Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise


Katherine Rundell - 2019
    This delightful and persuasive essay is for adult readers.

This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All


Marilyn Johnson - 2010
    In defiance of doomsayers, Johnson finds librarians more vital and necessary than ever, as they fuse the tools of the digital age with love for the written word and the enduring values of truth, service to all, and free speech. This Book Is Overdue! is a romp through the ranks of information professionals who organize our messy world and offer old-fashioned human help through the maze.

Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World


Ella Frances Sanders - 2014
    Did you know that the Japanese language has a word to express the way sunlight filters through the leaves of trees? Or that there’s a Finnish word for the distance a reindeer can travel before needing to rest? Lost in Translation brings to life more than fifty words that don’t have direct English translations with charming illustrations of their tender, poignant, and humorous definitions. Often these words provide insight into the cultures they come from, such as the Brazilian Portuguese word for running your fingers through a lover’s hair, the Italian word for being moved to tears by a story, or the Swedish word for a third cup of coffee. In this clever and beautifully rendered exploration of the subtleties of communication, you’ll find new ways to express yourself while getting lost in the artistry of imperfect translation.

Library: An Unquiet History


Matthew Battles - 2003
    Now they are in crisis. Former rare books librarian and Harvard metaLAB visionary Matthew Battles takes us from Boston to Baghdad, from classical scriptoria to medieval monasteries and on to the Information Age, to explore how libraries are built and how they are destroyed: from the scroll burnings in ancient China to the burning of libraries in Europe and Bosnia to the latest revolutionary upheavals of the digital age. A new afterword elucidates how knowledge is preserved amid the creative destruction of twenty-first-century technology.

K is for Knifeball: An Alphabet of Terrible Advice


Avery Monsen - 2012
    (more than 175,000 copies sold) and in the humorous vein of Go the F**k to Sleep comes a laugh-out-loud collection of bad advice that turns the children's alphabet book on its head. Adorable illustrated characters lead readers down a path of poor decision-making, and alphabetical, rhyming couplets offer terrible life lessons in which O is for opening things with your teeth, F is for setting Daddy's wallet on fire, and R is for Raccoon (but definitely not for rabies). With plenty of playfully disastrous choices lurking around every corner, this compendium of black humor may be terrible for actual children, but it's perfect for the common-senseless child in all adults.

The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss


Dr. Seuss - 1995
    Dr. Seuss) in a whole new light. Depicting outlandish creatures in otherworldly settings, the paintings use a dazzling rainbow of hues not seen in the primary-color palette of his books for children, and exhibit a sophisticated and often quite unrestrained side of the artist. 65 color illustrations.

BiblioTech: Why Libraries Matter More Than Ever in the Age of Google


John Palfrey - 2015
    More than just book repositories, libraries can become bulwarks against some of the most crucial challenges of our age: unequal access to education, jobs, and information. In BiblioTech, educator and technology expert John Palfrey argues that anyone seeking to participate in the 21st century needs to understand how to find and use the vast stores of information available online. And libraries, which play a crucial role in making these skills and information available, are at risk. In order to survive our rapidly modernizing world and dwindling government funding, libraries must make the transition to a digital future as soon as possible -- by digitizing print material and ensuring that born-digital material is publicly available online. Not all of these changes will be easy for libraries to implement. But as Palfrey boldly argues, these modifications are vital if we hope to save libraries and, through them, the American democratic ideal.

Libraries in the Ancient World


Lionel Casson - 2001
    Renowned classicist Lionel Casson takes us on a lively tour, from the royal libraries of the most ancient Near East, through the private and public libraries of Greece and Rome, down to the first Christian monastic libraries. To the founders of the first public libraries of the Greek world goes the credit for creating the prototype of today’s library buildings and the science of organizing books in them.Casson recounts the development of ancient library buildings, systems, holdings, and patrons, addressing questions on a wide variety of topics, such as:• What was the connection between the rise in education and literacy and the growth of libraries?• Who contributed to the early development of public libraries, especially the great library at Alexandria?• What did ancient libraries include in their holdings?• How did ancient libraries acquire books?• What was the nature of publishing in the Greek and Roman world?• How did different types of users (royalty, scholars, religious figures) and different kinds of “books” (tablets, scrolls, codices) affect library arrangements?• How did Christianity transform the nature of library holdings?Just as a library yields unexpected treasures to a meandering browser, this entertaining book offers to its perusers the surprising history of the rise and development of ancient libraries—a fascinating story never told before.

A Family of Readers: The Book Lover's Guide to Children's and Young Adult Literature


Roger Sutton - 2010
    It’s divided into four sections:1. Reading to Them:Choosing and sharing board books and picture books with babies and very young children.2. Reading with Them:Launching the new reader with easy readers and chapter books.3. Reading on Their Own:Exploring what children read—and how they read—by genre and gender.4. Leaving Them Alone:Respecting the reading privacy of the young adult.Roger Sutton knows how and why children read. He must, as the editor in chief of THE HORN BOOK, which since 1924 has been America’s best source for reviews of books for young readers. But for many parents, selecting books for their children can make them feel lost. Now, in this essential resource, Roger Sutton and Martha V. Parravano, executive editor at the magazine, offer thoughtful essays that consider how books are read to (and then by) young people. They invite such leading authors and artists as Maurice Sendak, Katherine Paterson, Margaret Mahy, and Jon Scieszka, as well as a selection of top critics, to add their voices about the genres they know best. The result is an indispensable readers’ companion to everything from wordless board books to the most complex and daring young adult novels.

Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany


Jane Mount - 2018
    Book lovers, rejoice! In this love letter to all things bookish, Jane Mount brings literary people, places, and things to life through her signature and vibrant illustrations. Readers will:• Tour the world's most beautiful bookstores• Test their knowledge of the written word with quizzes• Find their next great read in lovingly curated stacks of books• Sample the most famous fictional meals• Peek inside the workspaces of their favorite authorsA source of endless inspiration, literary facts and recommendations, and pure bookish joy, Bibliophile is sure to enchant book clubbers, English majors, poetry devotees, aspiring writers, and any and all who identify as bookworms.

Draw 50 Animals: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Elephants, Tigers, Dogs, Fish, Birds, and Many More


Lee J. Ames - 1974
    Fifty furry, scaly and feathered friends are here for aspiring young artists to draw.

101+ Creative Journaling Prompts: Inspiration for Journaling and an Introduction to Art Journaling


Kristan Norton - 2012
    If you’re looking for a deeper connection with your journal, author and artist Kristal Norton sheds light on a more rewarding form of journaling with a brief introduction to art journaling and 20 bonus art prompts. She also shares pages of her creative journal that were inspired by the prompts in the book, showing how each prompt can be used and interpreted in many ways.This book is overflowing with inspiration:• 101 creative writing prompts that encourage introspection, great for traditional journaling as well as art journaling• Visual examples of prompts interpreted by the author• 20 quick and easy art prompts to get you started adding color and imagery to your journal• Bonus video of author and artist Kristal Norton creating an art journal page from start to finish using this book for inspiration• A PDF version of all the prompts in this book so that you can print, cut out, and put them in a jar for easy access when you’re feeling stuck

Oceans Of The World In Color: Marine Life and Oceanography for Children


Speedy Publishing - 2014
    They may become quite excited upon seeing some of our world's greatest, largest, and beautiful creatures, including, but ot limited to: whales, dolphins, sharks, seals, sea otters, and fish. Also, they may wonder how the oceans are able to produce such great waves. Their curiosity will end up becoming attained knowledge when delving into an Oceans of the World in Color picture book. The book will teach them about our oceans; covering basic facts, such as names, locations, size, and more.

The Art of Reading: Forty Illustrators Celebrate RIF's 40th Anniversary


Reading Is Fundamental - 2005
    To commemorate its fortieth anniversary, it has brought together forty of the most celebrated children’s book illustrators working today and asked them each to re-imagine a classic book from their childhood. The result is a collection of beautiful and captivating images and insightful essays that remind us how a child’s early experiences with books can be powerful and lasting—and can help to create writers and artists.This gift book includes a foreword by Leonard Marcus, noted historian, author, and critic in the field of children’s literature.

The Children's Busy Book: 365 Creative Learning Games and Activities to Keep Your 6- to 10-Year-Old Busy (Busy Books)


Trish Kuffner - 2013
    The Children's Busy Book is from the line of all-time #1 selling line of Busy Books.365 fun, creative activities to stimulate your child every day of the year This book contains 365 activities (one for each day of the year) for six- to ten-year-olds using things found around the home. It shows parents and day-care providers how to: ?? Prevent boredom during bad weather with games, kitchen activities, and arts-and-crafts projects. ?? Stimulate a child’s natural curiosity with entertaining math, reading, writing, science, geography, and fine-arts activities. ?? Encourage a child’s physical growth with fun outdoor activities. ?? Foster a child’s emotional growth with fun family-centered and social activities. ?? Celebrate holidays and other occasions with special projects. ?? Keep children occupied during long car trips. The Children’s Busy Book is written with warmth and sprinkled with humor and insight. It should be required reading for anyone raising or teaching school-age children.