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Anita Silvey was the publisher of children’s books for Houghton Mifflin Company from 1995 to 2001, working with books by authors and illustrators such as H.A. and Margret Rey (the Curious George books), Virginia Lee Burton, David Macaulay, Allen Say, and Linda Sue Park. Walter Lorraine had hired her to be a part of Houghton Mifflin earlier, from 1976 to 1984, when she worked on advertising, promotion, and direct library marketing. Ms. Silvey served as editor of The Horn Book Magazine from 1985 to 1995, where she introduced The Horn Book Guide, an annual publication, and moderated “The Horn Book Radio Reviews” on National Public Radio. Her tenure as editor saw the introduction of columns such as “A Publisher’s Perspective,” “Young Adult Books,” and “Books in the Classroom.” She had worked earlier at The Horn Book as assistant editor from 1971 to 1975, while Paul Heins and then Ethel Heins were editors of the magazine. In her roles as reviewer, editor, and scholar, she has read thousands of children’s and young adult books. Passionate in her belief that reading is essential for all children, she has written several books that serve as invaluable references for teachers, librarians, and parents. Those books are featured below. Today Anita Silvey teaches Modern Book Publishing and Children’s Book Publishing at Simmons College and Children’s Book Author Studies at St. Michael’s College in Burlington, Vermont. She edits the Vermont Folklife Center Children's Book Series. Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Ms. Silvey lives and works in Vermont. "The canon of children's books remains the best gift we could ever give our children." —Anita Silvey |
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Henry Knox: Bookseller, Soldier, Patriot A hearty eater, dapper dresser, bookseller to Loyalists and Patriots alike, and married into a staunch Loyalist family, Henry Knox may seem an unlikely hero. But his fascination with warfare and strategy and his support of the Patriot cause prepared him to do what no one else thought was possible: transport heavy artillery from Fort Ticonderoga, up and down snow-covered hills and across frozen lakes, to relieve the siege of Boston. The dramatic story of his achievements is all the more satisfying for being absolutely true, a little-known episode in the history of the American Revolution. |
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Everything I Need to Know "What children's book changed the way you see the world?" |
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I'll Pass for Your Comrade: The Civil War has been studied, written about, even sung about for generations. Most people know that it was a conflict between North and South, Unionists and rebels, blue and gray. We recognize the names of Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee. Many people know about Clara Barton, the nurse who did so much to save soldiers' lives. But few have heard of Sarah Emma Edmonds, Rosetta Wakeman, or Mary Galloway. They were among the hundreds of women who assumed male identities, put on uniforms, enlisted in the Union or Confederate Army, and went into battle alongside their male comrades. |
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500 Great Books for Teens Thousands of books for teens are published every year, but until now no general reference has existed. Anita Silvey's book is the one everyone has been waiting for. Parents will see what their teenagers are actually reading and be able to lead them to the best of an overwhelming bunch. Teachers will spot excellent additions to summer reading lists. Booksellers will have a host of suggestions in every genre to offer their customers. Librarians can round out collections, teens can choose their own books, and both teen and mother-daughter book groups can make the best selections. 500 Great Books for Teens is divided into twenty-one sections, including adventure and survival, horror, graphic novels, humor, mystery, and poetry, each with additional reading lists. Silvey's cogent descriptions of the plot and essential style of each book make it exceptionally easy for anyone to decide whether a book will appeal to a specific teen reader. The books are also grouped by geographic area and time period because teachers often assign book reports this way. Sixty of the best audio books are also listed. |
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100 Best Books for Children By selecting only 100 "best books" Anita Silvey distinguishes her guide from all the others and makes it possible to give young readers their literary heritage in the childhood years. The books we hear or read when we are children stay with us all our lives. If we miss them when we are young, we"ll miss them forever: no Hungry Caterpillar, no Winn-Dixie, no Roll of Thunder. As adults we remember a few familiar favorites, but no one but an expert like Anita Silvey, with her thirty-five years at the heart of children"s book publishing, could put together an authoritative list like this one. Parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and bookstore clerks will feel completely comfortable recommending these books for any child, from infancy to almost-teens. Silvey includes, in addition to the 100 best, extensive lists of books to meet special needs and interests as well as classics, selected by age, to round out this extraordinarily useful work. In addition to giving an age range and the plot of each book, Silvey relates the fascinating, often hilarious story behind the story, something only an insider in the field of children"s publishing could tell. 100 Best Books for Children is as much fun to read as it is helpful. |
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Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators assembles the best of that volume in one handy, affordable reference, geared specifically to parents, educators, and students. This new volume introduces readers to the wealth of children"s literature by focusing on the essentials—the best books for children, the ones that inform, impress, and, most important, excite young readers. Updated to include newcomers such as J.K. Rowling and Lemony Snicket and to cover the very latest on publishing and educational trends, this edition features more than 475 entries on the best-loved children"s authors and illustrators, numerous essays on social and historical issues, thirty personal glimpses into craft by well-known writers, illustrators, and critics, and invaluable reading lists by category. The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators summarizes the canon of contemporary children"s literature, in a practical guide essential for anyone choosing a book for or working with children. |
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Children's Books and Their Creators Unique in its coverage of contemporary American children's literature, Children's Books and Their Creators is a timely single-volume reference covering the books our children are—or could be—reading now, from board books to young adult novels. Entries by nearly 200 experts inform and guide readers about every aspect of children's literature. What picture books best satisfy children's curiosity and capture their imaginations? When should children be introduced to science and poetry? Should parents worry if their teenagers read thrillers and comics? Children's Books and Their Creators includes overviews such as "Easy Readers," "Sports Stories," and "Holocaust Literature for Children," as well as entries on creators such as Judy Blume, Dr. Seuss, and Chris Van Allsburg. Reflecting the flourishing state of multicultural publishing, the book features contributions by and about Native American, African American, Latino, and Asian American writers, including Michael Dorris, Virginia Hamilton, Gary Soto, and Allen Say. This volume is enhanced by more than 175 illustrations in both black-and-white and color, featuring the work of Maurice Sendak, Edward Gorey, Robert McCloskey, David Macauley, and others. |
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