Book Patrol

Tag: Children’s Books

Denslow’s OZ

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      Of the 14 books in L. Frank Baum's beloved Wizard of Oz series only one was illustrated by W.W. Denslow. As it turns out, it was a big one. For it was Denslow that illustrated the first volume, Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, and visually introduced us to Dorothy and the gang.   Though many of us think of John R. Neill when thinking of Oz illustrators it was Denslow's  "depictions of Dorothy, Toto, and all the other creatures and landscapes of Oz have become so iconic as to be inseparable from Baum’s story."1    ...

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Critics choose the greatest children’s books of all time

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At BBC Culture Jane Ciabattari  surveyed dozens of the leading book critics around the world to find out what are the best children’s books (for ages 10 and under) ever published in English. When all was said and done 151 titles were mentioned by the critics. Here are the top 11 with links to collectible copies currently on the market: 1. Charlotte's Web 2. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe 3. Where the Wild Things Are 4. Alices' Adventures inWonderland 5. Little  Women 6. The Little Prince 7. Winnie the Pooh 8. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 9. A Wizard of Earthsea 10. A Wrinkle in Time 11. Little House on the Prairie...

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Harlin Quist: The coolest publisher of children’s books you never heard of

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Harlin Quist just might be the coolest publisher of children's books you never heard of. The brainchild of Harlin Bloomquist, Quist published over sixty children's books between 1966-1984. They featured some of the finest European and American authors and illustrators of the day and helped establish the careers of many young artists.  They are unmistakable in design and offered an original, fresh look in childrens' book publishing. Quist had a background in theater and then worked in publishing, first as an editor at Crowell-Collier, then at Dell, where he worked on the first picture paperback books before going out on his own. Here is what some of the...

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Paddington Bear Invades London

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A run of first edition of Paddington In 1956 Michael Bond, a BBC cameraman, bought a small toy bear left alone on a shelf in a department store in London for his wife Brenda. He named it Paddington after the train station closest to his home. In 1958 Williams Collins published the first Paddington book, A Bear Called Paddington, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum.  To date 150 titles have been published ranging from the original novels to board books for babies. Over 35 million books have been sold and Paddington has been translated into over 40 languages. Now comes Paddington the movie and to celebrate its...

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