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Adrienne Rivera
Adrienne Rivera received her MFA in fiction from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She currently lives in southern Indiana.

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The Books That Inspired Disney: Part 4

By Adrienne Rivera. Sep 6, 2023. 10:07 AM.

Topics: Children's Books, Movie Tie-Ins

Today, we continue our overview of books that inspired animators and legendary film company, Walt Disney animations. While folk tales continue to occupy a large place in Disney’s oeuvre, today we also feature a selection of classic stories from British literature Let's take a look at a new selection of films in the fourth edition of our Books That Inspired Disney series:

     
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Fantasy Author Patricia McKillip: A Reading Guide

By Adrienne Rivera. Sep 2, 2023. 4:25 PM.

Topics: Awarded Books, American Literature

Novelist Patricia A. McKillip was born in 1948 in Salem, Oregon. She attended the College of Notre Dame and San Jose State University. She began her career publishing books for young children. Her first novel, her third published work, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, won the World Fantasy Award in 1976, cementing her as one of the best fantasy authors of her time. Known for her stunning and lyrical prose, McKillip's stories often feature feminist takes on folk and fairy tales. Often awarded throughout her career, McKillip was given the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2008. She passed away at her home in 2022 at the age of seventy-four. Join us today as we take a closer look at some of her most beautiful and enduring stories:

 

     
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The Best Quotes From Winnie-the-Pooh

By Adrienne Rivera. Aug 27, 2023. 4:04 AM.

Topics: Children's 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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Caldecott Winning Illustrators Series: Beth Krommes

By Adrienne Rivera. Aug 19, 2023. 8:32 PM.

Topics: Caldecott Medal, Children's Books, Awarded Books

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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Best Children's Books with Animal Protagonists

By Adrienne Rivera. Aug 11, 2023. 9:19 AM.

Topics: Children's Books, Awarded Books, Newbery Award

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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The Books That Inspired Disney: Part 3

By Adrienne Rivera. Jul 27, 2023. 10:07 AM.

Topics: Children's Books, Movie Tie-Ins

The stories we read when we are young often stay with us for the rest of our lives. These stories serve as cultural touchstones with people we meet in our adult lives. They're the stories we want to share with our children. Whether or not we realize it, these early stories impact the people we become. The same can be said for movies. Disney is a company that for decades has transformed our favorite stories into our favorite movies, allowing us to experience beloved tales in a new way. Join us today as we take a look at some of the stories Disney has transformed in part three of our The Books That Inspired Disney series:

     
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The Books That Inspired Disney: Part 5

By Adrienne Rivera. Jun 30, 2023. 10:03 PM.

Topics: Children's Books, Movie Tie-Ins

Welcome back to another examination of some of the films that inspired your favorite family movies from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Today we consider yet more folktales but also some of the most classic and well-loved characters in English language literature. Whether the characters are from classic plays or pulp fiction, you will surely find some new favorite books on this list. Let's take a look at a new selection of films in the fifth and final edition of our Books That Inspired Disney series:

     
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The Books That Inspired Disney: Part 2

By Adrienne Rivera. Jun 18, 2023. 6:30 AM.

Topics: Children's Books, Movie Tie-Ins

Today we continue our look at the books that inspired the movies by the legendary animation studio Walt Disney Productions. While Disney's animated features are sometimes original stories, more often than not, the studio turns to the world of literature for inspiration. Whether classic folk tales or beloved children's books, Disney frequently transforms beloved stories into a new form for children of all ages to enjoy. Let's take a look at a new selection of films in the second edition of our Books That Inspired Disney series:

     
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Top Quotes from L.M. Montgomery

By Adrienne Rivera. Jun 11, 2023. 7:23 AM.

Topics: Children's Books

Talk to anyone about the most beloved characters in children's literature and Anne Shirley is sure to come up. First introduced in L.M. Montgomery’s 1908 novel, Anne of Green Gables, the earnest and precocious Anne, don't forget the "e," quickly made a place for herself as a mainstay on children's bookshelves. Throughout her career, Montgomery published twenty novels and hundreds of poems and short stories. Her work turned her home, Prince Edward Island, into a tourist destination and made her one of the most recognizable names in Canadian literature, known and loved throughout the world. Join us today as we take a look at some of the best quotes from Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series:

     
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Book-to-Film: The Books That Inspired Disney - Part 1

By Adrienne Rivera. Jun 4, 2023. 5:30 AM.

Topics: Children's Books, Movie Tie-Ins

Since the innovation of motion pictures, filmmakers have been turning to literature for inspiration. Some of the earliest silent movies were adaptations of famous stories that would have been well-known to audiences of the time. With the advent of animation came even more opportunities to adapt beloved stories in a new format.

     
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