The John Newbery Medal was given in 1922 to honor books by American authors that represent the best contributions to children’s literature the previous year. It is the highest honor for children’s authors in the United States. Each year, there are many books to choose from, as all age categories, from picture books to young adult, qualify. Today in our Newbery Medal Winning Authors series, we take a look at the 1923 winner, Hugh Lofting, creator of the beloved Dr. Dolittle:
Each year the Caldecott Medal is awarded to the panel-declared best illustrated children’s book of that year. While often awarded to artists that work in mediums like paint or pen, 1998’s medal went to a writer/illustrator who’s medium was more related to his background in clowning and puppetry. David Wisniewski’s intricate paper cutouts and collages for his work on Golem are beautiful and detailed works of art that are sure to add to anyone looking to collect Caldecott wining books. Let's take a closer look at the work of David Wisniewski in this edition of our Caldecott Winning Illustrators Series:
American suspense writer Dean Koontz was born in 1945 and to date has published one hundred and five novels under his own name and various pseudonyms. He published his first novel, a work of science fiction called Star Quest, in 1968. He continued to publish science fiction, horror, and suspense novels for the next ten years, none of which reached commercial success. His breakthrough novel, Whispers, was released in 1980. Since then, Koontz has topped the New York Times Best Sellers List multiple times for both hardback and paperback novels. Many of his novels have been adapted into films. He is widely considered to be one of the most successful suspense writers alive. He continues to publish widely, often producing several novels and novellas a year. Let’s take a look at a few of Koontz’s best novels for those looking to start collecting the legendary and prolific novelist’s work.
Each year the Caldecott Medal is awarded to a children's book illustrator whose work exemplifies the best in art being produced in the business. 1999's winner, Mary Azarian, is known for her colorful woodcut illustrations and makes her living as a local artisan in her Vermont community in addition to the over fifty books she has illustrated throughout her career. Let's take a closer look at the work of Mary Azarian in this edition of our Caldecott Winning Illustrators Series:
Today we continue our top books by state series by looking at two excellent books set in Wisconsin. This midwestern state is known for its beautiful landscape which includes forests, dunes, and access to Lake Superior. The state is also known for its dairy and beer production. The books featured today both take place in rural areas. While one of the novels features Wisconsin in a more idyllic light, the other uses the state as the setting for a series of horrific family tragedies. However, both the classic children’s book and the grim Shakespeare retelling offer beautiful descriptions of the state of Wisconsin.
Today's Caldecott winning author has the unique distinction of being given the Caldecott medal and a Caldecott Honor for two books with vastly different styles. The Caldecott medal is given annually to children's book artists who represent some of the best art being created for children that year. Books with a wide variety of styles created in a wide variety of mediums have been honored throughout the years, but to find this dichotomy existing within the body of work of one illustrator is particularly exciting. Join us today as we take a closer look at 2003 Caldecott winner Eric Rohmann, master of both highly detailed, realistic oil painting, and silly cartoon-style prints:
Virginia is one of the oldest states in America, rich with history. This beautiful state features forests, mountains, beaches, national parks, islands, wild horses, lakes, and a surprisingly large quantity of presidential homes. Today we feature two vastly different books, one classic which celebrates the history and landscape of Virginia and another that sets the chilling subject of it’s tale there. Join us today as we continue our Top Books by State series by taking a closer look at books set Virginia:
Are you thinking about expanding your collection of rare books to include promotional objects connected to a book’s release, advertisements, textiles, photographs, and other objects? What you might be thinking about doing is expanding your collection to include ephemera. Many rare book collectors and sellers focus on ephemera, and the term can have a variety of meanings. For some people, the term ephemera is defined narrowly referring to print materials that were not designed to last, such as postcards or newspaper advertisements. For other people, the term can be applied much more broadly to include many different objects, which may or may not be paper-based, that speak to the notion of ephemerality in one way or another. If you’re considering a shift toward ephemera in your collection, you’ll need to acquaint yourself with some terminology that can help you to shape your collection and to understand the condition of objects that you might be thinking about purchasing.
Are you thinking about making a life change in 2022? Whether you’re planning to change jobs or careers, or you’re simply considering that makeover you’ve been putting off for years or decades, now is the time to find yourself anew. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that life is short, and everyone’s time is limited. So why not make the best of it by being the version of yourself you’ve always been seeking? Let’s get the New Year started the right way, literature-wise, with some of the best works of fiction about making a life change. We want to be clear: these aren’t a list of self-help books, or a list of how-to books designed to help you choose a career. Rather, they’re works of literary fiction in which one or more of the characters takes the possibilities of a new year and a new start to heart, for better or for worse.
Throughout his career, Nobel laureate, professor, and activist Elie Wiesel published an astonishing fifty-seven books, including his best known work, Night, a memoir of his experiences as a Holocaust survivor. Through his teaching and activism, he was instrumental in the creation of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC. He taught at numerous distinguished universities throughout his career as a professor, including at Boston University where The Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies was established in his honor. Wiesel dedicated his life to speaking out against the suppression of minorities, speaking out against such injustices as apartheid in South Africa, the Armenian genocide and its subsequent suppression, Bosnian genocide in the former country of Yugoslavia, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, and the persecution of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. He famously said in his Nobel Prize Acceptance speech that “Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant.” The following passages from some of his most powerful works represent his lifelong dedication to Jewish people and all of humanity:
