The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators

From Aesop to Zwerger, this title holds a wealth of information about children's literature in an easily accessible, alphabetized format. To create the work, some material was taken from the earlier collection, Children's Books and Their Creators (Houghton, 1995), and combined with more than 100 new essays on more recent titles. When necessary, information from the previous title has been updated. In her introduction, Silvey states that she considered "historical importance, popularity, current interest in and availability of the books, and the overall contribution of the author or artist." The titles "include captivating stories, compelling characters and imaginative use of language-they appeal to a wide and diverse audience of children." In addition to essays on various genres, themes, and perspectives, "Voices of the Creators" provide personal insights of well-known authors and illustrators. The book also contains a substantial reading list divided into categories, such as nursery rhymes, information books, and Japanese American literature. A solid, handy resource for both public and school libraries.