Alethea K. Helbig – författare

Designed for librarians, teachers, and researchers who work with children's literature, this volume offers comprehensive coverage of a broad spectrum of award-winning fiction worthy of closer attention by scholars and further exposure to youngsters. Its 726 entries deal with the other English literature, comprising 263 works of fiction by 164 authors from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and selected African nations that publish books for young people in English. Books chosen for inclusion have been recognized as outstanding by library associations and award committees of various institutions, including Horn Book magazine, the Children's Book Trust of India, the Children's Literature Association of Nigeria, and other sources identified through the Centre for Children's Books at the National Book League in London, the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), and Children's Books: Awards and Prizes, published by the Children's Book Council, Inc. Particular awards and citations are noted with the book entries, and a list of more than forty, with the awarding institution, is provided in the front of the volume.Entries on books include bibliographical data and identify the relevant subgenre of fiction; they describe the setting in time and place, offer a plot summary, identify characters, and provide a critical assessment. The biographical entries for authors note other writings, the book's place in the body of work, an assessment of artistry and critical recognition, and influences and sources of ideas. Additional entries deal with outstanding characters, memorable settings, and key motifs. All entries are mutally cross-referenced, and an extensive index will guide the researcher to particular subjects, including illustrators, as well as broad subjects, such as books written in the first person, settings by period, genres, and themes.

How do you select the best recent works of fiction, oral tradition, and poetry about African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, and Native-American Indian experiences and traditions from the profusion of titles being published today? This annotated bibliography of titles for children and young adults published from 1985 through the end of 1993--with 60% published since 1990--provides a one-stop selection tool. Appraisals of 559 titles, as well as information about an additional 188 recent books and 90 earlier ones of importance, are provided.Each entry features a plot summary incorporating themes, critical comments with a judgment of the book's value as an example of its genre, suggestions of other books by that writer, and related books of importance. The authors, who are recognized authorities in children's literature, and an advistory board of librarians and teachers, each of whom specializes in the literature of a particular ethnic group, have provided insightful critical appraisals and expertise and guidance in the selection of titles. Helpful subject, grade-level, author, title, and illustrator indexes are organized for ease of use. Titles in the grade-level and subject indexes are also identified by ethnic group.

Children's literature continues to receive growing scholarly attention, and this is due, in part, to the increased awareness of the complexity of these works and their importance in the curriculum. While some books may become classics and continue to be read long after their publication, others are the product of contemporary society and reflect the changing values of modern American culture. So, too, those titles that have been singled out for recognition reveal the standards of awards committees. This reference is a guide to works of American children's fiction that have won awards between 1995 and 1999.Some of the books were published before that period, and thus their recent recognition affirms their enduring value. Included are more than 750 alphabetically arranged entries for authors, titles, characters, and settings related to nearly 250 books. Entries for novels provide plot summaries and critical commentary, while those for authors give biographical information. The volume demonstrates the growing number of multicultural novels and books about nontraditional families, while it also shows the continuing importance of historical fiction and the waning appeal of traditional adventure novels. While the volume will be valuable to librarians and teachers and to scholars of children's literature, it will also be useful to anyone interested in these works as a commentary on American culture at the close of the twentieth century.