blogis librorum. A blog about books. Rare books.

Alan Alexander Milne, better known by his pen name A.A. Milne, was an English playwright, poet, and children's book author. Throughout his career, he wrote numerous plans and humor articles and even worked creating scripts for some of Britain's first films in the early days of the industry. He also served as editor for various magazines, including the humor magazine Punch. However, Milne is best known for his contribution to the world of children's literature as the creator of one of the most beloved children's characters of all time: Winnie-the-Pooh.

     

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Sometimes the Caldecott Medal is awarded to illustrators doing the latest thing, and other times it's given to an artist who takes an older, more traditional style and puts a unique spin on it. That's the case for the 2009 recipient, Beth Krommes. Krommes' work is inspired by the timeless art of wood engraving. Her folk art-inspired scratchboard illustrations showcase this traditional style, while her mixed media approach of adding watercolors to beautiful effect lends an air of surprise and depth. Let's take a closer look at Beth Krommes, the 2009 Caldecott medal recipient in this edition of our Caldecott Winning Illustrators Series:

     

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As so often, trends come and go in the world of children's literature. These trends are often reflected in awards such as the Caldecott, Newbury, and Carnegie medals. Recent trends in middle-grade fiction include stories of protagonists with magical powers and protagonists facing down against spooky creatures and ghosts. What we don’t see as much anymore is animal protagonists.

While stories from the 2000s like the Warriors series about cats and the Guardians of Ga’Hool featuring owls, these stories are still popular, readers who enjoy this trope don’t see nearly as many hitting bookstores nowadays. Lucky for those readers (and for those looking to acquire some timeless children’s books for their collections), we’ve compiled a list of some of the best novels featuring animal protagonists. Perfect for both the children and collectors in your life, these books are definitely worth investigating:

     

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