All articles tagged with #childrens literature
On Winnie-the-Pooh’s 100th birthday, the article celebrates the original story 'The Wrong Sort of Bees' by AA Milne, highlighting its themes of childlike imagination, innocence, and the enduring popularity of Pooh and friends in children's literature.
Since 2021, PEN America has documented over 22,800 cases of book bans across 45 states and 451 school districts in the U.S., targeting a wide range of books including classics, LGBTQ+ themes, and topics on race and violence, with the most banned titles often reflecting controversial social issues.
Pippi Longstocking was created by Astrid Lindgren during WWII as a symbol of independence and kindness, serving as an antidote to Nazi ideology, inspired by Lindgren's anti-Nazi sentiments and her desire to promote resilience and free-thinking in children. The character's cheerful individualism was a response to the dark times of the war, and her legacy continues to celebrate these values.
A children's literature professor at Texas A&M was fired after a viral video showed a student objecting to course material on gender identity, leading to university leadership changes and political pressure, with the university emphasizing compliance with state laws and course descriptions.
The article discusses the origins and creative process behind the classic children's book 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt,' highlighting how the original concept was different and how the illustrations and storytelling evolved, emphasizing themes of adventure, imagination, and ambiguity in children's literature. It also mentions the authors' subsequent collaboration on a new book.
George Takei, known for his role in "Star Trek," is committed to educating Americans about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. His new children's book, "My Lost Freedom," aims to share this history with young readers. Takei, who experienced internment as a child, emphasizes the importance of remembering this injustice and its relevance today, especially in light of ongoing discrimination.
Doreen and Brian Cronin, a couple who met through Facebook, have successfully collaborated on children's books, including "Mama in the Moon," inspired by a real-life story of a baby sloth falling from a tree. Their work emphasizes themes of comfort and safety, with Brian's illustrations using dark tones and bright highlights to create a soothing bedtime experience for children.
Author Dave Eggers won the John Newbery Medal for his middle grade book The Eyes and the Impossible, while author and illustrator Vashti Harrison won the Randolph Caldecott Medal for her book Big at the American Library Association's annual Youth Media Awards. Harrison is the first Black woman to win the Caldecott Medal, and her book Big was also awarded both Coretta Scott King author and illustrator honors.
The 2024 Youth Media Awards winners were announced at the ALA's Lib Learn X in Baltimore, MD. Notable winners include "The Eyes and the Impossible" by Dave Eggers for the John Newbery Medal, "Big" by Vashti Harrison for the Randolph Caldecott Medal, and "The Collectors: Stories" edited by A.S. King for the Michael L. Printz Award. Other winners span various categories such as digital media, nonfiction, and diverse literature, showcasing excellence in children's and young adult literature.
Apple has unveiled the 2024 Black Unity Collection, supporting organizations like Shout Mouse Press through grants from its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative. Shout Mouse Press, a nonprofit focused on amplifying diverse youth voices in children's literature, has received support from Apple to deepen its investment in young people by providing technology, professional development, and amplification of their essential perspectives. The Black Unity Collection introduces new expressions inspired by the resilience and beauty of the Black community, with vibrant colors symbolizing generations working together to address injustice and dismantle systemic barriers.
Husband and wife photographers Kahran and Regis Bethencourt have reimagined classic fairy tales with photographs of Black children in their book CROWNED: Magical Folk and Fairy Tales from the Diaspora. The couple intentionally casts Black children of different ages, skin tones, and hair textures in traditionally white roles, like Cinderella. The book is a visual representation of their original mission to celebrate and embrace natural Black beauty and to encourage Black children to wear their natural hair in fashionable settings.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, who is known for his involvement in war crimes in Ukraine and interference in US elections, was also a children's author and illustrator. Almost 20 years ago, he wrote a playful children's story titled "Indraguzik," which tells the tale of a little boy and his sister who live with their family inside a huge theater chandelier. The book was a collaboration between Prigozhin, his son, and daughter. The story is set in a land of "small people" who live among ordinary humans and follows Indraguzik as he falls from a theater chandelier and tries to find his way home.