Staff writers at The Guardian recently compiled a short list of the best books in children’s literature. The list is broken down into five different age groups (0-2 years, 2-4 years, 5-7 years, 8-12 years and 12+ years) and is “a combination of personal recommendations, enduring classics and currently popular borrowings from school and public libraries.” Included are some time-honored classics like the The Very Hungary Caterpillar by Eric Carle, some more recently acclaimed books such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, and a few lesser known titles like Stig of the Dump by Clive King, which was the first original work published by Puffin press in 1963. The staff intends this list to be a starting point, and hopes to encourage parents and children to explore the wonderful world of reading together.
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"The Secret of the Old Clock" 1930 edition cover illustrated by Russell Tandy (left). New 80th anniversary limited edition cover (right).
The world’s most famous girl detective turned 80 last week. The Nancy Drew series, beloved by generations of young girls, debuted on April 28, 1930 with three adventures The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase and The Bungalow Mystery. These would be the first in a series of over 300 books written by numerous writers under the pen name Carolyn Keene. The constant throughout the books was Nancy’s perky, brave and inquisitive character. At the dawn of the series, Nancy was a uniquely independent and capable female lead, and some of today’s most powerful women, including Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, have named her as an early role model. In an interview with USA Today, Melanie Rehak, author of Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her (Mariner Books, 384pgs) explains the character’s lasting popularity. “The writing was formulaic, the plot twists implausible, but it’s Nancy Drew herself, ‘daring, intelligent, with tons of initiative,’ who continues to appeal to young readers,” she says.
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By Frank Cottrell Boyce
Walden Pond Press | 320pgs
Release Date: January 19, 2010
Twelve-year-old Liam is prematurely forced into the role of a grown up in Cosmic, bestselling author Frank Cottrell Boyce’s third children’s book. His huge summer growth spurt and facial hair make him look more like a dad than a kid, and Liam, along with friend Florida, take advantage of this fact when they enter a contest as father and daughter. The pair win a trip on the first rocket ship to carry civilian passengers into space, with Liam serving as the “adult chaperon” to four other children. When the spaceship soars out of control 239,000 miles away from earth, it is up to Liam, with his new found maturity and finely honed World of Warcraft skills to save the day. This humorous, science fiction adventure, is also a touching story that examines the true meaning of maturity and the responsibility of fatherhood.
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The Guardian has proclaimed JK Rowling the winner of the last decade, as far as book sales go. The Harry Potter author dominated the bestsellers lists during the “noughties”, selling more than 29 million books, prompting the New York Times to create a new bestsellers list for children’s books, and racking up sales of over $360 million (£225.9 million). Though she characteristically shied away from the press, Rowling’s personal story became mythologized as well: A struggling single mother, toils away in obscurity on a story about a boy wizard, only to hit it big with her first published novel. Really, really big. Though Rowling’s first royalty check for the UK publication of Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone (published in the U.S. as Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone) was a meager $960.00 (£600), she was a millionaire just one year later. Thanks to the continued popularity of the Harry Potter books, movie franchise and merchandise licensing, Rowling is now reported to be worth about $1 billion (£545 million).
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Last week, Best-selling author James Patterson made a special appearance at the ALA’s American Association of School Librarians national conference, held in Charlotte, North Carolina. In his speech, he called for all librarians to fight hard to get more kids hooked on reading. “It’s time for librarians to start making a lot more noise,” Patterson urged. “School libraries are not a luxury, they are a necessity. … When you turn kids on to reading, it is the most satisfying thing that you can do on the planet.” The writer’s passion for literacy has inspired him to create a new website, ReadKiddoRead.com, that assists librarians, educators and parents in finding quality books for children. The site, aimed at kids of all ages, reading and interest levels, features book recommendations, reviews and Patterson’s interviews with prominent authors.
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by Jeff Kinney
Amulet Books | 224pgs
Release Date: October 12, 2009
Tweens and adults will delight in the fourth installment of Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Middle Schooler Greg Heffley has planned the perfect summer vacation: playing video games all day long, with the curtains closed. What could be better? Unfortunately, his mom has other ideas. Will her plans of outdoor activities (gasp!) and family bonding ruin Greg’s ultimate vacation? Readers will have to pick up the new book to find who wins this battle of the wills.
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