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Kids' books

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The Expeditioners and the Treasure of Drowned Man's Canyon: S. S. Taylor, Katherine Roy: 9781938073069: Amazon.com. East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North (Calla Editions): Kay Nielsen: 9781606600030: Amazon.com. The Best Cookbooks Made For Kids - A Gourmet Guide. Cooking is an excellent way for children to learn responsibility and valuable skills.

The Best Cookbooks Made For Kids - A Gourmet Guide

Spending time together in the kitchen also creates quality family time and wonderful memories. Although there is a multitude of cookbooks aimed at what to cook for children, there are only a handful of cookbooks where the child is meant to be the main participant. Here are my choices for kid-friendly cookbooks that are well-written, engaging, and teach valuable culinary skills. 1. Emeril's There's a Chef in My Soup Chef Emeril Lagasse gets kids into the kitchen with recipes such as "Grill-It-Up-a-Notch Ham and Cheese Sandwich", "Baby Bam Burgers" and "Oh-Yeah-Baby Glazed Carrots". 2.

Rachael Ray is a big hit with the kids. 3. Pretend Soup is the classic cookbook for kids, written by Mollie Katzen, author of the Moosewood Cookbook, and educator Ann Henderson. 4. 5. 6. No sharp knives, no stove top cooking, no small electric appliances. 7. 8. 9. 10. Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up (0028195720664): Mollie Katzen, Ann L. Henderson. To Do: A Book of Alphabets and Birthdays (Beinecke Rare Book Manuscript) (9780300170979): Gertrude Stein, Giselle Potter, Timothy Young. Over and Under the Snow (9780811867849): Kate Messner, Christopher Silas Neal. The Knights of the Kitchen Table (Time Warp Trio series) Henri's Walk to Paris (9780789322630): Leonore Klein, Saul Bass. The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg.

An inspired collection of short stories by an all-star cast of best-selling storytellers based on the thought-provoking illustrations in Chris Van Allsburg's The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg

For more than twenty-five years, the illustrations in the extraordinary Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg have intrigued and entertained readers of all ages. Thousands of children have been inspired to weave their own stories to go with these enigmatic pictures. Now we've asked some of our very best storytellers to spin the tales. Salvador Dalí Illustrates Alice in Wonderland, 1969.

By Maria Popova UPDATE: At long last, a restored modern edition of this lost treasure.

Salvador Dalí Illustrates Alice in Wonderland, 1969

Also: the best illustrations from 150 years of Alice in Wonderland Last week, we marveled at Leonard Weisgard’s stunning illustrations for the first color edition of Alice in Wonderland, circa 1949. But it turns out they might not be the most culturally intriguing. The Best Illustrations from 130 Years of Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales. By Maria Popova What evil stepmothers and conniving wolves have to do with understanding the future of reading.

The Best Illustrations from 130 Years of Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales

The fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, part of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register for the preservation of cultural documents, have been delighting and terrifying children since 1812, transfixing generations of parents, psychologists, and academics. The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm is an astounding new volume from Taschen editor Noel Daniel bringing together the best illustrations from 130 years of The Brothers Grimm with 27 of the most beloved Grimm stories, including Cinderella, Snow White, The Little Red Riding Hood, and Sleeping Beauty, amidst artwork by some of the most celebrated illustrators from Germany, Britain, Sweden, Austria, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and the United States working between the 1820s and 1950s.

The Grimms’ were a vital engine for a whole new caliber of artistic activity [...] Taschen recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Leonard Weisgard's Stunning 1949 Alice in Wonderland Illustrations. By Maria Popova A vibrant mid-century homage to one of the most beloved children’s books of all time.

Leonard Weisgard's Stunning 1949 Alice in Wonderland Illustrations

It’s no secret I have a soft spot for obscure vintage children’s book illustration, especially by famous artists or of famous works. Spotted on the lovely Vintage Kids’ Books My Kids Love, here’s a beautiful 1949 edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard — only the second version of the Lewis Carroll classic, and the first with color illustrations UPDATE: Reader Mark Burstein, an avid Alice collector, kindly points out there have been multiple editions before Weisgard’s, including some in color. The vibrant, textured artwork exudes a certain mid-century boldness that makes it as much a timeless celebration of the beloved children’s book as it is a time-capsule of bygone aesthetic from the golden age of illustration and graphic design.

HT Flavorpill Donating = Loving Brain Pickings has a free weekly newsletter. Share on Tumblr. Art of the Hobbit: Never-Before-Seen Drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien. By Maria Popova A lively new look at one of the most beloved fantasy stories of all time.

Art of the Hobbit: Never-Before-Seen Drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien

In October of 1936, J.R.R. Tolkien delivered to his publisher the manuscript of what would become one of the most celebrated fantasy books of all time. ABC3D (9781596434257): Marion Bataille. Return of the Dapper Men. By Maria Popova What would you get if you crossed Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, and Tim Gunn?

Return of the Dapper Men

Return of the Dapper Men, that’s what — a lyrical and impressionistic new tale by Jim McCann with charming illustration by Janet Lee and a foreword by, yes, quintessential modern dapper man Tim Gunn. Zoo - ology (9780761318941): Joelle Jolivet. Panorama: A Woodcut Fold-Out Travelogue Promoting Biodiversity. By Maria Popova We have a soft spot for creative, playful takes on the book medium.

Panorama: A Woodcut Fold-Out Travelogue Promoting Biodiversity

So we’re head-over-heels with Panorama — an astounding fold-out children’s travelogue by author Fani Marceau and illustrator Joelle Joviet, originally published in France in 2007. A journey from Bangladesh to Scotland to Antarctica unfolds, literally, in stunning black-and-white woodcut illustrations across 15 magnificent spreads, each a whimsical portrait of a different exotic locale. Underlying the narrative is a subtle yet thoughtful message about sustainability and biodiversity, adding a richer context to the pure aesthetic joy of the experience. Panorama is as much an engrossing educational experience for young readers as it is an absolute masterpiece of design for aesthetic poeticism aficionados of all ages. Christoph Niemann Explores How the World Works. By Maria Popova Creative fuel for the inquisitive mind, or what trucks and lions have in common.

Christoph Niemann Explores How the World Works

Christoph Niemann is our favorite children’s book illustrator and today is a big day because it’s the day he releases his latest gem: That’s How! — an absolutely lovely invitation to explore the inner workings of the world visually, through the pursuit of what we hold as our highest ideal for navigating life: Reckless, indiscriminate curiosity.

The Best Children's Books of 2010. By Maria Popova Lost owls, found cats, and how contemporary art is helping sick children heal.

The Best Children's Books of 2010

Last week, we spotlighted the year’s best books in Business, Life & Mind and Art, Design & Photography, as part of our end-of-year best-of series. Today, we’re back with the 10 most delightful literary and visual treats for young readers and their creatively sophisticated parents. Between our massive culture-crush on the amazing Christoph Niemann and our soft spot for all things LEGO, I LEGO N.Y. was a natural swoon-maker. Though not necessarily a children’s book per se, this imaginative look at New York rendered entirely in LEGO embodies Niemann’s incredible penchant for taking something ordinary and transforming it into pure whimsy.

I LEGO N.Y. came out in March and is Niemann’s print publishing debut as a sole author. Sample this gem with a video introduction by Clayton and pages from the book in our full review. via Swiss Miss via Swiss Miss Donating = Loving Share on Tumblr. Life of Pi: Croatian Illustrator Takes on a Modern Classic. By Maria Popova What perseverance in the face of rejection has to do with tigers and the quest for belonging. It’s a familiar story — author faces series of rejection letters but perseveres to eventually reach wide critical acclaim. That’s exactly what happened to Yann Martel, whose fantasy adventure novel Life of Pi was rejected by at least five UK publishers before being published by a Canadian one in 2001 and awarded the Man Booker Prize for Fiction the following year for its UK edition. New McSweeney's Children's Book Uses Thermal Ink for Secret Images. By Maria Popova Old-school storytelling gets new-school tools, or how heat-sensitive ink is giving the iPad a run for its money.

UPDATE 01/13/12: The book is now out and available to order. People: A Meditation on Human Duality by French Illustrator Blexbolex. By Maria Popova The difference between a dictator and a conductor, or why a biologist is the opposite of an astronomer. From French illustrator Blexbolex — whose poetic meditation on time, impermanence and the seasons you might recall from earlier this month — comes People, a continued exploration of the world building on Seasons.

Each charmingly matte and papery double-page spread features a full-bleed illustrated vignette that captures the human condition in its diversity, richness and paradoxes. 7 Obscure Children's Books by Authors of Adult Literature. By Maria Popova What a moral cat has to do with a lost boy, a happy prince and the rules for little girls. We’ve previously explored some beloved children’s classics with timeless philosophy for grown-ups, plus some quirky coloring books for the eternal kid, and today’s we’re looking at the flipside — little-known children’s books by beloved authors of literature for grown-ups. James Joyce may be best known as a poet, playwright, short story writer and novelist. But in an August 10, 1936 letter his grandson, Stephen, Joyce planted the story seeds of what became The Cat and the Devil — a charming children’s picture-book, originally illustrated by French cartoonist Roger Blachon, about the cat of Beaugency and a moral dilemma, a classic fable narrative mixing Irish wit with French folklore, shaken and stirred with Joyce’s extraordinary storytelling.

Joyce’s original letter to “Stevie” can be found in Stuart Gilbert’s 1964 volume, Letters of James Joyce. T.S. Donating = Loving Share on Tumblr. 7 (More) Children's Books by Famous "Adult" Literature Authors. By Maria Popova What a magical car engine has to do with social justice, a parrot named Arturo and the history of jazz. A week ago, we featured 7 little-known children’s books by famous authors of “grown-up” literature, on the trails of some favorite children’s books with timeless philosophy for grown-ups. The response has been so fantastic that, today, we’re back with seven more, based on reader suggestions and belated findings from the rabbit hole of research surrounding the first installment. Aldous Huxley may be best known for his iconic 1932 novel Brave New World, one of the most important meditations on futurism and how technology is changing society ever published, but he was also deeply fascinated by children’s fiction.

The Little Red Hen: Andy Warhol's Pre-Pop 1958 Children's Illustration. Eli, No! An Illustrated Antidote to Perfectionism.