Handbooks and Directories
Children & Books (9th ed.). PN1009.A1 S879 1997
The latest edition of a resource first edited by May Hill Arbuthnot in 1947 is a general text covering children's literature from wordless books to young adult fiction, focusing primarily on English-language children's literature in the United States and Britain.
Essentials of Children's Literature. PN1009.A1 L96 1995
A brief overview of literary genres, applications, and book recommendations for children, including selected award lists, suggestions for literature use in the classroom, and a directory of professional resources.
Literature for Today's Young Adults. PN1009.A1 D65 1993
This is another general guide to juvenile literature, but one that focuses on young adult (teen) level works. Sections break down the literature by genre or subject theme.
Children's Books in Print. Ref. Z1037 .A1 C482
This index allows you to determine what items an author or illustrator currently has in-print, as well as searching the print availability of specific titles.
International Directory of Children's Literature. Ref. PN1008.4 D86 1986
This directory provides contact information for children's literature publishers, magazines, organizations, seminars and conferences, prizes, and libraries for 84 countries worldwide. Statistics on publishing volume for each country in 1980-81 is also included at the end of the volume.
Biographical Sources
Twentieth-Century Children's Writers. Ref. PN1009.A1 T9 1983
This biographical dictionary includes alphabetical entries for major authors of juvenile fiction, poetry, and drama, primarily from the United States and Britain. Includes a list of titles authored (both juvenile and adult items) with each entry.
Book of Junior Authors and Illustrators. PN1009.A1 K82 (latest in Reference; earlier editions in stacks).
The Book of Junior Authors and Illustrators provides brief biographical sketches of notable children's authors and illustrators aimed at a juvenile audience.
Black Authors and Illustrators of Children's Books (2nd ed.). Ref. PN1009.A1 R631 1992
A specialized biographical dictionary that includes entries for both living and deceased black children's authors and illustrators. Each has a bibliographic list of titles authored or illustrated at the end of the entry.
The Dictionary of Literary Biography has a number of titles relating to children's authors and illustrators available:
American Writers for Children: 1900-1960. PS490.A43 1983
American Writers for Children Since 1960: Fiction. PS374.C454 A4 1986
American Writers for Children Since 1960: Poets, Illustrators, and Nonfiction. Ref. PS490.A45 1987
British Children's Writers: 1914-1960. PR990.B75 1996
British Children's Writers Since 1960. PR990.B753 1996
Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
International Companion Encyclopedia of Children's Literature.
Ref. PN1008.5 .I57 2004
Attempts to provide a comprehensive resource to children's literature in an international context that includes articles on theory and criticism, genres, types, contexts, countries, and applications of children's literature.
The children's literature dictionary: definitions, resources, and teaching activities. Ref. PN1008.5 .L38 2002
The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature. Ref. PN1008.5 C37 1984
This encyclopedia contains summary entries for major authors, illustrators, titles, characters, and themes in British children's literature, listed alphabetically.
Bibliographic Sources
A to Zoo: Subject Access to Children's Picture Books. Z1037.L715 (latest edition in Reference; earlier editions in stacks)
A to Zoo provides a subject access reference for nearly 23,000 picture books, and can be used to find a number of titles on a given topic (dragons, knights, etc). This reference can also help determine the subject areas of a particular title or author.
Adventuring With Books: A Booklist for Pre-K-Grade 6. Z1037.N346
This volume created by The National Council of Teachers of English has lists of recommended books, by subject and genre, each with a brief plot summary. Chapter sections begin with the specific criteria used to select that general subject range (Science, History, Family, Fine Arts, etc).
The H.W. Wilson standard catalogs for school libraries provide a good bibliographic source for subject access and recommendation of juvenile literature. The catalogs divide the field by grade level, and each catalog is organized by the Dewey Decimal system for nonfiction and fiction works. Entries are annotated with a brief summary of the book and any awards it may have won. Yearly supplements shelved near the main catalog volumes provide additional references, although the most recent years are generally not available.
- Children's Catalog. Ref. Z1037.W5 (latest edition available in Reference).
Nonfiction, fiction, and picture books recommended for a collection that serves K-6th grades. - Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog. Ref. Z1037.W6 (latest edition available in Reference).
Fiction and nonfiction books for children grades 5-9. - Senior High School Library Catalog. Ref. Z1037.W7 (latest edition available in Reference).
Fiction and nonfiction books for a 9th-12th grade collection.
The Best Books for. . . series is another annotated bibliographic resource that provides recommendations for creating a popular collection of books for youth, grouped by grade level. The entries are organized by subject, and then alphabetized by author name.
- Best Books for Children: Preschool through Grade 6. Z1037.B547 1998
- Best Books for Young Teen Readers: Grades 7-10. Z1037.B55 2000
Book Review Index. Ref. Z1219.B62
This index includes all the main review periodicals that cover children's and young adult literature. Coverage: 1965-current.
