The commercials for The Lorax film say: I am the Lorax. I speak for the tweens.1 The commercials for the many Lorax tie-ins say: I am the Lorax. I speak for the SUVs.2 I am the Lorax. I speak for the pancakes.3 I am the Lorax. I speak for the diapers.4 But what does the…
Noting the rise in “adult” authors writing for children, Dr. Seuss in November 1960 published an article in which he argued that children’s books were more important than other types of books – because children’s books had the potential to be more influential than all other books. I’m reproducing it below exactly as it appeared…
Continuing my series on building the “perfect” children’s library (for criteria, see first post), here are some great alphabet books. The first post listed Dr. Seuss’s ABC (1963), Crockett Johnson’s Harold’s ABC (1963), and Bill Martin, John Archambault, & Lois Ehlert’s Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989). Here are ten more alphabet titles I’ve recently sent…
In terms of number of Caldecott Medals won, you are now tied with Dr. Seuss. And Crockett Johnson. And Wanda Gág, Eric Carle, Esphyr Slobodkina, James Marshall, Donald Crews, Jon Agee, Tim Egan, Peter SÃs, Lane Smith, Barbara Lehman, Mo Willems, Lois Ehlert, Leo Lionni, and H.A. Rey. None of them won the Caldecott Medal,…
I’m doing it again – teaching an entire course devoted to Dr. Seuss (the link in this sentence takes you to the current draft of the syllabus). Â Art! Â Politics! Â Verse! Â Nonsense! Â Activism! Â These are but some of the subjects we’ll explore in English 710: Dr. Seuss, a graduate-level course which begins on Wednesday. Aiming to…
There’s a new blog that children’s lit readers & Curious George fans will want to explore. Â Titled All Things Rey (an homage to the great All Things Thurl website, perhaps?), it features posts devoted to H.A. and Margret Rey. Â It launched on Nov. 2 2011 with a post on H.A., at a New Hampshire swimming…
The beginnings of children’s literature in America predate the nation, but not the region. In 1686, the publication of the New England Primer heralded a centuries-long tradition of books for children and young people written in, on, and around New England. These works show that constructions of places and people are not wholly separate processes;…
Here are a few en français. For each, I also provide the title as translated into English. As noted in Emily’s Library, Part 1, I read the books in English (since I don’t speak French) and then send the French originals to my niece (whose parents are raising her in English & French). I agree…
As mentioned in Emily’s Library, Part 1, one reason for including these is that they’re multi-lingual, but another is that they’re compelling works of narrative art. They highlight art’s centrality to the picture book itself. To restate what I noted in yesterday’s post, art is so central to the picture book that, as part of…
Welcome to a new feature on Nine Kinds of Pie: “Emily’s Library.†It’s named for my eight-month-old niece, and it will feature only the very best children’s books.
