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Animals of the Bible | Children’s Literature Criticism: Caldecott Award Values and Genre Slippage

Posted on May 6, 2026August 13, 2026 by sw.murnau
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Every other week, we’ll be reviewing Caldecott winners–so we decided to start in the beginning, a very good place to start! The internet is replete with blogs, podcasts, and social media projects undertaking precisely this challenge. ANIMALS OF THE BIBLE, the first “children’s book” to win the Caldecott, marks the beginning and end for those projects more often than not. Join us for our discussion on this divisive text, as we try to figure out exactly for whom it’s written. With gorgeous Illustrations by Dorothy Lathrope, and compelling selections from the KJV made by Helen Dean Fish, ANIMALS OF THE BIBLE sought to engage children in biblical texts by leveraging what the authors saw as children’s innate interests in animals. Its publishers say the appropriate age is 4-8. Do we agree? Tune in to find out! Visit us at http://www.toddlingthestacks.com for previous episodes, info on the show, and our socials! If you like the episode, please subscribe and share with friends! Show graphics by Emily Tetrault. Theme and interstitials excerpted from Erik Satie’s Gnossienne #1. All book images used under the Fair Use exceptions to exclusive copyright as defined under Title 17, subsection 107, of US Code.

Category: Caldecott Winners, Episodes

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