From Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children's Books – The Professional Guide to Critical Analysis and Literary Criticism

An invaluable resource for professionals who wish to write book evaluations€"and for all serious fans of children's literature!

This revised edition of From Cover to Cover offers a fresh, up-to-date look at some of the best examples of children€s literature and also includes practical advice on how to write clearly articulated, reasoned opinions so that others can learn about books they have not yet read.

A brief, updated introduction clearly explains how children€s books evolve from manuscripts into bound books and the importance of the many different parts of a book (jacket flaps, title page, copyright, etc.) and changes in the children€s book industry, such as the creation of two new major genre awards. In addition, the author demonstrates how to think about and critically evaluate several different genres of children€s books.

Included are sections about books of information (and the author€s responsibility to document sources); traditional literature (myths, legends, tall tales, folktales); poetry, verse, rhymes, and songs; picture books; easy readers and traditional books; and fiction and graphic novels. There is also a concluding chapter on how to write reviews that are both descriptive and analytical, including a segment on children€s literature blogs.

Updated material includes:

€An introduction that reflects the many changes in the children€s book industry

€A section on genres, including a discussion of graphic novels

€A section on children€s literature blogs

€An introduction of two new major genre awards: the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award and the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

€And more than 90% of the books cited have been updated from the first edition to more recent publications!