A 75th Anniversary Toast to the Caldecott Medal

See You on the Red Carpet!
Put on your glamour for the most memorable banquet ever! Be ready to stroll the red carpet when the cash bar reception opens at 5:30. Jim Averbeck and his “Kidlit on the Red Carpet” team will do live interviews as revelers enjoy celebratory drinks, photo ops, prizes, special activities, and more as we prepare to honor this year’s Newbery, Caldecott, and Wilder award winners.  A dinner ticket is not necessary to enjoy the red carpet or the speeches, but maybe this is the year to splurge. More information at the banquet FAQs page.

Anniversary Attire
The Caldecott 75th Anniversary Task Force encourages you to dress to impress for this year’s red carpet and banquet festivities.   Pay homage to banquets of yesteryear with a vintage outfit or retro accessories.  Or, offer a nod to Caldecott titles with a thematic ensemble–we expect to see many “borrowed” hats this year.   Be sure to pack something special in your suitcase.

Be There In Spirit
Can’t make it to ALA Annual in Chicago? Join us on Twitter using the hashtags #caldecott75 and #ncbanquet.  A special at-home activity you can do on the evening of the banquet (June 30) will be posted online that afternoon.  Check back here or view the 75th Anniversary webpage for updates.

Whether at home or in your hotel room prior to the red carpet event, consider mixing one of these special Caldecocktails* and raise a glass to the 75th Anniversary of the Caldecott Medal!

One Fine Day
Dash grenadine
1 oz cranberry juice
2 oz vodka*
3 oz pineapple or orange juice

Fill a glass 1/2 to 3/4 with ice. Pour the grenadine in the bottom of the glass and then, pouring slowly, add the vodka, then the cranberry juice, and finally the pineapple juice. If the juices and vodka are still separated, give it a gentle stir (without reaching all the way to the bottom of the glass) to mix the vodka and fruit juices, but let the grenadine settle again before serving.  Serve with a straw.

Smoky Night
2 oz mescal
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz agave
3 oz ginger beer
Orange wheel

Fill a glass 1/2 to 3/4 with ice.  Pour the mescal, lime juice, and agave over the ice, and finish with the ginger beer. Stir, and garnish with an orange wheel on the rim of the glass.

Flotsam
2 oz vodka*
2 oz blue curacao**
Dash lemon juice
2 oz lemon lime soda
Red Swedish Fish candy

Pour the vodka, blue curacao, lemon juice, and soda into a shaker with ice. Shake, and then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a red Swedish Fish candy.

Owl Moon
1 oz citrus vodka*
1 oz Grand Marnier*
1 oz blue curacao**
1 oz lime juice
1 oz lemon lime soda
Lemon wheel

Pour the vodka, Grand Marnier, blue curacao, lime juice, and soda into a shaker with ice. Shake, and then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Lon Po Po
Maraschino cherry
2 oz dark rum
1 oz Grand Marnier
4 oz ginger ale

Place a maraschino cherry at the bottom of a martini glass.  Pour the rum, Grand Marnier, and ginger ale into a shaker with ice. Shake, and then strain into a martini glass.

The Snowy Day
2 oz vanilla ice cream
2 oz brandy
1 oz half and half
Maraschino cherry

Blend the vanilla ice cream, brandy and half and half in a blender, or shake vigorously in a shaker until well combined. Pour into a glass and float a maraschino cherry on top (preferably, stem out).

*Designates mocktail options (omit alcohol)
**How to make non-alcoholic blue curacao