Barking with the Big Dogs: On Writing and Reading Books for Children

(Hardback)

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Description

In this collection of essays and speeches written over the course of four decades, this beloved storyteller explores what it was like to be a "little dog" in the literary world, continually being forced to justify her choice to write books for children-instead of doing something more serious. Filled with incisive commentary on classic children's books as well as contemporary works, Barking with the Big Dogs offers colorful insight into the creative life of a writer who was a true literary giant of her day. Includes an introduction by Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate, photographs, and other illustrations.

Reviews

"Writing with passion and insight, the author's voice remains direct, incisive, witty, and true as she draws widely from the canon of children's and adult literature. . .[S]he astutely holds fast to the importance of giving children honest, hopeful, and entertaining stories in a changing world. A must for children's literature professionals and aficionados." --Kirkus Reviews

"Yes, the titular big dogs are the authors and critics who populate the world of adult books. But, as Babbitt--the author of Tuck Everlasting and other staples of children's literature--demonstrates in this splendid collection of 18 essays and speeches, she could bark with the best of them. . . .It is children, as well as literature, who capture and hold her attention. She is a stalwart defender of both. As for her work, it speaks, or barks, for itself." --Booklist

Author Bio

Artist and writer Natalie Babbitt (1932-2016) is the award-winning author of the modern classic Tuck Everlasting, The Eyes of the Amaryllis, Kneeknock Rise, and many other brilliantly original books for young people. She began her career in 1966 as the illustrator of The Forty-ninth Magician, written by her husband. When her husband became a college president and no longer had time to collaborate, Babbitt tried her hand at writing. Her first novel, The Search for Delicious, established her gift for writing magical tales with profound meaning. Kneeknock Rise earned her a Newbery Honor Medal, and, in 2002, Tuck Everlasting was adapted into a major motion picture. Natalie Babbitt lived in Hamden, Connecticut.