Frequently Asked Questions About Children And Young Adult Literature

WHERE CAN I FIND A LIST OF CALDECOTT, NEWBERY, AND CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD BOOKS?

• Ask at the Education Resource Center circulation desk. We have a comprehensive list of recipients in all three categories.
• Or, simply click here on Awards. This link will take you right to our electronic list of award winners.
• For awards given this year, see Booklist(March 15 issue) or School Library Journal (March issue.) (Both are in the Current Periodicals Room.)
• See the most current issue of Children's Books in Print (for a list of the winners in the last 10 years.) (Located in Juvenile Reference)

WHERE CAN I FIND COPIES OF THE ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES GIVEN BY WINNERS OF THE CALDECOTT AND NEWBERY AWARDS?

• See
  • Horn Book (July-August issues) for the appropriate year (Z 1037 A1 A15)
  • Journal of Youth Services in Libraries (formerly Top of the News) (Z 7181 Al J69)
• For reprints of speeches, see:
  • Newbery Medal Books 1922-1955 (Ref Z 1035 A2 H5)
    
  • Caldecott Medal Books 1938-1957 (Ref Z 1035 A2 N49)
    
  • Newbery and Caldecott Medal Books 1956-1965 (Ref Z 1037 A2 N48 1965)
    
  • Newbery and Caldecott Medal Books 1966-1975 (Ref Z 1037 A2 N48 1975)
    
  • Newbery and Caldecott Medal Books 1976-1985 (Ref Z 1037 A2 N48 1986)
    

WHERE CAN I FIND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ABOUT AN AUTHOR OR ILLUSTRATOR?

• See
  • Something About the Author (Juvenile Reference PN 451 S6)
  • Children's Literature Review (Juvenile Reference PN 1009 A1 C5139 )
  • Junior Authors and Illustrators Series (PN 1009 A1 F47)
• Several other sources are available in the PN section of Juvenile Reference.

WHERE CAN I FIND A DISCUSSION OF THE TRENDS IN CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE DURING A PARTICULAR YEAR?

• Smith, Dora V. Fifty Years of Children's Books 1910-1960: Trends, Backgrounds, Influences (Ref PN 1009 Al S55)
• See the section entitled "Selection Policy" in the appropriate edition of The Elementary School Library Collection ( Z 1037 E4) (*NOTE* In earlier editions, trends are discussed under the heading "Areas Emerging ln New Practice" or "Areas Continuing in Practice" and "New Developments".)
  
• See the "Children's Literature" entry ln the appropriate volume of the ALA Yearbook of Library and Information Services. (Index Table Z673 A5 Y855) (**NOTE* Each volume reviews happenings in library science during the previous year; for example to find trends in 1988, see ALA Yearbook '89. )
  
• Check Library Literature in the INDEX section of our online catalog. Search under the subject heading "Children's Literature" or "Young Adult's Literature".
  

WHERE CAN I FIND A LIST OF CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULT BOOK AWARDS AND THE WINNERS OF THOSE AWARDS?

• See the most current issue of Children's Books in Print (look at the beginning of the volume.)
• For a fuller discussion of children's book awards and award winners, see:
  • Children's Books: Awards and Prizes (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 A2 W47a)
  • Children's Prize Books: An International Listing of 193 Children's Literature Prizes (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 A2 M85)
  • Peterson and Solt. Newbery and Caldecott Medal Books: An Annotated Bibliography (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 P45)
  • Weiss. Prizewinning Books for Children (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 N653)
    
• See additional lists in Bowker Annual (Index Table Z 731 A47)
  

HOW DO I FIND THE GRADE LEVEL OF A BOOK?

• See
  • Children's Catalog (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 W76)
  • Children's Books in Print (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 Al C482)
  • Primaryplots (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 A1 T47)

WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATIONS IN A CERTAIN BOOK (INCLUDING THE MEDIUM OR TYPE OF ILLUSTRATIONS)?

• For Medium used ln Caldecott Award winners, see the last chapter in The Newbery and Caldecott Awards (PS 374 N37 C454 1996.)
• See titles in the NC and PR call number ranges of the Juvenile Reference shelves, such as:
  • Lacy. Art and Design in Children's Picture Books: An Anthology of Caldecott Award Winning Illustrations. (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 A2 L33)
  • Schwarcz. Ways of the Illustrator: Visual Communication in Children's Literature (Juvenile Ref NC 965 S3)

WHERE CAN I FIND REVIEWS OF CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULT'S BOOKS PUBLISHED IN A CERTAIN YEAR?

• To locate a specific review of a book, see:
  • Children s Literature Review (Juvenile Ref PN 1009 A1 C5139)
  • Children's Book Review Index (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 Al C475)
  • Book Review Digest (Index Table Z 1219 C 96)
• Also see various journals, such as:
  • Booklist (Z 1035 A49)
  • Horn Book (Z 1037 Al A15)
  • Kirkus Reviews (Z 477 X5)
  • Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books (Z 1037 Al C4)
  • Appraisal (Z 7401 A63)
  • Science Books and Films (Q 181 Al A68)
  • VOYA (Reserve Z 1037 A1 V16)

WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION AND ADVICE ON HOW TO EVALUATE AND REVIEW CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN THE VARIOUS GENRES?

• Horning, Kathleen T. From Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children's Books (Juvenile Ref PN98 B7 H67 1997)

HOW CAN I FIND CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS DEALING WITH A CERTAIN SUBJECT OR CONCEPT?

• See
  • Lima and Lima. A to Zoo: Subject Access to Children's Picture Books (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 L715)
  • A Guide to Subjects and Concepts in Picture Book Format (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 Y65)
  • Thomas, James L. Play, Learn and Grow. (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 T46 1992)

HOW CAN I FIND BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS...

-ON SENSITIVE TOPICS?

• Kaywell, Joan F. Adolescents at Risk. (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 K 28)
• Rasinski, Timothy V. Sensitive Issues: an annotated guide to Children's Literature K-6 (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 R23 1992)

-ON MULTICULTURAL THEMES?

• Thomas, Rebecca L. Connecting Cultures: a guide to multicultural literature for children. (Juv. Ref. Z 1037 T 465 1996)
• Miller-Lachmann, Lyn. Global Voices, Global Visions: a core of multicultural books. (Juv. Ref. Z 5579.6 M56 1995)

-ON NON-SEXIST PORTRAYALS OF CHARACTERS?

Wilms, Denise. A Guide to Non-Sexist Children s Books. (Juvenile Ref Z 1037 A1 W 64 1987)

WHERE CAN I FIND A LIST OF CLASSICS FOR CHILDREN?

• Ask at the circulation desk. We have a selected list. Or, click here on Classics. This will take you to our electronic version.
• **For a bibliography of useful sources in children's literature, ask at the circulation desk.

Juvenile Reference | Education Resource Center