The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators
by Anita Silvey
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Description
This new volume introduces readers to the wealth of children's literature by focusing on the essentials -- the best books for children, the ones that inform, impress, and, most important, excite young readers. This edition features more than 475 entries on the best-loved children's authors and illustrators, numerous essays on social and historical issues, thirty personal glimpses into craft by well-known writers, illustrators, and critics, and invaluable reading lists by category. The show more essential guide to children's books and their creators summarizes the canon of contemporary children's literature, in a practical guide essential for anyone choosing a book for or working with children. show lessTags
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Despite the claim by the author to focus on contemporary, at the halfway point I've not noticed one author or illustrator who was publishing in the 90s, very few in the 80s, despite the date of this being 1995. And by now it's even more dated already. Many of the books mentioned that interest me are out of print.
I guess that's a good thing for me, because I get *plenty* of recommendations here on goodreads from friends and groups. I don't need this book!
No mention of [a:Robert Newton Peck|17541|Robert Newton Peck|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1309161608p2/17541.jpg] or [a:Phyllis McGinley|62056|Phyllis McGinley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1363243791p2/62056.jpg], either, I happen to notice. I wonder who else is missing. show more Otoh, Silvey included [a:Philip Pullman|3618|Philip Pullman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1396622492p2/3618.jpg] *before* [b:His Dark Materials|18116|His Dark Materials (His Dark Materials #1-3)|Philip Pullman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442329494s/18116.jpg|1943518].
But, I didn't get much depth of insight, or joy, out of it. Maybe a library could have it in non-circulating reference. Maybe ppl who are totally into behind-the-scenes would like the little autobiography bits by some of the creators. Or ppl who are not on goodreads would like some of the genre analyses, instead of using discussion groups or Listopia or friend's recommendations. But I don't actually recommend it, even to scholars.
I did like one line, in re' Harriet the Spy "... caricatures, rather than characters."
(Done, opinions hold true from beginning to end.) show less
I guess that's a good thing for me, because I get *plenty* of recommendations here on goodreads from friends and groups. I don't need this book!
No mention of [a:Robert Newton Peck|17541|Robert Newton Peck|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1309161608p2/17541.jpg] or [a:Phyllis McGinley|62056|Phyllis McGinley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1363243791p2/62056.jpg], either, I happen to notice. I wonder who else is missing. show more Otoh, Silvey included [a:Philip Pullman|3618|Philip Pullman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1396622492p2/3618.jpg] *before* [b:His Dark Materials|18116|His Dark Materials (His Dark Materials #1-3)|Philip Pullman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442329494s/18116.jpg|1943518].
But, I didn't get much depth of insight, or joy, out of it. Maybe a library could have it in non-circulating reference. Maybe ppl who are totally into behind-the-scenes would like the little autobiography bits by some of the creators. Or ppl who are not on goodreads would like some of the genre analyses, instead of using discussion groups or Listopia or friend's recommendations. But I don't actually recommend it, even to scholars.
I did like one line, in re' Harriet the Spy "... caricatures, rather than characters."
(Done, opinions hold true from beginning to end.) show less
A one-volume encyclopedia of children's authors and subjects, with occasional essays by authors.
Silvey begins with a basic reading list divided into categories and age ranges. Organized alphabetically, each is about one page of dense writing and includes a list of contributors and very brief, relevant, biographical information on each. NetLibrary created a Web version.
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149 works; 23 members
Author Information
29+ Works 1,520 Members
Anita Silvey estimates that she has read 125,000 children's books, starting in childhood and continuing through her years as a reviewer for and editor of The Horn Book Magazine and as a publisher of children's books for Houghton Mifflin
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2002
- Epigraph
- Only the rarest kind of best in anything is good enough for the young.
--Walter de la Mare - Dedication
- For my colleagues:
the women and men who have created, published, sold, promoted, and championed children's and young adult books. They have loved and nurtured the books described in these pages - and have taught me all t... (show all)hat I know. - First words
- Introduction: Life is a banquet - and most of us starve.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)She [Lisbeth Zwerger] is among the best illlustrative artists to have emerged in this century.
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, Children's Books, Literature Studies and Criticism
- DDC/MDS
- 028.1 — Computer science, information & general works Library & information sciences Reading and use of other information media Reviews of Books
- LCC
- Z1037 — Bibliography, Library Science and Information Resources General bibliography Books for special classes of persons, institutions, etc.
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 331
- Popularity
- 95,595
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (4.05)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- UPCs
- 2
- ASINs
- 1
