“I don’t believe that I have ever written a children’s book,” Maurice Sendak once said. “I don’t write for children. I write–and somebody says, ‘That’s for children!’” Madeleine L’Engle said, “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Reading
Featured Illustrator: Chris Haughton
Chris Haughton is a favorite artist of mine—such a brilliant sense of humor and most of all so very deceptively simple (and believe me, as a picture book writer, I know how extremely hard that is to do…) Behind a “simple picture book” are revision after revision. With How To Be A Baby, for instance,… Read more »
10 Books for Children age 6 to 106 (Pt. 1)
What are your favorite children’s books? People ask me that a lot. It’s a hard question to answer because where do you begin? The best children’s book are, of course, the ones which are nothing of the sort. They are those books which can be enjoyed by a child of any age, from 6 to… Read more »
Picture Books, Theater and the Turn of the Page
A good picture book is like theater. You’re probably familiar with The Caldecott Medal (awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children). But who is this Caldecott exactly? Beatrix Potter called him, “one of the greatest illustrators of all.” Maurice Sendak credited him with inventing the modern picture book…. Read more »
Maya Angelou reads “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me”
It was so sad to hear that Maya Angelou’s had died last week. Like so many others around the world, I was touched by the words she wrote and spoke. And by the woman she was. And her spirit and sheer joy of life. I discovered this wonderful recording of Angelou reading one of her… Read more »
The Good Doctor
People often ask me, “Are you related to THE Lloyd-Jones?” To which, of course, I respond … “But I AM the Lloyd-Jones.” Of course, what they’re really asking is: “Are you related to THE Doctor David Martyn Lloyd-Jones?” Dr David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) is the rock star of theologians, writers, thinkers. (Seen here wondrously on… Read more »
Limericks
Now it’s high time for some Limericks. Limericks? you say. Limericks are sometimes looked down on. Why? Some of the reasons given are: 1/they’re simple 2/they’re short 3/they only have 5 lines 4/they’re not very hard to write (Come to think of it, isn’t that pretty much what some people think of children’s picture books?… Read more »
Teach children that the Bible is not about them
When I’m invited to go and speak to children in church settings, I ask them two questions: 1/How many people here sometimes think you have to be good for God to love you? (They tentatively raise their hands. I raise my hand along with them.) 2/How many people here sometimes think that if you aren’t… Read more »