blogis librorum. A blog about books. Rare books.

The Caldecott Medal is awarded yearly to the book that best represents the highest quality of children's book illustration, whether through innovation or skilled homage to past artistic traditions. Oftentimes, a key factor is the skill at which the illustrator designs their illustrations to further the aims of the text, something for which today's writer/illustrator is well known for. This illustrator has not only won the Caldecott Medal, but has also been a Caldecott Honor recipient an astounding three times. Join us as we take a closer look at Paul O. Zelinsky in this edition of our Caldecott Winning Illustrators Series:

     

Read more...

---

For over sixty years, author Katherine Paterson has released children's books on difficult themes like death, abandonment, war, and grief. She has won two National Book Awards, two Newbery Medals, the Hans Christian Anderson Award, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and adapted into film. Her books are often considered controversial, and some have even been banned from the booklist due to their challenging themes. Paterson’s devotion to these hard-to-approach topics is due to a belief that realism in children’s books is important and is inspired in part by her childhood where she felt isolated and like an outsider due partially to her early childhood spent in China as the child of missionaries who later moved to the US and had to learn English after years of speaking only Chinese. Today, we take a closer look at some of Paterson’s most beloved books featuring characters that overcome personal tragedy and experience great and necessary growth.

     

Read more...

---