Atlas Of Adventures
1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up
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edited by Julia Eccleshare |
Hodder |
9781844036714 |
October 2009 |
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This lovely whopper of a reference book weighs in at just under 1000 pages. The first thing to be said about it is that has been splendidly designed and presented, as well as printed to a high quality. The typeface is sharp and easy on the eye. The page layouts are straightforward and uniform throughout the book. For the most part the illustrations used are the book jackets from a title’s first edition. Indeed, much pleasure can be derived from 1001 Children’s Books without reading a single entry; just admiring the book jacket designs and (for an older consumer such as I am) taking a trip down memory lane is delight enough. |
The Ultimate Book Guide (For 8-12s) revised & updated edition
ed. Leonie Flynn, Daniel Hahn & Susan Reuben |
A & C Black |
978-1-4081-0438-5 |
January 2009 |
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Looking for Enid
Duncan McLaren |
Portobello Books ltd |
1846271150 |
Oct 2007 |
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As well as being ubiquitous in the children’s literature field, Enid Blyton’s legacy has been highly influential. With around 8 million copies of her various titles sold annually and a body of work that embraces some seven-hundred-books, Blyton was and remains a true phenomenon in children’s publishing. |
Pick Me Up
David Roberts and Jeremy Leslie |
Dorling Kindersley |
1405316217 |
Oct 2006 |
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‘Pick Me Up’ was the showcase new publication by Dorling Kindersley, offering a new means for cataloguing the information of the traditional children’s reference encyclopaedia that draws upon the tangential sensibilities of web-browsing. This makes it possible to follow interest areas from Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948), through to colonisation, to World War Two, arriving at the prehistoric via a journey of oil! Linkage between knowledge area and these ‘learning trails’ make for a particularly impressive journey of discovery. |
Believe it or Not! 2007
Ed. Rebecca Miles |
Century |
1846051495 |
Oct 2006 |
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Continuing the global quest for what is always strange, often unsavoury and sometimes sordid, ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not! 2007’ is the third annual compendium that draws upon the wide history and geography of oddities, following the tradition established by sports columnist for the New York Globe, Robert Ripley. Much like Ripley’s own work, the success of this book is achieved through its documentation of the unusual and extraordinary and its ability to avoid reproach or reprove. |
Under the Spell of the Moon
Katherine Paterson et al |
Frances Lincoln |
1845075277 |
Jul 2006 |
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The styles and cultures of world illustration are magnificently show-cased in ‘Under the Spell of the Moon’. This impressive and highly collectable collection of illustrations from across the globe is a celebration of artists put together by The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) http://www.ibby.org/ who administer the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen awards. |
Over 70 Tried and Tested Great Books to Read Aloud
Jacqueline Wilson et al |
Corgi |
0552554987 |
May 2006 |
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Current children’s laureate Jacqueline Wilson has made her campaign focus during her tenure, the promotion of reading aloud. Last year’s announcement that the government would fund BookStart’s three book interventions make this both a timely and admirable drive. |
Outside In – Children’s Books In Translation
Deborah Hallford & Edgardo Zaghini |
Milet |
184509487X |
Nov 2005 |
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What a tremendous resource this is. It opens, after a short introduction by the editors and foreword by Philip Pullman, with a series of articles by a reviewer (Nick Tucker), a translator (Sarah Adams), an author (Lene Kaaberbol), an academic (Gillian Lathey), a publisher (Kalus Flugge) and others. Then there are the book recommendations themselves, organised in five age categories plus graphic novels, non-fiction, and dual language books. The last quarter of the book is given over to author and illustrator biographies and helpful resource and organisation details. Finally, there is a very good index. |