Every year, April 2nd is a day for schools, libraries and bookstores to celebrate Children’s Book Day. Whether throwing an elaborate shindig or something a little more low-key, the one thing these springtime celebrations have in common is the desire to honor the best of the best kid-lit authors and books. Anyone planning to spend Children’s Book Day with a few good reads may want to browse this list for some suggested authors. By no means neither definitive nor objective (beyond researching award-winners and classics), so please take no offense to any exclusions or inclusions. Thanks to Batchelor’s Degree online for the list!

1. Avi: This highly-decorated author delights children and young adults with historical fiction, animal tales and adventures, with Nothing But the Truth probably considered his most popular work.
2. L. Frank Baum: Parents and children alike still delight in the tales from the whimsical Land of Oz — and not just the one about the iconic wizard, either!
3. Ludwig Bemelmans: As both an artist and an illustrator, Ludwig Bemelmans brought little redheaded Madeline to life and launched her to children’s series stardom.
4. Stan and Jan Berenstain: The Berenstain Bears are a staple of American children’s literature, with their many adventures teaching kids some extremely valuable life lessons.
5. Judy Blume: With plenty of awards and enduring titles such as Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, Blubber and the Fudge series, Judy Blume is an essential author for any Children’s Book Day list or celebration.
6. Marc Brown: For the past 35 years, this beloved author and illustrator has brought the ups and downs of Arthur the aardvark and his amazing anthropomorphic pals to kids and their parents alike.
7. Joseph Bruchac: Joseph Bruchac pulls from his Abenaki background (as well as other Native American cultural traditions) to educate people of all ages about the endangered civilizations. Along with the bestselling Keepers series, he also brings his heritage to schools through musical and poetic performances.
8. Jean de Brunhoff: Babar the Elephant and his gentle exploits came into existence thanks to the storytelling efforts by author and illustrator Jean de Brunhoff, inspired by bedtime stories his wife Cecile would tell their sons.
9. Betsy Byars: Busy Betsy Byars has multiple prestigious awards — including the Newbery — and over 60 publications to her name. The Summer of the Swans is probably her most famous work to date.
10. Eric Carle: The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other books punctuate educational stories with Eric Carle’s signature illustrations, fraught with amazingly vivid colors and textures.
    

    The Very Busy Spider

11. Lewis Carroll: Because Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Jabberwocky‘s clever wordplay and whimsical worlds both left an indelible mark on popular culture, Lewis Carroll certainly earns Children’s Book Day accolades.
12. Sandra Cisneros: Though mostly known for her gorgeous poetry and adult prose, Sandra Cisneros’ fantastic Hairs/Pelitos celebrates diversity found within a family.
13. Beverly Cleary: Ralph Mouse and Beezus and Ramona Quimby are only a couple inhabitants of Bevery Cleary’s veritable zoo of beloved children’s book characters.
14. Roald Dahl: Both adults and kids still laud the quirky, if not downright bizarre, tales by the beloved author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach and plenty more magical classics.
15. Tomie dePaola: This author and illustrator earned amazing honors — like the Caldecott Medal and Newbery Honor Award — for enduring works such as Strega Nona and 26 Fairmont Avenue.
    

    A story to read again and again...

16. Nikki Giovanni: Kids and parents who love poetry as much as prose should pick up the seriously cool collections Hip Hop Speaks to Children, Ego Tripping and Other Poems for Young People and Vacation Time.
17. Kenneth Grahame: The Wind in the Willows embroils readers in the fantastic adventures of fanciful Mr. Toad, gruff Mr. Badger and the other inhabitants of the Wild Wood.
18. Nikki Grimes: All of Nikki Grimes’ prosaic and poetic output for children are great reads, but the Coretta Scott King Award winner Bronx Masquerade makes for the best introduction.
19. E.L. Konigsburg: Earning a Newbery Medal for From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler inspired E.L. Konigsburg to keep writing challenging (but entertaining) fare for children and yong adults.
20. Madeleine L’Engle: Many budding young science fiction aficionados first discovered the genre thanks to the intelligent complexities found in the accessible A Wrinkle in Time series.
21. Paul Fleischman: One of the most decorated authors of children’s and young adult fiction boasts a bibliography bursting with essentials. Seedfolks and its portrayal of a diverse neighborhood’s community garden is probably the best place to start.
22. Jeff Kinney: The series of Diary of a Wimpy Kid cartoonish graphic novels channels many common frustrations children and young adults experience.
23. C.S. Lewis: Regardless of their religious convictions, a diverse number of readers absolutely adore the The Chronicles of Narnia books and keep them flying off library and classroom shelves.
24. Astrid Lindgren: Astrid Lindgren’s vivacious Pippi Longstocking continues to delight both children and adults with her boundless energy, wish-fulfilling lifestyle and utter devotion to her more conventional friends.
25. Lois Lowry: The critically-lauded Lois Lowry won two Newbery Medals for The Giver and Number the Stars, but pretty much everything else she’s written — especially about the quirky Krupnik family — still warrants reading.
26. Betty MacDonald: Kids who never picked up any books featuring Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and her magical cures for common behavior issues are missing out on some absolutely hilarious stories!
27. L.M. Montgomery: Male and female readers alike enjoy L.M. Montgomery’s tales from Prince Edward Island, particularly intrepid, fiery ingenue Anne Shirley.
28. Walter Dean Myers: Three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Walter Dean Myers receives both critical praise and plenty of challenges for his fearless depiction of race, class, urban and war issues in young adult novels such as Fallen Angels and Monster.
29. Scott O’Dell: All young readers with a particular love of the adventure genre needs to pick up the beloved novels Island of the Blue Dolphins and The Black Pearl for page-turning good times.
30. Peggy Parish: Not only is the Amelia Bedelia series absolutely hilarious, it also teaches kids the difference between literal and figurative language.
31. Gary Paulsen: Gary Paulsen’s historical works (notably, Nightjohn) and adventures (notably, Hatchet, the Brian series and The Tucket Adventures series) are absolutely essential reads for fans of the genres.
32. A.A. Milne: Though primarily an adult author, A.A. Milne’s Hundred Acre Woods — populated with the likes of Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and their human pal for life Christopher Robin — rightfully earned him a spot in the kidlit canon.
33. Patricia Polacco: Patricia Polacco’s amazing oeuvre includes stories of Jewish faith, culture and tradition, family, friendship and plenty more. Try Mrs. Katz and Tush, which chronicles a satisfying friendship between an African-American boy and an old widow.
34. Hans Augusto and Margret Rey: Without Curious George, the curious little monkey, the world of children’s literature would certainly sport a giant, gaping yellow hole.
35. Louis Sachar: There exists a distinct tonal difference between the adventurous Holes and completely wacky Wayside School series, young readers certainly find enough space on their shelves for Louis Sachar’s most beloved books.
36. Antoine de Saint-Exupery: The Little Prince continues to enchant kids and their parents as a science fiction-tinged fantasy fully of gentle wonder perfect for sharing.
37. Jon Scieszka: Children tired of the same old fairy tales should pick up Jon Scieszka’s joyfully postmodern collaborations with Lane Smith (most especially The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man (and Other Fairly Stupid Tales) for brand new twists and perspectives.
38. Maurice Sendak: Beloved author and illustrator Maurice Sendak channels tender charm and imagination into every work, but earns particularly generous accolades for In the Night Kitchen and Where the Wild Things are.
39. Dr. Seuss: Without Dr. Seuss, this author must preach, there would be no Lorax, no Horton, no sneech! No Cat in the Hat, nor fish that is blue. Neither Maisey, nor Grinchy, nor ol’ Thing Two! Thankfully life granted him time, so now kids of all ages can enjoy his great rhyme.
40. Shel Silverstein: Through songs, multiple poetry collections and prose works such as the thought-provoking narratives of The Missing Piece and The Giving Tree, this wildly talented individual remained many kids’ favorite writers on into adulthood.
41. Gary Soto: No matter the age bracket or preference towards prose or poetry, the wonderful, prolific Gary Soto has likely published a suitable, interesting read. Try Too Many Tamales and Marisol first!
42. Jerry Spinelli: Maniac Magee earned Jerry Spinelli a Newbery Award, while Wringer garnered a Newbery Honor. Most of his works, however, make for very worthwhile reading.
43. John Steptoe: John Steptoe wrote and illustrated 10 of the 15 children’s books with which he was involved, earning the prestigious Coretta Scott King Award for Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, Mother Crocodile (written by Rosa Guy) and The Story of Jumping Mouse. Because of his 20-year career, influence and devotion to promoting African and African-American themes, the kidlit community distributes an award in his honor.
44. Mildred D. Taylor: This author fictionalized her family history in the epic novels involving the Logan family, most notably Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
45. Theodore Taylor: Before his 2006 death, Theodore Taylor earned a staggering 11 literary awards for his children’s and young adult classics. The Cay, Timothy of the Cay and The Trouble with Tuck are probably his most recognizable publications.
46. E.B. White: Stuart Little, Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig are only a few of the highly memorable characters populating E.B. White’s persistently popular children’s novels.
47. Laura Ingalls Wilder: The semi-autobiographical, widely-read Little House series is a great way to introduce kids to life in America’s pioneer past.
48. Gene Luen Yang: Sweet-natured graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang produces some amazing art and stories for kids, many of them pulling from Chinese and Chinese-American themes. American Born Chinese rightfully earned him an Eisner Award, a Michael L. Prinz Award and several other prestigious nominations.
49. Laurence Yep: While Laurence Yep’s career boasts plenty of amazing reads for a variety of different age groups, both the Newbery Honors went towards novels in the Golden Mountain Chronicles series. These epics explore the transition of a Chinese family before, during and after some members immigrate to America.
50. Jane Yolen: Sometimes referred to as “The Hans Christian Anderson of America,” prolific author Jane Yolen publishes an eclectic assortment of children’s, science fiction, historical and fantasy literature — titles as diverse as the Commander Toad series and The Devil’s Arithmetic.

Fireside Stories, from Barefoot Books. Available from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fireside-Stories-Caitlin-Matthews/dp/1846860652

Even though this beautiful collection of stories is entitled Fireside Stories: Tales for a Winter’s Eve, my son and I can attest to the fact that these are darn good stories for any time of the day. This children’s book is a collection of traditional tales, beautifully illustrated, with handsome borders and colorful images. The eight tales in Fireside Stories, retold by Caitlin Matthews, come from Scotland, Russia, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Canada.

Drawn from countries and cultures around the world, these wonderful wintry stories express the magnificence of the season. From a group of courageous Russian animals to a legend about a bag of warmth that can keep winter away forever, these cozy stories will keep out the winter chill. So next time there’s a snow day, cuddle up and share a story by the fire!

"I Can Do It Too!" picture book for the iPhone

Are digitally enhanced e-books books or games? It depends on the individual application and how faithful the app stays to the original work of the book. Some apps are games that are based on characters from a book, but have nothing to do with the original book or with reading. Reading a story book on a screen is a very different experience from playing a repetitive video game on the same screen. Reading an e-book has the same educational, mind-opening benefits as reading a traditional print book: it increases vocabulary, improves concentration and focus, and expands horizons.

PicPocket Books has a growing list of children’s picture book titles that are very faithful to the original published books that are available on iTunes: full color illustrations, full text, plus and audio track and other options, and you can take it anywhere!

Andrea Cheng

Now in the iTunes App Store!

“I ride my bicycle to work every morning, and I used to pass a tire store on my way.  I saw a little boy playing on the tires almost every day.  Even though this corner is really a blighted area, the little boy always seemed so happy with his home.  I named him Aaron Jacob Johnson and made up a story of how he used his tires to make a playground.”

Tire Mountain is Andrea’s first book to be available on an iphone platform. She is happy with the results!

“When I saw [the app], I was most impressed. I especially love the way that the dialogue is read. It is full of expression and drama. In addition, the pictures look vibrant and intense.”

Do you make up stories sometimes? Where do they come from?

An article in Publishers Weekly addresses these questions and more: are publishers ready? What about piracy? How will rights be handled? Will libraries become obsolete?

The article summarizes a forum held by the Children’s Book Council on “The Current State of E: Publishing in the Digital Age.”  One panelist states, “E-books add a fantastic functionality to what a book is. Adding interactivity to that experience is also very interesting. And thinking about ways they can be fun [is important], because it’s for children.”

There’s a lot of potential! What do you think?

Concepts are often hidden. We don’t learn most of what we know via rote memorization, or by being hit over the head with dry “facts.” Much of the time, we learn by experiencing and taking in knowledge in our own time. 

For me and for many, a lot of learning comes with reading. This kind of learning is critical for young children. Reading picture books is so important! An article on one of our new books, “Cucumber Soup,” emphasizes that “Meaningful learning takes place when children experience math and science [and other subjects] in ways that relate to their own day-to-day lives.”

The cute story of various insects that come together to move a big cucumber, subtly instructs. It explores counting, weight, balance, cooperation, and teamwork. With the recipe for “Cucumber Soup” in the back, it also introduces children to cooking in the kitchen (safely – there is no fire involved in this recipe!). Cucumber soup seems like a delicious summer snack to me!

What I love about this story is its sweet and simple depiction of young friendship. Young children, before they learn social stereotypes and ideas, are often more accepting and embracing of difference. “My Friend Isabelle” depicts exactly that kind of relationship. Isabelle’s differences, due to Down Syndrome, are explained in an age-appropriate and gentle manner. Regardless of differences, Charlie and Isabelle have a lot in common and enjoy spending “every Friday” together.

This story is a perfect opportunity for discussion about tolerance, acceptance, and even diversity by showing that “differences are what makes the world so great.”

For more information, see Write-A-Review-Wednesday and visit Woodbine House, the mighty Amazon, and our iTunes App of the book!

You would have to read or listen to a LOT in order to create such a list. And even then, other people will have different ideas. I wonder if it’s possible to create a definitive “best” list of anything (maybe with divine criteria?) or if such things will always be subjective….

The Baltimore Examiner has given the “Best list” idea a try, with children’s picture books (in English). Their criteria are that the books must:

1. Never tire us. We are willing to read it again and again to our children and they want to hear it over and over.
2. Stay in our hearts and minds, even after the pages are closed, because they tell us something about life.
3. Have a seamless marriage of text and illustration
4. Use language well.

They seem like good criteria to me. Yet I’m sure that what we are “willing to read again and again,” and what “stays in our hearts and minds,” are as many and diverse as the people who read. I am curious to know what kind of board or panel made these decisions, and what its diversity was like.

I recognized 10 of the 25 titles, three of which I consider personal favorites: “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” “Make Way for Ducklings,” and “Where The Wild Things Are.” Other favorites, like “Goodnight Moon” and “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” were not on the list. 

Either way, the books on this list will certainly be wonderful to read.

Sal accompanies her mother out to pick blueberries to store for the winter at the same time a mother bear and her cub are filling their stomachs with food for the winter. Of course, the bears’ method of gathering berries is more suited to a child’s priorities. Just as little Sal put considerably more berries into her mouth than into her pail back in 1949 when McCloskey was awarded the Caldecott Honor citation for “Sal,” my children do the same on this outing.

However, unlike Sal and her mother, the buzzing insects and birds were the only wildlife we encountered (no bears). My favorite line from the book remains, “Little Bear and Little Sal’s mother and Little Sal and Little Bear’s mother were all mixed up with each other among the blueberries on Blueberry Hill.”

I highly recommend pairing this classic picture book with a trip to pick blueberries this summer!