Young at Art:  The Caldecott Collection of Children’s Book Illustrations

February 12 - August 8, 2026

Young at Art:  The Caldecott Collection of Children’s Book Illustrations is an exhibition of 35 original illustrations from Caldecott Honor and Caldecott Medal-winning artists. In addition to featuring many of the actual illustrations that earned each artist a Caldecott Medal or Caldecott Award, Young at Art also features excerpts from several of the artists’ other published works.

The illustrations that comprise this exhibition are from the permanent collection of the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at Midwestern State University, which began collecting Caldecott-awarded illustrations with the acquisition of seven original works in 1984. This collection began out of an appreciation for illustrations as art objects and is reflective of the museum’s focus on family oriented activities and programs. In the intervening years, the collection has grown to include thirty-five illustrations and 40 books. 

Book illustrations are often created for the sole purpose of reproduction in a publication. This means that the illustrations may have been produced with non-conservable materials and destined for the trash can. For this reason, this exhibition is a unique opportunity for children and adults alike to appreciate original works of art rarely seen in public venues. Though viewers may have seen much of this exhibition reprinted on glossy paper, firsthand experience of each illustration provides direct access to the exquisite technical skill and conceptual wit contained in each image.

Beginning with Dorothy Lathrop, the recipient of the first Caldecott medal in 1938, and proceeding through 2012’s Caldecott Honor recipient E.B. Lewis, Young at Art: The Caldecott Collection of Children’s Book Illustrations is a true celebration of the creativity, imagination, and talent of nearly seven decades of distinguished artists.