Choosing Books for Children: A Commonsense Guide [Paperback]

Betsy Hearne (Author), Deborah Stevenson (Author)

Book Description

If you have ever stood in the children's section of a bookstore or library wondering how to go about matching a book to the age, abilities, and interests of a particular child, "Choosing Children's Books" is for you. Renowned children's librarian and children's book review editor Betsy Hearne offers practical guidance on sorting through the bewildering array of picture books, pop-up books, books for beginning readers, young adult titles, classics, poetry, folktales, and factual books. Each chapter includes an annotated list of recommended titles. A gold mine of commonsense, sound advice, this newly revised and completely updated edition of Betsy Hearne's classic guide is an indispensable tool for choosing books for children of all ages. Newly available in paperback, this revised and updated third edition of Betsy Hearne's classic guide stands as the lodestar for navigating through the bewildering array of books for young readers. Hearne surveys everything from picture books, pop-up books, classics, and books for beginning readers to young adult titles, poetry, folktales, and factual books, with an annotated list of recommended titles accompanying each chapter. A gold mine of common sense and sound advice, her guide remains an indispensable tool for choosing books for children of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In the third edition of this excellent guidebook to children's books, author and educator Hearne collaborates with Stevenson of the Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books to update selections and commentary. Like the earlier editions (1981, 1990), this revision offers articulate, authoritative, and thought-provoking discussions of the books and the issues surrounding them, as well as solid bibliographies and advice on choosing books and introducing them to young people. Librarians will want to update their parenting collections with this friendly, reliable guide to the world of children's literature. Carolyn Phelan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Excellent guidebook to children's books... Like the earlier editions (1981, 1990), this revision offers articulate, authoritative, and thought-provoking discussions of the books and the issues surrounding them, as well as solid bibliographies and advice on choosing books and introducing them to young people. Librarians will want to update their parenting collections with this friendly, reliable guide to the world of children's literature." - Booklist "A parent- and child-friendly introduction to the art of understanding and selecting children's books." -- The Horn Book "The ideal guide to the best that children's literature has to offer." -- Reader's Edge FROM REVIEWS OF THE SECOND EDITION "To the skeptical, Betsy Hearne's sunny assertion that 'with a little time and interest, anyone can be a first-class, four-star, triple-A children's book connoisseur' may seem moot. But few would deny that this expanded and updated edition of her common-sense guide to choosing books for children remains ... a reliable source of direction for parents perplexed by the publication of too many titles and worried that they don't know how to choose... With a copy of Ms. Hearne's splendid book up one's sleeve, becoming that triple-A connoisseur is no trick at all." - Michael Cart, New York Times Book Review "This compact, superbly reliable handbook is the best of its kind." - Booklist "This is a wonderful, wise book ... [Hearne's] is a passionate voice that calls for the child to read, and for the adult to become a part of that process... An invaluable guide." -- Library Materials Guide "The discussions and the selection of titles are marked by impeccable taste, steady sure wisdom, and years of reading and thinking about children's books. This book, with its graceful, witty prose, is sheer joy from beginning to end." -- Horn Book Magazine

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press; 3rd edition (May 19, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252069285
• ISBN-13: 978-0252069284
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #773,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Books for us all, June 29, 2002

By 

R. Tiedemann "Sunnye" (Bellevue, NE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Choosing Books for Children: A Commonsense Guide (Hardcover)

"The best children's writers say things to a five-year-old," writes Betsy Hearne, "that a fifty-year-old can also respect."
And enjoy.

In this encouraging and extremely helpful book, Hearne defines good literature, advises on how to select books for children, and gives examples in every case. She discusses reading aloud, junk books and how to find books that will be enjoyed not once, but repeatedly.

"There is one route around age categories -- reading aloud," she writes. "It's emotionally satisfying and leads the way to books a child will love reading alone."

Even after that child begins to read alone, reading aloud is a wonderful excuse to share some time and a hug or two. When children are small, though, a "aah" in an infinite variety of inflections defines their entire world, there's no better treat than the snuggle up with a baby and a book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Useful for perspective, June 14, 2008

By 

Alan Venable "Author/creator of 'Dr. Peanut'... (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Choosing Books for Children: A Commonsense Guide (Paperback)

I encountered this year 2000 book in a children's literature discussion group in 2007. It is, as it says, mostly common sense accompanied, valuably, by suggestions of genres and titles. I was sorry it wasn't quite up to date anymore. I suspect what the book was doing through three editions is as well and more sustainably done on the Internet. The pitfall of course is that the web pitches mainly what's new whereas as children's literature, like any other, is something that accumulates great work over the centuries. Take Me With You When You Go

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great guide!, November 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Choosing Books for Children: A Commonsense Guide (Paperback)

This is a great guide to selecting appropriate books for children. In addition, it is inspiring. Now I can't wait to read to and with my kids.