CHARACTER COUNTS: Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books

Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books
By Michelle Markel
Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Chronicle Books, 2017. Biographical Picture Book.

Although I am surrounded by picture books everyday I have never stopped to think how they came to be. Who started creating and marketing books to children? I have always loved reading picture books and I get excited with brand-new books I have been anticipating. Seeing children engrossed in a book that excites them is definitely a perk to working in the library. The light in a child's eyes and look of extreme delight all over their face, when I find a specific book a child has asked for, just makes me happy.

Markel's book is a perfect, entertaining description of the inception of children's books. It is written to the children reading it, which I found helped me to easily become part of the story. Carpenter's pictures are fun to look at and the emotions of the characters really came through. A passion for children's book is contagiously portrayed. I am forever grateful for John Newbery and his love for children and creating books for them!

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