Ann Bausum is an award-winning author who has published more than eight books with National Geographic Society. Passionate about the pursuit of social justice, Bausum channels much of her energy into researching and writing books that help educate young readers about injustices and corruptions that have plagued the country. Her book, "Freedom…

Censorship is not a new phenomenon in the field of children's literature. Children's and young adult books are often scrutinized for text and illustrations that may be found questionable for use with young readers. If deemed inappropriate, these books become the subjects of controversial debate and may fall victim to censorship. Although numerous…

Scholars agree that reading pictures is a multifaceted act. Interestingly, children often look at illustrations more closely and "see" details in picture that are missed by "skipping and scanning" adults. Although the illustrations in picture books are a "source of aesthetic delight," "everything" about the illustrations conveys "information about…

David Wiesner's 2007 Caldecott Medal-winning "Flotsam" blends the events of everyday life with the surreal. As he often does in his picture books, Wiesner plays with size and scale, opening "Flotsam" with a full-page illustration of a sand crab and the enormous eye behind it before pulling back on the second page to reveal the creature's actual…

With her recent book, "Paint the Wind" (2007), hitting the shelves this fall, author Pam Munoz Ryan delivers a welcome addition to the 25 plus books she has written for young people, including her award-winning novels "Esperanza Rising" (2000) and "Riding Freedom" (1998) and picture books "Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride" (1999) and "When Marian…

The National Council of Teachers of English awarded the coveted nonfiction prize to "Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea." Written by Sy Montgomery, with photographs by Nic Bishop, the book was further honored as a Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Honor recipient by the Association for Library…

In this article, the author interviews Minfong Ho, an award-winning Thai writer of children's and young adult novels. Ho was born in Burma to Chinese parents in 1951, raised in Singapore and Thailand, educated in Bangkok, Taiwan, and at Cornell University in New York. Ho's first novel, "Sing to the Dawn," won first prize from the Council of…

This article presents an interview with South Asian children's book and young adult fiction writer, Uma Krishnaswami. The interviewer states that "in all her creative endeavors Uma's keen sense of detail, narrative voice, and characterization complicate and humanize portrayals of multicultural peoples worldwide." In this interview, Krishnaswami…

How others see the United States will always be influenced by its actions abroad, but through well-written books, children in other countries can gain a more balanced view of America. Translators play a crucial role in transmitting a more realistic and balanced view of the United States to other parts of the world. In Japan, the role of the…

Presents an interview with Janet Hickman. Notes that she is a highly respected scholar in children's literature and a recognized and much lauded author of novels for children. Discusses disparate topics from her earliest encounters with print to mandates surrounding scientifically based reading research (SBRR). (SG)

Presents an interview with Chris Raschka that explores his creative process. Notes he is the author of over 20 picture books. Focuses on controversial children's books. (SG)

Presents a conversation with picture book creator Emily Arnold McCully. Acknowledges her frequent focus on strong women in her picture books. Shares ideas about using history in her writing. (SG)

Presents an interview with Glenna Sloan, winner of the 2001 Arbuthnot Award. Discusses what triggered the writing of her "watershed" book "The Child as Critic"; experiences that helped her become a good listener; her experiences as a teacher; and what she sees as the future of children's literature. (RS)

Notes that Kathy G. Short, winner of the International Reading Association's Arbuthnot Award for the year 2000, began her relationship with and love for books during childhood. Presents an interview in which she shares the sources of her passion for children's literature, insights into its place in the curriculum, and concerns for the present role…

Analyzes three novels by three authors and conducted interviews to gain insights about their work. Explores with the authors their perceptions of their protagonists as role models or heroes. Discusses with the authors whether or not they would describe their protagonists as conformists or non-conformists. Gains insights from the authors regarding…