The likelihood that books can shape children's gender role attitudes and transmit gender role stereotypes increases the need for non-sexist children's literature. This paper explores the appearance of gender in Caldecott Award winning children's books. Picture books, trade books, content books and basal readers were inspected in the 1970s for the appearance of sexism; researchers found ample evidence of sexual bias in these materials. Male characters were depicted more often than female characters and both genders were shown in traditional, stereotyped roles. In the 1980s several studies examined children's books which were published since the original research to determine whether any changes had taken place in the number of female characters or in the manner in which they were represented. A higher percentage of female images was found in the 1980s than in the 1970s; however, the gender roles still reflected stereotypes. The books published between 1980 and 1995 share some traits of their earlier counterparts; male main characters still outnumber female main characters, but only slightly. Most of the female main characters in recent literature are portrayed in a non stereotyped fashion. Another difference is the deviation from stereotyped character portrayals in folktales. Criteria for parents/educators to evaluate children's books and a list of the Caldecott Award winning books and honor books for 1981-95 are included. (Contains 16 references.) (AEF)