How can children’s literature teach lessons, provide representation for marginalized groups, and provide insight into different ways of living–all without being preachy or pedantic? Join us for our discussion on 2019’s THE GIFT OF RAMADAN, a picture book that manages to do all these things beautifully. We’ll address the recent Mac Barnett scandal, then do…
The second entry in our fortnightly Caldecott series focuses on Thomas Handforth’s 1938 Mei Li. Books naturally fall in and out of the publication cycle: some get found and republished, others remain dead. Despite having won one of the most prestigious awards in children’s literature, Thomas Handforth’s stunningly illustrated picture book debut is today out…
 Julia Donaldson is one of the biggest names in children’s literature, but her work with illustrator Victoria Sandøy–shall we call it The Tree Trilogy?–has gone largely unnoticed in the U.S. But who doesn’t want a children’s book filled with specialist knowledge about industrial paper making practices of the 20 and 21C? Adalyn is…
\ Every other week, we’ll be reviewing Caldecott winners–so we decided to start in the beginning, a very good place to start! The internet is replete with blogs, podcasts, and social media projects undertaking precisely this challenge. ANIMALS OF THE BIBLE, the first “children’s book” to win the Caldecott, marks the beginning and end for…