A guide to the best picture books for children

CHICAGO — Published by ALA Editions, “Picture Books for Children: Fiction, Folktales, and Poetry,” by Mary Northrup, is a comprehensive overview perfect for librarians, teachers, parents, daycare providers and anyone who works with young children. Providing descriptive annotations of the best children's picture book titles published in the last decade, it is both an excellent tool for collection development and an abundant resource for planning storytimes and other children’s programming. With selections based on proven appeal and quality, Northrup’s survey features:

• An introductory essay on the nature of the picture book and an explanation of the evaluation criteria;
• Bibliographic information on each picture book, including author, illustrator, publisher, date and age recommendation;
• A thorough index for quick reference and an appendix of additional suggested resources.

Northrup is the reference librarian at Metropolitan Community College– Maple Woods, Kansas City, Mo. She also serves on the board of the Missouri Center for the Book. Her publication credits include several chapters in “Writing and Publishing: The Librarian’s Handbook” and the books “Short on Time, Long on Learning” and “American Computer Pioneers.” She has contributed to four editions of “Writer’s Guide to Current Children’s Books” and is a frequent contributor to its annual “Children’s Writers Guide.” She reviews for LMC: Library Media Connection and EMRO: Educational Media Reviews Online.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. ALA Editions publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. ALA authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact ALA Editions at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or editionsmarketing@ala.org.