaldecott: It's time for our second round of nominations! Select three more titles by Tuesday, December 16! www.hbook.com/story/call-f... #Caldecott #kidlit #picturebooks

Broken Dean Schneider champions X. Fang's Broken. Will the Caldecott committee?

#CallingCaldecott: Dean Schneider on BROKEN by X. Fang (Tundra): "Every child will identify with Mei Mei’s situation, running from the scene of the crime and ultimately finding comfort in a grandmother’s hug." www.hbook.com/story/broken

#HBOutoftheBox #HBWeekinReview: Nov/Dec #HBMag Martha Meyer on Blueberry Awards criteria + Jan/Feb issue preview; #CallingCaldecott x2; + more! www.hbook.com/story/blogs/...

Our Lake Julie Hakim Azzam makes the case for Angie Kang's Our Lake:

#CallingCaldecott: Julie Hakim Azzam on OUR LAKE by Angie Kang (Kokila/ @penguinkids.bsky.social): "Its quiet, tender, and profound brilliance is wholly desiring of #Caldecott recognition." www.hbook.com/story/our-lake