Alaska Illustrator Wins the Caldecott Medal

Alaska Illustrator Wins the Caldecott Medal

Michaela Goade, an Alaskan illustrator and member of the Tlingit and Haida tribes, has become the first Native American to win the Caldecott Medal for best children’s picture book for her work in We Are Water Protectors.  As Anchorage Daily News reports, Michaela is the first Native American to win the Randolph Caldecott Medal, a prestigious award in literature.

“I am really honored and proud,” the 30-year-old Goade told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “I think it’s really important for young people and aspiring book makers and other creative people to see this.”    

Goade was also recently commissioned by Google to design a Google Doodle featuring Alaska Native civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich.

Goade’s illustrations, along with other Alaska artists, will be featured at the Alaska State Museum in a new exhibit Illustrating Alaska: Artists Making Children’s Books beginning February 5^th at 4:30 pm.

To read the full article, go to ADN.