Tomfoolery! by Michelle Markel

Tomfoolery! tells the story of Randolph Caldecott, the iconoclastic illustrator who lent his name to the prestigious award.

Tomfoolery! Randolph Caldecott and the Rambunctious Coming-of-Age of Children’s Books by Michelle Markel, illustrated by Barbara McClintock. Chronicle Books, 2023, 34 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8

Recommended for: ages 6-12

He was a lively boy, who would grow into “a hero so chipper he can barely hold still on the paper.” Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886) grew up in an age when children’s books, such as they were, came with stiff woodcut illustrations “full of pretty poses and cluttered scenery.” Nothing was less suited to the spirit of a child, especially one who loved action and animals.

Though a bout with rheumatic fever left his health a bit precarious, he poured his energy into early drawings of nearby farms and hunting meets. After a desultory career as a bookkeeper, he followed his ambitions to London, where he landed commissions for newspaper illustrations. Largely self-taught, he managed to break into children’s publishing with classics like The Diverting History of John Gilpin (whose iconic image of a bumbling country squire on horseback, preceded by terrified geese and followed by gleeful children, now adorns the Caldecott medal).

I’m not sure how many children will relate to the hero, but both the narration and the pictures (evocative of Caldecott’s style) are as lively as their subject. Kids will enjoy the farm scenes and the crowd scenes, such the double-page spread of London, and most can relate to a boy’s love of animals and action. Their picture-book-aficionado parents will enjoy spotting famous contemporary illustrators on page 29, such as Jerry Pinkney, Dan Santat, Alan Say, Maurice Sendak, etc. Caldecott broke the mold for these geniuses to follow.

Overall Rating: 4 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 3.5
• Artistic/literary value: 4.5

Read more about our ratings here.

More at Redeemed Reader

• Reviews: The author completes the ALA golden duo with Balderdash!, her biography about John Newbery.
• Resource: Our Picture-Book Biography Book List!
• Reflection: Janie’s thoughts on The Power of a Picture.

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