August 15, 1995

CONTACT: Yvonne French, (202) 707-3652
Margaret N. Coughlan, (202) 707-5535

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Library of Congress Publishes List of Books for Children

The Children's Literature Center in the Library of Congress has announced the publication of Books for Children, a list of noteworthy books published in the United States during 1994.

Books for Children, the 11th list with this title, is the result of a year's work by a committee of specialists who considered approximately 4,000 children's hardcover and paperback books.

In fiction, the committee sought books strong in plot, theme, style, pace, characterization and setting--elements essential for satisfying stories. In picture books, the committee looked for illustrations that harmonized well with the text. In nonfiction, it looked for accuracy, timeliness, clarity and quality of writing and illustration.

This year, as occasionally in the past, the committee added a small section of books of particular interest to adults. These include a British scholar's history of American children's books and their readers, and a brief illustrated history of National Children's Book Week.

The list, which is divided by age groups, contains a brief description of each title. It was edited by Margaret N. Coughlan, Children's Literature Center reference specialist, with the assistance of Divna Todorovich of the children's literature team in the History and Literature Cataloging Division, and Alice Conlon of the School of Library and Information Science at Catholic University.

Members of the committee were: Nell Colburn of Prince George's County Memorial Library System in Maryland; Sharon Grover of the Arlington County Public Library in Virginia; Elizabeth Guldseth of the Montgomery County Department of Public Libraries in Maryland; Steven Herb of Pennsylvania State University; Caroline S. Parr of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Virginia; Maria Salvadore of the District of Columbia Public Library; Pamela Sachs of the Cheshire Cat Bookstore in Washington, D.C.; Victoria Velsey of the Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C.; and Martha Walke of the Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Arlington, Va. With one exception, the group is representative of children's book specialists in the greater Washington metropolitan area.

Books for Children No. 11 is available for $1 from the Superintendent of Documents, Mail Stop SSOP, Washington, DC, 20402- 9328. Please use stock number 030-001-00154-7 when ordering.

The Children's Literature Center in the Library of Congress was established in 1963 to provide reference and bibliographic assistance to scholars, librarians, teachers, publishers, children's book authors and illustrators, and to recognize and encourage excellence in literature for children. The Center's reference services, programs and publications provide enrichment to children's book professionals and other adults concerned with the young.

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PR 95-114
8/16/95
ISSN 0731-3527