The Caldecott Award has only gone to a handful of picture-book biographies. Some have received well-deserved Caldecott honors, but only a few have taken home the Gold. Most recently, Javaka Steptoe won the Medal in 2017 for his inventive jigsaw puzzle–style book, Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Picture-book biographies pose a challenge for the Caldecott committee because the criteria states that each contending title must provide a “visual experience” for children and that “a picture book has a collective unity of story-line, theme or concept, developed through the series of pictures of which the book is comprised.” In other words, the book’s images need to stand on their own, helping young readers understand what they are looking at, without necessarily even reading the words. In picture-book biographies, however, the illustrations are there to support the facts presented in the text. Hence the dilemma of a Caldecott committee member.

Luckily some picture-book biographies contain artwork that manages to deftly capture the essence and experiences of their subjects, providing just the right amount of visual information to carry young readers along, becoming true Caldecott candidates in the process. One of the more exceptional recent titles is Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos, a powerful look at legendary baseball player Roberto Clemente (1934–1972). Nathalie Alonso writes with the captivating energy of a supremely talented play-by-play announcer; her exciting and empathetic text inspires Gutierrez’s unforgettable images, which fly and leap across  stunning double-page spreads. Those looking at this title can examine the mural-like illustrations and follow Clemente through major parts of life, from his childhood playing béisbol in Puerto Rico with makeshift equipment, to his later triumphs as an MVP who shatters records in the Major Leagues.

In my starred Horn Book review of Call Me Roberto! I wrote: “Each double-page spread resembles an intricate mural, capturing jumps in time and changes in locale with swirls and attention-grabbing line work. While Gutierrez employs many abstract touches throughout, he gives Clemente an expressive photorealistic face that shows his determination and drive.” As an example of this, just look at that childhood scene that manages to show so much: Clemente using a tree branch to hit a tin can under a warm setting sun. Blurred movement, bodies bent at an angle, the landscape askew, verdant greens popping, his mom in the background with her hands on hips calling him home.

Some of the most striking images juxtapose Clemente’s triumphs on the field with the angry crowd berating him in the stands. One spread shows Clemente smacking the ball, safely making it to base and then scoring. His body whooshes across the page, and Gutierrez employs hand lettering for the words safe and scores. Clemente’s moves are athletic and graceful. Meanwhile, the artist depicts the spectators as a bunch of squiggles with angry undignified faces. This effective approach continues throughout the book. One spread shows scribbled images of bigots booing him on one half of the page, while young fans in Puerto Rico with photorealistic faces smile and cheer his name and point at the sky.

Gutierrez packs a lot of visual information in his stylized illustrations. And yet the book’s design never feels cluttered. The eye moves across each spread, absorbing the visual information provided. This gifted artist guides the reader. 

Also impressive is how Gutierrez provides visual touches that celebrate Clemente being Afro-Latino. In a Five Questions interview for Notes from the Horn Book, Gutierrez says he wanted to “flavor the visual narrative with hand-painted words and/or drawings based on petroglyphic influences such as Taíno art (art of the Indigenous people of Puerto Rico), as well as African-based iconography for the effect that I wanted, which of course was based on who Roberto Clemente was as an Afro-Latino. It’s my responsibility to enhance the words in any book I illustrate for the purpose of feeling and authenticity.” 

This care to honor Roberto Clemente in so many ways helps make this picture-book biography stand apart. As a result, this unforgettable book honors the Caldecott terms and criteria. Gutierrez creates a visually cohesive and distinct series of images that work beautifully as a whole, and speak to a young audience who will learn a lot about what this amazing athlete experienced and accomplished.

[Read The Horn Book Magazine review of Call Me Roberto!]