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Worlds of Childhood: The Art and Craft of Writing for Children
 
 
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Worlds of Childhood: The Art and Craft of Writing for Children (Paperback)

~ William Zinsser (Editor) "NO KIND of writing lodges itself so deeply in our memory, reverberating there for the rest of our lives, as the books that we met..." (more)
Key Phrases: Paul Revere, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Sweet Pea (more...)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Price: $14.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"No kind of writing lodges itself so deeply in our memory," writes William Zinsser in his introduction to Worlds of Childhood, "as the books that we met in our childhood." Reproduced here are essays by six celebrated children's book authors that came into being as a series of talks at the New York Public Library in 1989. Children's book writing is often deceptively simple, and perhaps the one overriding theme here is the seriousness with which these writers approach their work. "Writing for very young children is the most difficult discipline I know," says Rosemary Wells, whose Max and Ruby books were the first board books. (Does Wells find it so difficult in part because, as she says, "all really good picture books are written to be read five hundred times"?) Poet Jack Prelutsky, inventor of the "gloopy gloppers" and the "addle-pated paddlepuss," says he never condescends when he write for children. And Maurice Sendak, best known for his fantastically fuzzy wild things, says he's "never spent less than two years on the text of one of my picture books, even though each of them is approximately 380 words long. Only when the text is finished ... do I begin the pictures." --Jane Steinberg

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"A collection to treasure." -- Review

Product Details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Mariner Books; 1 edition (July 23, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0395901510
  • ISBN-13: 978-0395901519
  • Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #550,026 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #44 in  Books > Reference > Writing > Children's Literature

Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
NO KIND of writing lodges itself so deeply in our memory, reverberating there for the rest of our lives, as the books that we met in our childhood, and when we grow up and read them to our own children they are the oldest of old friends. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Paul Revere, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Sweet Pea, Outside Over There, Maurice Sendak, Clive Wearing, Jack Prelutsky, Jean Fritz, Katherine Paterson, Miss Pym Disposes, Park's Quest, The Windhover, Timothy Goes, Worlds of Childhood, Beatrix Potter, Benedict Arnold, Grail Knight, John Brown
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Customer Reviews

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5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiration, January 17, 2007
By The Handy Lady (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
The first reviewer may be referring to a different book, as I don't remember the name Connie Epstein being on there.

This book is not a lesson on the craft of writing for children, despite what the title might tell you. There are no diagrams for an arc of conflict or character questionnaires. Instead, it contains the essays of six famous children's book authors on the sources of their inspiration. It's very funny and at times, personal--a great read for both aspiring writers and people who just enjoy children's books.

I recommend this book as a chaser to a more technical nuts-and-bolts of writing book. It will remind you of the spiritual and personal side of writing, rather than simply plot, conflict, and characters.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Very Happy, January 9, 2010
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I was happy the book got to me on time and in great condition! Many thanks!
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5 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Art and Craft of Children's Writing by Connie Epstein, December 1, 1999
By A Customer
This book is an indepth look at writing from an editor's point of view. I found it very helpful.
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