Caldecott Medal Winner

Shadow

by Marcia Brown

Summary

Translated from a French poem by Blaise Cendrars, this book gives voice to the shadow as it appears in African storytelling, flickering in firelight and shifting through the imagination of the people who watch it. Marcia Brown builds her images from cut paper collage and bold silhouettes, layering black shapes against vivid backgrounds to evoke movement, mystery, and the dance of light. The result is a striking and almost incantatory work that treats shadow as both a presence and a spirit.

Historical Context & Significance

Marcia Brown won her third Caldecott Medal in 1983 for Shadow, which she translated from a poem by the French writer Blaise Cendrars.