Cátia Chien’s ALA: A Caldecott Round-Up from the Winner Herself

Let’s say you’ve won a Caldecott Award.

That’s a bit of a “What If” but it does get at the heart of today’s guest post. Folks, it is my extreme honor to host none other than the great Cátia Chien, winner of the 2026 Caldecott Award for her artist work on Fireworks, written by Matthew Burgess. Now Cátia had quite the weekend at the past American Library Association conference in Chicago, Illinois, and we’d like her to tell you about it. So now, if you would be so good, please enjoy this visual essay of where she went, what she did, who she saw, and what she experienced. Consider it A Day (or Two) in the Life of a Caldecott Winner.

Note: You can enlarge any of these images by clicking on them.

And now…. Cátia:

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The night before the Caldecott-Legacy-Newbery banquet, I had a Caldecott dinner with Patti Rosati, Kate O’Sullivan and the Caldecott Committee members. For every member we had hot pink gift bags which included a silk Fireworks scarf I designed, along with individual buttons I painted featuring each Caldecott committee member as their child self – and a “Caldecott class photo” of everyone as their seven year old selves.

And for Jewel Davis I painted an original featuring an image from Fireworks of the siblings running through the fire hydrant, except, it wasn’t the siblings running through – it was Jewel, as her seven year old self, and her daughter Ren who is four.

There was also a watermelon spritz toast where I got to thank the Committee with a few remarks. I cried through most of it and by the time I was done – we were all crying.

 I want to begin by saying thank you—not just for this immense honor, but for the kind of attention you gave to Fireworks. I know that the work of the Caldecott committee is private, intense, and full of responsibility. I imagine receiving the Caldecott call changed you, too—and then you took on the immense work of spending a whole year looking closely, thinking deeply, returning again and again to the images in picture books, asking what is truly being made on each page, and what is being made as a whole.

As an illustrator, so much of my work happens in solitude. I make choices that are almost invisible at first—the temperature of a color, the gravitational pull of a grandmother’s love, the way a child’s body leans or jumps when it is full of joy, the connection between two siblings, the feeling of heat rising off a rooftop after a long summer day.

And the hope is that a reader will see and feel those choices, and make meaning from them. That the color, rhythm, gesture, and light will carry something beyond the words. That the images will open a small door inside someone.

And you did.

You saw the children moving through Chinatown. You saw the fire hydrant spray, the softness of the rooftop tar, the grandmother’s quiet presence, the city opening up around them, and the final “kaboom kaboom within.” You saw not only the celebration, but the inner life of the children inside it.

That kind of seeing is a profound gift to an artist.

Thank you for meeting this book with such seriousness, tenderness, and care. Thank you for honoring the visual language of pictures, and for understanding how much story can live inside color, movement, connection, and feeling.

Your recognition has changed my life. But even more than that, it has made me feel that the quiet work but deeply personal work I placed on the page was truly received.

This is our Caldecott and I am forever bonded to you through Fireworks.

And I may be biased, but I truly believe I have the best Caldecott committee in all 88 years of its history.

With all my heart, thank you.

The Caldetatts were on full display at the Caldecott dinner! Among many other Caldecott committee member’s beautiful tattoos here are three – Sada Mozer had the big kaboom from the finale. Beth Shaum had a beautifully incorporated tattoo of all the honor and medal books. Stephie Luyt had a pop of Fireworks.

We woke up early on the day of the banquet – I think it was 6am? Emmett loves the ferris wheel and immediately hopped out of bed to open up the curtains.

The day of the banquet – I didn’t want to stress about the getting ready part. I started with a treat to myself of an in-room breakfast in the room overlooking the Lake and Navy Pier.

Two hours before the event I steamed my dress, braided my hair and got a simple pedicure. I wear no makeup – easy!

Joe Prince was dressed to the nines in hot pink to celebrate Fireworks! I ran into him and his partner David right as I was walking into the Hilton for the Caldecott-Legacy-Newbery banquet. I am clutching on to my speech folder.

Some shenanigans in the green room with Zeke Peña, Drew Beckmeyer, me, Angie Kang, Jashar Awan.

It was so rewarding to see the sea of hot pink Kabooms as soon as I walked into the ballroom!!

A view from the podium! The lights are blinding and I don’t remember being able to see anyone in the front!

When I said “and My son Emmett is here today” my son stood up and gave everyone a wave. I was so proud of him!!

I couldn’t have imagined a standing ovation when I visualized what the night would be like. Wow. I held back tears for the speech (but almost cracked when I spoke about my son) but the minute I finished and friends came up to say “I’m so proud of you” the water works started!

And of course the battle over the Caldecott medal started – who gets to hold it first?! (left to right – my husband Mike, my son Emmett and my father-in-law Jim)

At the end of the night – kidlit friends continued the celebration at the Hilton lobby/bar and surprised me with a champagne toast, a sketchbook signed with messages for me and also a star trophy “You are a fuckin’ super star” was presented to me by Vashti Harrison. I am so lucky to have this community. A night I will never forget.

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Betsy here. This was such a treat. Thank you, Cátia, for giving us a glimpse behind the curtain at your historic day. Thanks too to Tracy Miracle at Egypt Street PR for helping to put this whole thing together.

Filed under: Guest Posts