Book Reviews and Recommendations This page indexes individual book reviews and lists of recommended books on this site. See also this list of recommended craft and reference books on Bookshop, an online bookstore which supports independent booksellers. You will also find that many of the individual articles on the site also mention or recommend relevant books. These materials are posted on this site for free individual and non-commercial use. They are provided as a public service. Out of respect for their creators, please follow our copyright policy. Sponsored links

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Anatomy of Nonfiction: Writing True Stories for Children by Margery Facklam and Peggy Thomas: A review of the only -- and excellent -- guide available to writing nonfiction, both books and magazine articles, for children. The Chicago Manual of Style, new 17th edition. A detailed review of the standard publishing reference. Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market 33rd (2022) edition: Information about this long-standing market guide. Previous Editions of CWIM: Notes on changes from year to year. The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators edited by Anita Silvey: A review of a highly usable reference book. A Family of Readers: The Book Lover's Guide to Children's and YA Literature edited by Roger Sutton and Martha V. Parravano: A guide to the best books for children and teenagers. The Giblin Guide to Writing Children's Books by James Cross Giblin: A detailed review of a useful guide to writing nonfiction, novels, and picture books for children. Illustrating Children's Books: Creating Pictures for Publication by Martin Salisbury: A good introduction to children's book illustration. Minders of Make-Believe: Idealists, Entrepreneurs, and the Shaping of American Children's Literature by Leonard Marcus. A fascinating and informative history of American children's book publishing. Leonard Marcus bibliography--more books about writing and publishing. Picture Writing by Anastasia Suen: An unusual writing guide dedicated to fostering creativity and exploring the field. Second Sight: An Editor's Talks on Writing, Revising, & Publishing Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl Klein: An editor's presentations and how-tos on children's books and writing. Writing It Right! How Successful Children's Authors Revise and Sell Their Stories by Sandy Asher: case studies that dig into the revision process. Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine: A writing guide for children that does double duty as an introductory or refresher course for adults. Writing Picture Books: Revised and Expanded Edition by Ann Whitford Paul: A comprehensive and practical guide to writing and revising picture books, updated and expanded in 2018. Writing with Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children's Books by Uri Shulevitz: A detailed review of a classic guide to illustration by a Caldecott medalist. Book Lists: Resource Guide from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books: many books about writing, illustrating, and publishing children's books, plus reference books, magazines, and other resources. Writing Guides: A list of guides from the very general to the specific or inspirational. Awards and Award-winning Children's Books I hope you have found this page and this site useful. Please visit The Purple Crayon Bookstores page to find some recommended bookstores and to learn how to support this site while doing your usual online shopping. Thank you.