Children's Books from Other Countries

Book excerpt: Every child is entranced by the magic of story, regardless of national boundaries. Many of the most memorable childhood stories have their origins in other countries. Exposing children to this multi-national body of literature introduces them to the great diversity of people and cultures that populate the world at a young age, enabling them to become more thoughtful and generous individuals. Children's Books from Other Countries is a complete and current guide to international children's literature. The concept of a bibliography of international children's literature is not new. In the past, many books have accomplished this task. The last two decades, however, have not yet produced a current reference source devoted to international children's books. Children's Books from Other Countries wonderfully rectifies this lack of attention. An introductory essay provides an overview of the field including a discussion on the rationale of sharing international books with children, a brief history of the children's literature movement, related books and awards, and basic information about the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) and its American branch, the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY). An annotated bibliography contains over 700 titles from 29 different countries printed between 1950 and 1996. All titles are available in English; many have been translated and others have originated in other English-speaking countries. The titles are organized by genre and have been selected for their high quality. They are primarily targeted for children ages 0-14, although a few outstanding young adult titles are included. Winners of the Mildred Batchelder Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal are listed in the appendix. Indexes include Author-Title Index, Country of Origin Index, and Subject Index. Affordable and readable, this timely resource is certainly a "must" for librarians and teachers, and other professionals working with children. Sponsored by the United State