Our final installment of our 2020 Caldecott series celebrates the 2020 Caldecott Medal Winner: THE UNDEFEATED by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson! We hope this year’s analysis prompts to you look deeper at other picture books as well as your own manuscripts.

The culmination of our 2020 series celebrates THE UNDEFEATED written by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, and published by Versify. This book brings to life the words of the poetic text by showcasing portraiture illustrations of prominent figures in history.

One interesting note: This year’s winner and honorees are all author and illustrator teams—which is fairly unusual for this award that primarily focuses on illustration.

Here’s a quick description of THE UNDEFEATED:

Originally performed for ESPN’s The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world’s greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present. Robust back matter at the end provides valuable historical context and additional detail for those wishing to learn more.

Emma Walton Hamilton spearheads our discussion of this soul-stirring book with a bit of background on this text’s journey from poem to award-winning picture book.

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