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Little-known children's books by adult fiction authors

2/16/2015

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Q: If I gave you a group of names, like Paul, George, John and Ringo would you be able to tell me what they have in common?  
A: Duh! They're all members of The Beatles!
Q: What about something a little harder ... what about Mark, James, Virginia, T.S., Leo, Oscar and Mary? Need a hint? Here's some last names: Twain, Joyce, Woolf, Eliot, Tolstoy, Wild and Shelley. 
A: They are all authors!
Q: Of what?
A: Books!
Q: What kind of books?
A: Fiction books!
Q: For what audience?
A: Adults!
Q: INCORRECT! 
A: What?

They've also all written books for kids! 

The previously mentioned authors are of course most popular for their more "grown-up" material, but their lesser-known children's books are nothing to be glanced over. I recently discovered some of these literary gems, and can't wait to get my hands on the rest of them! To view all seven authors' children's books, click here. Otherwise, here's a look at my top three favorites!

Mark Twain's Advice to Little Girls

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In 1865, the man behind Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn did something totally unexpected – he wrote a children's book. Written in a scaled-back version of the trademark satire Twain is known for in his adult work, Advice to Little Girls serves as a sort of manual for what to do (or not do) in normal situations that everyday girls might find themselves in. As if the words themselves weren't comical enough, Vladimir Radunsky's illustrations elevate the book's humor even higher.
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"If at any time you find it necessary to correct your brother, do not correct him with mud — never, on any account, throw mud at him, because it will spoil his clothes. It is better to scald him a little, for then you obtain desirable results. You secure his immediate attention to the lessons you are inculcating, and at the same time your hot water will have a tendency to move impurities from his person, and possibly the skin, in spots."
"If you have nothing but a rag-doll stuffed with sawdust, while one of your more fortunate little playmates has a costly China one, you should treat her with a show of kindness nevertheless. And you ought not to attempt to make a forcible swap with her unless your conscience would justify you in it, and you know you are able to do it."
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Images via brainpickings.org

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Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince and Other Tales

What can I say, I'm wild about Wilde. Written before his most iconic plays and essays, Wilde wrote The Happy Prince and Other Tales, an 1888 collection of five children’s stories about happiness, life and death. Readers see an unknown side of Wilde in these gentle, moralistic, and at times, sardonic fairytales that aren't to be missed!

The collection's namesake The Happy Prince can be read online in its entirety, courtesy of The Literature Network.

T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

Some may know his as the most important English-language poet of the 20th century, others by his more endearing title of "Old Possum." In the 1930s, good Old Possum himself wrote a series of letters to his godchildren , including a few poems regarding the complex science of feline psychology. Those letters were later turned into what is now known as Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. This is one of the more bizarre items on my bookshelf, but as a cat owner/lover, I must say it is quite the enjoyable read. 
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1 Comment

Zoey Mercado: Telling his story – one poem at a time

1/8/2015

2 Comments

 
I'm always up for blog post suggestions, so when my friend Sarah told me about a book her cousin wrote I figured I would check it out and see if it merited a post. And boy, did it.

Meet Zoey Mercado, a young poet who just happens to have Down syndrome. And what does someone as unique and talented as Zoey do? He publishes a book, of course.

Zoey's 2014 self-published book Hope For My Future: Thoughts on life with Down syndrome is a collection of poetry written between 2007 and the present. Below is an excerpt from the book – a poem titled "Broken Man," which Zoey explains was written about his high school experience.

Look at me
And tell me
Who do you see?
Do you think I am not the same?

I cannot change who I am.
I never wanted to be mentally retarded.

Feels like –
No one wants me
I am nothing but
Sand to them.
You will never know what I feel
About myself.
Like a totally broken man –
The way I feel about my disability.

My heart is shattered glass
Broken on the floor.
I wish I understood why I am
Invisible.
Why I have been put in a world called
Disabled
But I don’t feel disabled.

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– "Broken Man" by Zoey Mercado

It is through poems like this that Zoey is able to open his world up to his readers. His poetry conveys a range of emotions – from sadness to confusion, hopefulness to happiness – all of which share an intimate view of life with Down syndrome that some people may never be exposed to if not for his poetry.

The back cover of his book reads, "Zoey hopes that through his poetry others will appreciate the depth of his creativity and his passion for writing. He would also like to encourage all persons with disabilities to find their voice through the arts."

I hope they can too, Zoey. You're already setting a great example for others to follow suit. Thank you for letting us take a look into what life is like through your eyes. Keep writing! And I'll keep reading.

If you're interested in purchasing Zoey's book (it's under $7!) visit Amazon or CreateSpace.
2 Comments

    Author

    Tessa Fox is the Early Literacy Librarian at the Kenosha Public Library. After working in the journalism and publishing fields, Tessa decided to dedicate her life to books and public librarianship, and went back to school to get her Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she graduated in December 2016. Tessa has been working in public libraries since 2014. Disclaimer: The views expressed here are mine alone and do not reflect those of my employer.


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