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Newbery Opens Bookstore
John Newbery opens a bookstore in St. Paul's Churchyard in London. Not only did he sell books specifically for children, he also published them. These books like many of this time, were designed to teach children proper behavior without the threat of "fire and brimstone." -
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Written by Lewis Carroll -
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Books to Nurture Children's Imagination
One of the first books aimed for children audiences was "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll (1865) followed by its sequel, "Through the Looking Glass" (1871). Neither had a specific lesson but rather sparked children's imagination. Soon others followed with books like "A Wonder Book for Boys and Girls" by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1851), "Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi (1883), "Heidi" by Johanna Spyri (1879), and "The Wonderful Adventures of Nils" by Selma Lagerlof (1906). -
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Written by Beatrix Potter -
Child Labor Laws
These new laws allowed many children to go to school and learn how to read. Consequently, more books of various types began to be published specifically for this audience. Publishing costs were reduced due to new technology, and libraries soon established children's departments so that more children could have access to these books. -
The Wind in the Willows
Written by Kenneth Grahame -
Peter Pan
Written by James M. Barrie -
Macmillan Publishing House
The U.S. publishing house launched a department entirely for children's books, headed by Louise Bechtel Seaman. -
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Children's Book Boom
In the 1920's and 1930's, modern picture books began to be developed.
From the 1940's through the 1960's, children's books along with young adult books, became an integral part of libraries, schools, and homes.
Public libraries devoted entire rooms for these categories and this only increased interest. -
John Newbery Award
In this year, the John Newbery Award was founded by the American Library Association, "to encourage original creative work in the field of books for children." -
The Velveteen Rabbit
Written by Margery Williams -
Mary Poppins
Written by P. L. Travers -
Randolph Caldecott Award
The Randolph Caldecott Award was established to honor the artists who created "the illustration of children's books" as it was agreed that they should be recognized as well. -
Madeline
Written by Ludwig Bemelmans -
Curious George
Written by H. A. Rey -
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Written by C. S. Lewis -
Charlotte's Web
Written by E. B. White -
The Fellowship of the Ring
Written by J. R. R. Tolkien -
Children's Book Press
Due to the lack of diversity in children's picture books, Harriet Rohmer established the Children's Book Press. This publishing house would be devoted to bilingual books that would reflect various cultural experiences. -
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Continual Evolution, Diversity, and Inclusion
As literature for children and young readers continues to increase, so does its need to evolve from including a small section of the general population to widening the net to include life experiences and various perspectives from various walks of life.
