Worlds of Childhood: The Art and Craft of Writing for Children
by William Zinsser (Editor)
The Writer's Craft (5)
On This Page
Description
Six prominent children's authors, including Maurice Sendak, Rosemary Wells, and Jack Prelutsky, agree that to enter the worlds that children inhabit, you must possess the magic word - honesty.Tags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
The six authors in this book originally were asked by the Book-of-the-Month Club, Inc., to present talks at The New York Public Library in the winter of 1989. The editor, William Zinsser, adapted the tape recordings of the talks to make them work on the printed page, but did his best to preserve the voice of each author. A couple of the things that impressed me:
Jack Prelutsky: As many of the best things are discovered in life, I discovered my gift through serendipity. I was looking for one thing and found something else, but only because I was looking for that first thing. [p. 100]
Rosemary Wells: My worst nightmares are still those dreams in which I haven't gone to class and there's a final exam in an hour. [p. 136]
Each author was asked show more to provide a bibliography. show less
Jack Prelutsky: As many of the best things are discovered in life, I discovered my gift through serendipity. I was looking for one thing and found something else, but only because I was looking for that first thing. [p. 100]
Rosemary Wells: My worst nightmares are still those dreams in which I haven't gone to class and there's a final exam in an hour. [p. 136]
Each author was asked show more to provide a bibliography. show less
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Author Information
William Knowlton Zinsser (October 7, 1922 - May 12, 2015) was an American writer, editor, literary critic, and teacher. He began his career as a journalist for the New York Herald Tribune, where he worked as a feature writer, drama editor, film critic and editorial writer. Throughout the 1970s, Zinsser taught writing at Yale University. He wrote show more 18 books, including On Writing Well, which is in its 17th edition. Zinsser died at the age of 92 in Manhattan on May 12, 2015. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
All Editions
Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Worlds of Childhood: The Art and Craft of Writing for Children
- First words
- I don't think it's possible to discuss the craft of writing for children without first exploring he nature of the writer. [p. 23] Jean Fritz, "The Teller and the Tale"
Today somebody reminded me that this year is the fiftieth anniversary of The Wizard of Ox. [p. 49] Maurice Sendak, "Visitors from My Boyhood"
When I think back to when I was ten, it was such a different lie from what a ten-year-old lives today. [p. 73] Jill Krementz, "Listening to Children"
The questions I'm asked most often are: Do I have children? When did I start being a poet? Where do I get my ideas, and how do I write my poems? [p. 99] Jack Prelutsky, "In Search of the Addle-pated Paddlepuss"
This is not an idly chosen title, nor is it meant to be catchy. [p. 123] Rosemary Wells, "The Well-Tempered Children's Book"
I was twenty years old. [p. 147] Katherie Paterson, "Heart in Hiding" - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Nor will I be able to stop reaching into the past to enlighten my life today. [p. 46] Jean Fritz, "The Teller and the Tale"
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)She was a finished artist already [p. 69] Maurice Sendak, "Visitors from My Boyhood"
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"When I go to ROTC I forget that I'm smaller than the other kids, and a lot of the time I even forget that I'm sick. All I feel is real proud." [p. 96] Jill Krementz, "Listening to Children"
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)... if you're found of playing ping-pong and would like to lose in style, the Addle-pated Paddlepuss will serve you for awhile. [p. 120] Jack Prelutsky, "In Search of the Addle-pated Paddlepuss"
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)It is a great pleasure to write there, because the young hve what the rest of us can only envy, and that is a belief in goodness and perpetual hope. [p. 143] Rosemary Wells, "The Well-Tempered Children's Book"
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)And they were as one in the company of the Grail. [p. 177] Katherie Paterson, "Heart in Hiding"
Classifications
- Genre
- Fiction and Literature
- DDC/MDS
- 808.06 — Literature & rhetoric Literature, rhetoric & criticism Rhetoric and collections of literary texts from more than two literatures Rhetoric and anthologies By Type Of Writing
- LCC
- PN147.5 .W65 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Authorship
Statistics
- Members
- 98
- Popularity
- 328,820
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.56)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 3
- UPCs
- 2
- ASINs
- 1
