



Wild Things! Acts of Mischief in Children’s Literature
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Secret lives, scandalous turns, and some very funny surprises — these essays by leading kids’ lit bloggers take us behind the scenes of many much-loved children’s books. Told in lively and affectionate prose, this treasure trove of information for a student, librarian, parent, or anyone wondering about the post–Harry Potter children’s book biz brings contemporary illumination to the warm-and-fuzzy bunny world we think we know.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Three children's book specialists gleefully shred the "romanticized image" of children's authors, illustrators, and editors, slinging behind-the-scenes lore, recalling censorship controversies, and profiling innovators like Maurice Sendak, Ursula Nordstrom, Roald Dahl, and others who eschew cutesiness. They seek out insider gossip and archival snippets, referencing the testy relationship between Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter, the fate of Make Way for Ducklings' real-life ducks, and Richard Scarry's gender-inclusive revisions to his oeuvre; a thoughtful chapter explores LGBT "icons" of children's books. Their discussion of Struwwelpeter's violence includes a list of "Recent Books in Which the Protagonist Gets Eaten," and a cranky section plunders chestnuts like Love You Forever ("Kids hate 'em, critics hate 'em, but adults wuv them"). Their publishing history including accounts of the Stratemeyer Syndicate's heyday, today's YA boom is familiar from scholarship like Leonard S. Marcus's Minders of Make-Believe, though the coauthors use a snarky, conversational tone. Indeed, nonstop quips sometimes undermine the book's mission against "the fluffy bunny' mentality." Approached as an appetizer rather than a complete history, this chatty volume sheds light on children's literature's household names. Ages 14 up.