-
1744
John Newbery opened a bookstore where he published and sold books for children. Up until that time, children had been given chapbooks, battledores (folded sheets of cardboard with the alphabet or Bible verses), and hornbooks (wooden paddles with lesson sheets). His books taught children how to behave without threatening them as did most early literature. -
1851
A Wonder Book for Boys and Girls (1851/1893) is published by author Nathaniel Hawthorne and he is considered the author of the first Ameri- can book written specifically for children -
1865
Most children’s books that came to North America from England were intended for instruction, but the books helped children’s imagination instead. Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865/1992) was soon reprinted in English-speaking countries all over the world. -
1871
The revolutionary quality of Lewis Carroll’s two books, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (1871/1977), derives from the fact that they were written purely to give pleasure to children without any true moral lesson. -
1879
Heidi was published -
1883
Pinocchio was published -
1907
The first child labor laws were passed freeing children to go to school -
1906
The Wonderful Adventures of Nils was published -
1919
the US publishing house Macmillan launched a department devoted entirely to chil- dren’s books. -
1920s
Children's picture books began being published -
1922
the John Newbery Award was established by the American Library Association -
1923
two women, Helen Dean Fish and May Massee, became the first children’s books editors, each at a different company. -
1924
The Horn Book Magazine was published by the Bookshop for Boys and Girls in Boston under the guidance of Bertha Mahony and Elinor Whitney -
1933
May Massee moved to open a children’s books department at Viking. -
1938
The Randolph Caldecott Award was established by the American Library Association -
1975
Harriet Rohmer was upset by the lack of picture books that reflected diversity, so he established Children’s Book Press, devoted to the publication of bilingual picture books that reflected a diversity of cultural experiences. -
1988
Just Us Books was founded -
2000
Michael L. Printz Award was established -
2001
The Robert F. Sibert Award for outstanding informational books was created by the American Library Association