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…
Continue readingAt 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…
Continue readingHarlin 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…
Continue readingInfograph by Scholastic and devised from the Kids & Family Reading Report: Fifth Edition which is due out in January 2015. The Kids & Family Reading Report is a national survey of children ages 6–17 and their parents exploring attitudes and behaviors around reading books for fun.
Continue readingA 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…
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