Children’s literature by Megan Perez

  • 1774 John Newbery opens a bookstore

    John opened a bookstore in London where he published and sold children’s literature.
  • 1851 The First American Children’s Book

    Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the first American children’s book that wasn’t from England.
  • 1871 New Genres introduced

    Lewis Carroll wrote, “Alice in Wonderland”, which introduced children to a book about fantasy and make believe.
  • 1879-1906

    American children read books from other countries. books like Pinocchio, Heidi, and The wonderful Adventures of Nils.
  • 1907 Child labor laws

    When the laws freed the children they were able to go to school. Thus, the children being able to read and being exposed to more literature. The children were able to read and write which helped with the push of all types of books being published faster.
  • 1919

    US publishing house Macmillan launched a department devoted to just child's literature. Louise Bechtel Seaman was appointed department head.
  • 1922

    John Newbery award was established by the American Library Association.
  • 1922/1923

    Helen Dean Fish and May Massee were the first children's books editor's. Both at different companies.
  • 1924 The Horn Book Magazine

    The magazine was published by the Bookshop for Boys and Girls in Boston with the help of Bertha Mahony and Elinor Whitney.
  • 1930s-1940s

    Children's picture books started to develop.
  • 1933 Viking Child's Department

    May Massee opened a children's book department.
  • 1938 Randolph Caldecott

    The Randolph Caldecott award was established.
  • Period: to

    1940s-1960s

    Child's books and young adults books became important part of libraries, schools, homes, and publishing houses. Libraries began to have rooms just for reading.
  • Period: to

    1960s-1980s

    Study was done showing that the number of children's books that presented pluralistic, balanced racial, and ethnic images were not used as much.
  • Period: to

    1960s-1970s

    Girls and women were not represented in books in non traditional ways but it changed in the later twentieth century. Along with books that contained gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered weren't represented a lot either. But the children's books started to reflect diversity more. S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders were part of this.
  • 1975 Children's Book Press

    Harriet Rohmer established Children's Book Press which was devoted to publishing bilingual picture books that showed diversity in cultural experiences.
  • 1988 Just Us Books

    Also established to address the lack of diversity in the field, Phyllis Fogelman supported the work of many African American authors and illustrators.
  • 1990

    OrbisPictus Award by the National Council of Teachers of English
  • 1994

    Bishop found that only 3 to 4 percent of child's books represented people of color.
  • 21st century

    Literature evolved for young readers. Tablets, e-readers, online reading, read along, tapes, movies, and so much more.