Children's Literature Sources
The Children's Literature Collection
The Children's Literature Collection is a select representative collection of books for children from preschool through grade eight which is maintained to support the HSU academic curricula. This collection of approximately 10,000 volumes is located in the northwest corner of the second floor of the HSU Library. There are three sections:
- Picture books (call number E - for easy), shelved in alphabetical order, by author.
- Fiction (call number x), shelved in alphabetical order, by author.
- Nonfiction (call number in Dewey Decimal system), shelved in numerical order. Includes folk tales and fairy tales from all countries in 398.2, poetry collections in 811-821, and biography in 921; these sections are shelved separately, in the low shelving. Materials in foreign languages are in 438-469.
Books in the Children's Literature Collection are listed in the Library catalog. Set the "Optional limits" to the location "Children's Literature Collection," to search for books in this collection only.
Books about Children's Literature
The Children's Literature Collection includes books read by children, but it does not include books on the subject of children's literature. In order to find information about children's books, children's authors, and using books with children, consult the Library catalog. The primary subject headings to be checked are:
- Children's literature (and all of its subdivisions, e.g., Bibliography, History and criticism, Technique)
- Children's stories
- Children--Books and reading
- Illustrated books, Children's
- Picture books for children
- Teenagers--Books and reading
- Young adult fiction
- Young adult literature
- Young adults--Books and reading
- Youth--Books and Reading
- Blume, Judy
- Sendak, Maurice (Remember that books about an author will be found under the author's name as a subject)
Browsing in the main book collection is another good way to find books about children's literature. The two primary areas where these books are located are: PN 1009 and Z 1037; other areas are LB 1575 and PR 990.
Authors and Criticism
Various reference books provide biographical information about authors. In addition, some of these reference books also provide critical evaluations of these authors and illustrators and list articles and books for further information. The two major titles, Something About the Author and Children Literature Review, are now online as part of the Gale Literary Databases.
Useful sources in the Reference Collection include:
- American Writers for Children, 1900-1960 (ref PN 451 D53 vol.22) - This volume in the series Dictionary of Literary Biography covers 43 authors and author-illustrators emphasizing critical rather than biographical information. Signed entries are written by many contributors. This is updated and complemented by:
- American Writers for Children Since 1960: Fiction (ref PN 451 D53 vol.52)
- American Writers for Children Since 1960: Poets, Illustrators, and Nonfiction Authors (ref PN 451 D53 vol.61)
- British Children's Writers, 1914-1960 (ref PN 451 D53 vol.160)
- Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators (ref PN 1009 A1 C493 2002)
- Dictionary of Children's Fiction from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and Selected African Countries: Books of Recognized Merit (ref PN 1009 A1 H45 1992)
- St. James Guide to Children's Writers (ref PN 1009 A1 T9 1999)
- Writers for Children: Critical Studies of Major Authors Since the Seventeenth Century (ref PN 1009 A1 W73 1988)
- Dictionary of American Children's Fiction, 1859-1959: Books of Recognized Merit (ref PS 374 C454 H45 1985) This is updated by editions covering 1964-1984, 1985-1989, 1990-1994, and 1995-1999.
- Writers for Young Adults (ref PS 490 W75 1997)
Bibliographies
There are many lists of recommended children's books on all subjects: most are listed in the Library catalog under Children's literature--Bibliography. Most include brief summaries of the books and appropriate grade or reading level. Use these to identify children's books on specific subjects.
In the Reference Collection:
- Helbig. Myths and Hero Tales: A Cross-Cultural Guide to Literature for Children and Young Adults (ref BL 313 H45 1997)
- Seale and Slapin. A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in Books for Children (ref E 77.4 B76 2005)
- Slapin and Seale. Through Indian Eyes: The Native Experience in Books for Children (ref E 77.4 T63 1998)
- Literature Connections to American History, K-6 and 7-12 (ref E 178.3 A342 1997)
- The Children's Literature Dictionary (ref PN 1008.5 L38 2002)
- Zipes. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature (ref PN 1008.5 O94 2006)
- Hendrickson. Children's Literature: A Guide to the Criticism (ref PN 1009 A1 H46 1987 and online)
- Lynn. Fantasy Literature for Children and Young Adults (ref PN 1009 A1 L95 2005)
- West. Everyone's Guide to Children's Literature (ref PN 1009 A1 W37 1997)
- Gillespie. The Children's and Young Adult Literature Handbook: A Research and Reference Guide (ref Z 1037 A1 G475 2005)
- Coretta Scott King Awards Book, 1970-1999 (ref Z 1037 A2 C67 1999)
- Day. Lesbian and Gay Voices: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to Literature for Children and Young Adults (ref Z 1037 D24 2000)
- Carter. Best Books for Young Adults (ref Z 1037 C34 2000)
- The World Through Children's Books (ref Z 1037 C5429 2002)
- Lima. A to Zoo: Subject Access to Children's Picture Books (ref Z 1037 L715 2006)
- Muse. New Press Guide to Multicultural Resources for Young Readers (ref Z 1037 N46 1997)
- Matthew and Lowe. Neal-Schuman Guide to Recommended Children’s Books and Media for Use with Every Elementary Subject (ref Z 1037 M2865 2002)
- Children's Catalog (ref Z 1037 W76) See also the publisher's website for Standardcatalogs.com
In the Main Collection:
- Rudman. Books to Help Children Cope with Separation and Loss (BF 575 G7 B48 1993)
- Ferebee. How to Create Your Own African-American Library: A Selection of Books that Belong in Every Home from Classic Novels to Children's Stories to History and Biography (E 185 F47 2003)
- Council on Interracial Books for Children. Human and Anti-Human Values in Children's Books (PN 1009 A1 C67 1976)
- Touchstones: Reflections on the Best in Children's Literature (PN 1009 A1 T575 1985)
- Foerstel. Banned in the USA: A Reference Guide to Book Censorship in Schools and Public Libraries (Z 658 U5 F64 1994; 2002 edition is online)
- Cianciolo. Informational Picture Books for Children (Z 1037 A1 C54 2000)
- Newbery & Caldecott Medal Books, 1986-2000 (Z 1037 A2 N492 2001)
- New York Public Library. Books for the Teen Age (Z 1037 N568 - 1959, 1972, 1974 to present)
Textbooks
The following are examples of textbooks which offer different approaches to children's literature. Each includes lists of recommended children's books as well as criteria for evaluating these books.
- Huck. Children's Literature in the Elementary School (LB 1575.5 U5 H79 2004)
- Lukens. A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature (PN 1009 A1 L84 2003)
- Rudman. Children's Literature: An Issues Approach (PN 1009 A1 R8 1995)
- Sutherland. Children and Books (PN 1009 A1 S879 1997)
- Lukens. A Critical Handbook of Literature for Young Adults (PS 490 L84 1995)
- Nilsen. Literature for Today's Young Adults (Z 1037 A1 N55 2001)
- Nodelman. The Pleasures of Children's Literature (Z 1037 A1 N63 2002 and online)
Periodicals and Periodical Indexes
Several periodicals and scholarly journals either are devoted to, or have frequent articles on, children's literature. The most important of these are listed here. (* means currently received in print format. Links are to the periodical's own website.)
- *Horn Book (Z 1037 A1 H6 periodical)
- Reviews a select number of recommended new children's books. (Index 1924-1989)
- Booklist (Z 1035 A49 periodical)
- Reviews recommended new children's books; includes frequent retrospective bibliographies of children's books on specific topics. An index to these bibliographies is in the August 1 issue annually.
- School Library Journal (Z 675 S3 S34 periodical)
- Attempts to review all new children's books.
- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (only online)
- Another book review journal with many special features including the Bulletin Dozen.
- *Book Links: Connecting Books, Libraries and Children (Z 1037 B5 periodical)
- Brief annotated bibliographies on many subjects.
- *The Reading Teacher: A Journal of the International Reading Association (LB 1573 R28 periodical)
- *Language Arts (LB 1576 A1 E6 periodical)
- Includes frequent articles on the use of children's literature with children; published by the National Council of Teachers of English.
- *English Journal (PE 1 E5 periodical)
- For articles on young adult literature.
- The ALAN Review (only online)
- A major journal covering young adult literature.
- Interracial Books for Children Bulletin (E 184 A1 I68 periodical)
- This journal reviewed current and retrospective children's books in terms of "-isms," e.g., sexism, racism, ageism.
- *MultiCultural Review (HT 1501 M9 periodical)
- Includes review articles as well as reviews and bibliographical essays.
- Children's Literature in Education (only online through Springer)
- A quarterly journal with articles and author interviews.
- The Lion and the Unicorn (only online through Project MUSE)
- "A theme- and genre-centered journal of international scope committed to a serious, ongoing discussin of literature for children."
- Children's Literature: Annual of the Modern Language Association Division on Children's Literature and the Children's Literature Association (PN 1009 A1 C514; after 2002 only available online through Project MUSE)
- Scholarly articles on various aspects of children's literature.
Use OmniFile and ERIC, which index these as well as other periodicals, to find articles about specific topics and links to fulltext of the articles. Book Review Index (ref Z 1035.A1 B6) is a good source for reviews of specific children's books, particularly for older titles.