Evening star., 1954-11-14
For Boys and Girls
ChiIdren's Book Week Recalls
Many Fine Stories for Young
By Barbara NoIen
Editor and Lecturer on chiIdren's Books


ing to those who have labored
long and lovingly in the chill
dren's book field than q state
ment like this, which appeared
last summer In a national
magazine:
Largely churned out by
conscientious hacks, the bulk
Of the kiddie books pile noun
tains Of moral lessons on mole
hills Of fun. Cause for cheer
;. some well-established nov
elists have invaded the chill
dren's book field"
No Field for Hacks
Now. when we are celebrat-
ing the 35th annual Children's
Book Week, 1t is ridiculous for
any one to assume that the
only good children's books are
written by novelists who con-
descend to 60 Summing occa-
Sionally. If we had to choose
the modern writer's who have
been proud to write especially
for children. it would be a
long and honorable list. It
would include not only those
who have won the Newberry
Medal awarded each year, but
many others: Laura ingalls,
Wilder, Glen Rounds, LIE
Grand, Walter Brooks, Emma
Brock, Stephen Meader, P. L.
Travers. These and many
more should be on your chlld's
bookshelf.
Authors Who Give Best
Looking at the current sea-
son. it is simple to avoid the
conscientious hacks" - no
doubt there are some-and
focus on authors who do not
apologize for giving their best
to children.
Marguerite Henry has q
fine record. She has one
Newberry Medal book to her
credit-"King Of the Wind"-
and numerous others, mostly
about animals. One of her
earliest was Justice Morgan
Had q Horse" now expanded
and rewritten with many full
color illustrations by Wesley
Dennis Grand McNally; $3.95).
The author says: "This is
the story Of q common little
workhorse who turned out to
be the father of a famous
family Of American horses"
because he could walk faster,
trot faster, run faster and pull
heavier logs than any other
horse in all Vermont!" Part
legend and part well-estab-
hshed fact. this story deserves
to become a modern classic.
Horse Stories
Another favorite author of
horse stories. particularly for
younger readers, Is Paul
Brown, who is fortunate to be
both author and illustrator.
Sparkle and Puff Hall"
(Scribners; $2.50) is for those
young city cowboys who dream
Of living on a ranch. Other
Paul Brown favorites are
"Pony Farm" "Silver Heels" I"
war Paint" and "Crazy
Quilt"
Miriam Mason is known for
her success in writing easy
reading" stories which are far
from dull. Now we can add
"The Sugarbush Family"
macmillan. so the very gay
story Of the Kings, who were
always chasing rainbows and
looking for a pot of gold.
Several other good stories
for this age group are: 'sPete
the Parrakeet" by Irma Sim
onton Black (Holiday House.
$2.50); Johns Backyard
Camp" tScribners. So by Ma
rion Renick-lopk for her
sports stories, too; and "Three
Boys and q Mine" by Nan Agile
and Ellen Wilson (Scribners.
so. These three boys will bear
watching!
Children's Classics
Fortunately, the children's
book field has attracted sew
eral authors who can write
about children with humor
and without condescension.
Their children are recognizable
human beings, who have tax
en- their places with the near
great If not with the great.