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

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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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