Special Birthdays
Other Notable Birthday's Celebrated in January include Edgar Allan Poe, Lewis Carroll and Benjamin Franklin; all of whom had profound influences in many aspects of literature, professional writing, religion, politics and social sensibilities.
In order of their birth dates (and by coincidence birth years) we begin with:
Benjamin Franklin's Birthday, January 17, 1706. Undisputedly a genius and a true renaissance man, Franklin was an accomplished printer, statesman, and inventor, as well as a "dabbler" in many other fields. He most often signed himself, "Benjamin Franklin, Printer"—a modest and understated proclamation. The following title highlights his life and is only one of many books about Franklin that have been included in CLCD.
Benjamin Franklin
L. L. Owens
Franklin was an avid reader but had only a smattering of formal education when he left his home in Boston at the age of seventeen. He ended up in Philadelphia where he got a job as a printer and later began his own newspaper. With hard work, his business thrived and, along with writing the popular Poor Richard's Almanac, he established his fortune. His common-law marriage produced three children. He invented the Franklin stove, bifocals, the odometer, catheter, and improved the lightening rod. He was instrumental in having the streets paved, founded a reading club, the public library, a fire insurance company, and the Philosophical Society. As Postmaster he organized the postal system of Pennsylvania and later of the colonies. He recorded experiments with lightning and electricity. During the time leading to the American Revolution, he was a spy and a diplomat in Paris and returned to America to great acclaim. Unfortunately his wife had died shortly before his return. He was active in the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Sidebars and lithographs add interest. This book is part of the "Essential Lives" series. A time line, summary of facts, bibliography, lists for further reading, web sites, places to visit, glossary, chapter notes, and an index are included. This book will be helpful to children wanting to report on Franklin. 2008, ABDO Publishing Company, $32.79. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59928-840-6
ISBN: 1-59928-840-0
Ben Franklin: Printer, Author, Inventor, Politician
Pamela Rushby
This book, from the "National Geographic History Chapters" series, begins with an experiment Franklin conducted as a boy when he tied paddles to his feet to swim better. It moves to a traditional description of the events in his life that led him to excel as a printer, writer, and scientist and concludes with his diplomatic service before and after the independence from England. Although the book's 27 pages of text and black-and-white and color illustrations provide little room for more than a cursory chronology of his life, insight into Franklin's more human side would have been a welcome addition. A clean, clear font, embellished with some color, and generous white space make the book's pages visually attractive. Several pages act as sidebars to provide additional information, such as descriptions of Poor Richard's Almanack and an odometer Franklin invented to measure postal route distances. Backmatter includes a timeline of major events in his life, a glossary and an index, a list of books and web sites for additional reading, and a guide with seven steps to writing a report. Although specific references used in writing this book are not provided, a notation indicates that the text is revised from the publisher's leveled, nonfiction Windows on Literacy program. Written at high 4th grade reading level, the book is highly attractive for older reluctant readers. 2007, National Geographic Society, $17.90. Ages 6 to 9. Reviewer: Mary Bowman-Kruhm, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4263-0191-9
ISBN: 1-4263-0191-X
Benjamin Franklin: Revolutionary Inventor
Maria Mihalik Higgins
Children's librarians could look long and hard before finding a better middle-grade biography of Benjamin Franklin than they will find in this attractive, well-written book. Franklin emerges from its pages as a man of unending curiosity, imagination and energy, a man who was constantly working to improve life for his fellow citizens. The book is comprehensive in its detail, covering all aspects of Franklin's many careers--printer, inventor, civic leader, and statesman. Nevertheless, the book is written in a conversational tone that young readers will find easy to follow. Beautifully designed, with illustrations or sidebars on nearly every page, it will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Back matter includes a glossary, a bibliography and an index. This book is part of the "Sterling Biographies" series. 2007, Sterling Publishing Company, $12.95. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Barbara Carroll Roberts (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4027-4952-0
ISBN: 1-40274952-X
Ben Franklin's Almanac: Being a True Account of the Good Gentleman's Life
Candace Fleming
Fleming has taken an interesting approach to the life story of Benjamin Franklin. The book can be opened to any spread, where you will gain insight into the interest, accomplishments, family and political side of this American icon. Franklin was a printer by training, but having an inquisitive mind, he was also an inventor of items such as the Franklin stove and bifocals. He also was an ardent supporter of American independence from Great Britain and an able statesman and politician. The book is set up like his famous almanac, and the pages of the book are peppered with excerpts from Franklin's own writings. Also, he was involved in local affairs and established the first subscription library in Philadelphia and the first volunteer fire department. Today's kids are used to getting information in "sound bites," but these are more extensive and grouped so that together they form a fuller picture of the man and his life. The oversized book is full of illustrations that will help students by reinforcing or further illuminating the text. Fleming has provided an excellent bibliography that compliments the book chapters as well as noting the picture sources. Her book also contains an index, additional books and Web sites that will be of particular interest to students. She notes that she has been intrigued by Franklin for years and has even written a book about him for younger readers--The Hatmaker's Sign: A Story of Benjamin Franklin. Both will enrich any library or classroom collection. 2003, Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, $19.95. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
It isn't often that we are lucky enough to be invited into the life of a man who had the curiosity of a child, the mind of a genius, who was not afraid to keep learning no matter what his age, and who was able to find humor in all manner of situations. Benjamin Franklin was such a man. Candace Fleming has created a book that allows us to explore Franklin's extraordinary life in a new way. Deciding not to write a traditional biography, she has chosen to present Franklin's life in the form of a scrapbook or almanac. This has a certain irony, for Franklin gained a good bit of his original popularity by publishing an almanac himself, entitled "Poor Richard's Almanac." Perhaps it is only fitting that his own life is presented in the form of an almanac as well. It is quite astonishing to discover in this remarkable book how much Franklin did indeed accomplish in his lifetime. Electrical experiments involving kites aside, he organized the first real postal system in the thirteen colonies, printed the first paper money, and saw, years before anyone else, that the American Revolution was going to happen. In fact, he also saw that slavery was an issue that was not going to go away; he knew that it would one day be a problem for the people of the United States. One of the wonderful things about this book is that one can pick it up and dip into the pages at random. The other is that once you pick it up, you cannot put it down. The book, looking so much like an almanac or scrapbook with an old-fashioned looking script, pictures, photographs, copies of letters and other documents, is a refreshing new look at the life of one of America's greatest men; we are able to marvel and sometimes smile at the things Benjamin Franklin did and said. Surely such a lover of books would be proud of this one. 2003, Atheneum, $19.95 Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Marya Jansen-Gruber (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
- Best Books for Young Adults, 2004; American Library Association-YALSA; United States
- Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
- Best Children's Books, 2003; Publisher's Weekly; United States
- Capitol Choices, 2004; The Capitol Choices Committee; United States
- Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2004; H.W. Wilson; United States
- Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006; H.W. Wilson; United States
- Children's Literature Choice List, 2004; Children's Literature; United States
- Choices, 2004; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States
- Great Middle School Reads, 2004; ALSC American Library Association; United States
- Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Ninth Edition, 2005; H.W. Wilson; United States
- Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to the Eighth Edition, 2004, 2004; H.W. Wilson; United States
- Notable Children's Books, 2004; American Library Association-ALSC; United States
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2004; National Council for the Social Studies; United States
- Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, August 18, 2003; Cahners; United States
- School Library Journal Book Review Stars, September 2003; Cahners; United States
- School Library Journal: Best Books, 2003; Cahners; United States
- James Madison Book Award Honor Book 2004 United States
- Jefferson Cup Award Honor Book 2004 United States
- Parents' Choice Award Recommended 2003 Non-Fiction United States
- Great Lakes Great Books Award, 2005; Nominee; Grades 6-8; Michigan
- Standards of Learning Information
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2004; Individual Development and Identity-IV; Civic Ideals and Practices-X; Individual Development and Identity-IV; Biography; National Council for the Social Studies
ISBN: 978-0-689-83549-0
A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin
David A. Adler; Read by Patrick Collins
This read-along shows how Ben Franklin, one of 17 children in a poor family in Colonial Massachusetts, became one of our greatest statesmen and inventors. Patrick Collins's narration is deliberate in pace as he details the many scientific and literary contributions for which Franklin is known. His expressive narration also takes listeners through the last third of Franklin's life, when he traveled abroad and served at home to help establish the young nation. This straightforward biography is embellished with soft background music and sound effects that are picked up from the details in the lively, quaint illustrations in the accompanying book. R.H.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine 2008 (Orig. 1990), Live Oak Media, One cassette, 11 min., Book & Recording, $16.95, One CD, $18.95. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Ruth Heespelink (Audiofile, August/September 2008).
ISBN: 978-143010336-3
ISBN: 978-143010339-4
ISBN: 1-43010336-1
ISBN: 1-43010339-6
The Franklin Institute's web site has a wealth of information on Benjamin Franklin as well as information about how the Institute celebrates his birthday with a yearly conference, and all of the other projects they sponsor—an impressive organization.
http://www.fi.edu/learn/index.php
Edgar Allan Poe was born on 19 January 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Because both of his parents, Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins and David Poe, were stage actors, Poe was exposed to the love of language at an early age. After the untimely death of his parents Poe was taken in by John Allan and his wife, Frances, of Richmond, Virginia. Poe's life was marked with tumultuous emotional experiences; he suffered great losses of family, a difficult relationship with his adoptive family and sometimes succumbed to gambling (as a hopeful source of income). His intellectual abilities allowed him to pour deep emotions into poetry and prose. Recognized as the "father of the mystery story" he realized some economic success through his mystery writing but his efforts as a poet, newspaper editor and writer were also important in his quest for a livelihood. The following title is only one of the many titles featuring Poe in CLCD.
Critical Companion to Edgar Allan Poe: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work
Dawn B. Sova
Originally published as Edgar Allan Poe A to Z (Facts on File, 2001), this title has been updated and expanded to include more detailed and valuable literary criticism, making it a comprehensive reference tool. Organized into four parts, this volume covers all aspects of Poe. Part one includes a fairly extensive biography. Part two includes poems and fiction with articles ranging in length. All include a synopsis, commentary, adaptations, publication history, characters, and further readings. The essays, reviews, and literary criticism section offers smaller works by Poe with the author's commentary. Part three includes the people, influences, and publications pertinent to the author. Appendices include a timeline, chronology of works, research collections, and an extensive bibliography, which includes biographical sources, general criticism, tales and poems, reviews, and essays. Additional b&w photographs and illustrations relevant to the text, and more in-depth coverage of characters and analyses of Poe's major works enhance this new edition, making it a must-have replacement for the original. High school students will use this authoritative volume a lot more for research, background material, and biographical information. Index. Recommended. 2007, Facts on File (Infobase Publishing), 464pp., $75 hc. Ages 14 up. Reviewer: Theresa Metter (Library Media Connection, March 2008).
ISBN: 0-81606408-3
ISBN: 978-0-81606408-3
Edgar Allan Poe: A Biography
Milton Meltzer
If ever a poet fit the melancholy Romantic notion of a starving genius, it was Edgar Allan Poe. Dying in 1849, he lived just forty years, long enough to write some memorable poems and riveting Gothic horror tales and to introduce the detective story to the world. Meltzer, writer of many informational books and winner of numerous awards, tells Poe's gloomy story of poverty, alcoholism, illness and death in the context of the early years of the nineteenth century. We learn about the precarious world of magazine writing and publishing, the early deaths from tuberculosis, the backbiting and betrayals of literary critics, one of whom was Poe himself. The book's design, as if to emphasize the drama of Poe's life, features jet black endpapers, a black and purple title page, and black introductory chapter pages, each with a large purple blob (is it an inkblot or a bloodspot?). Despite his long writing experience, Meltzer sometimes delivers awkward prose, but the story is still so engrossing that it's hard to put down. While the author notes Poe's weaknesses--his sense of superiority, his indifference to slavery and racism, his self-destructive addiction to alcohol--we feel his desperation over his inability to earn enough for a decent life, and his grief at the illness and death of his beloved young wife, Virginia. Numerous well-chosen illustrations add to the interest. A usefully-arranged bibliography, a detailed chronology of Poe's life, and a helpful index should facilitate further reading and research. 2003, Twenty-First Century/Millbrook, $31.90. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
- Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004; Bank Street College of Education; United States
- Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Ninth Edition, 2005; H.W. Wilson; United States
- Senior High Core Collection, Seventeenth Edition, 2007; The H. W. Wilson Co.; United States
- Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2004 Supplement, 2004; H.W. Wilson; United States
- Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2005 Supplement, 2005; H.W. Wilson; United States
ISBN: 978-0-7613-2910-7
The Pale Blue Eye
Louis Bayard
Read by Charles Leggett
In 1830, retired New York constable and widower Landor is called to West Point to investigate the grisly death of a cadet. Is there a Satanic element? Straightforward enough on the surface, this is a deeper tale involving Landor's own lonely life, his daughter who has disappeared, his drinking habits, and his humorous if cynical intelligence. He becomes aware of an intriguing cadet, Edgar Allan Poe (who actually was a West Point cadet). Together they seek the answers while more complications occur--another murder, Poe's burgeoning love for a cadet's sister who has mysteries of her own. Leggett's narration could not be better, whether as the somewhat bitter, witty Landor with a rather gruff voice redolent of the early 19th century, or as Poe, with his flowery, flowing, emotional, exotic, poetic way of speaking and writing. He manages all the voices, male and female, and maintains pace, timing and suspense right to the end--sort of a double ending. The listener feels immersed in another time and place, one where Poe would and does feel comfortable. Category: Fiction Audiobooks. KLIATT Codes: A*--Exceptional book, recommended for advanced students and adults. 2006, BBC Audiobooks America, 13 cds. 15.5 hrs.; Vinyl; plot, author, reader notes., $112.95. Ages 17 to adult. Reviewer: Mary Purucker (KLIATT Review, November 2006 (Vol. 40, No. 6)).
ISBN: 0-79274066-1
ISBN: 978-0-79274066-7
The Poe Museum website is a must for anyone interested in "the American Shakespeare."
http://www.poemuseum.org/poes_life/index.html
Called "America's Shakespeare," Edgar Allan Poe created or mastered the short story, detective fiction, science fiction, lyric poetry and the horror story. His dark genius has invited children and adults to read and love literature for over 150 years.
Richmond's Poe Museum boasts the world's finest collection of Edgar Allan Poe's manuscripts, letters, first editions, memorabilia and personal belongings. The Poe Museum provides a retreat into early nineteenth century Richmond where Poe lived and worked. The museum features the life and career of Edgar Allan Poe by documenting his accomplishments with pictures, relics, and verse, and focusing on his many years in Richmond.
Opened in 1922, in The Old Stone House, the museum is only blocks away from Poe's first Richmond home and his first place of employment, the Southern Literary Messenger."
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, more well known as Lewis Carroll, was born January 27, 1832. His father was a country parson in Daresbury in Cheshire, England. Dodgson probably got his mathematical abilities from his father who had been considered a math genius prior to taking holy orders. Dodgson's "clear brilliance as a mathematician won him the Christ Church Mathematical Lectureship, which he continued to hold for the next 26 years."* He also became an exceptionally talented photographer—"He excelled at it and it became an expression of his very personal inner philosophy; a belief in the divinity of what he called "beauty" by which he seemed to mean a state of moral or aesthetic or physical perfection. He found this divine beauty not simply in the magic of theatre, but in the poetry of words, in a mathematical formula; and perhaps supremely, in the human form; in the body-images that moved him. When he took up photography he sought with his own representations, to combine the ideals of freedom and beauty into the innocence of Eden, where the human body and human contact could be enjoyed without shame. In his middle age, he was to re-form this philosophy into the pursuit of beauty as a state of Grace, a means of retrieving lost innocence. This, along with his lifelong passion for the theatre was to bring him into confrontation with the Moral Majority of his day and his own family's High Church beliefs." Dodgson was passionate about the arts but he was also very monetarily minded and constantly considered projects that would garner income. He considered writing stories for children with an eye for their commercial value after his success in inventing stories for his friends' children (notably Alice).
Quotes taken from the very informative website: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/carroll/index.html
Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger
Lisbeth Zwerger has created a beautifully illustrated retelling of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. This is the classic story of a young girl falling into a rabbit hole to find herself in a whimsical world filled with amusing characters. Zwerger's illustrations complement the classic tale with a style that is nonsensical, bringing life to the unique characters. It also has a soft, classical feel that embraces one of the most loved children's stories. Children will enjoy the illustrations of the characters, adding to the appeal of the book. The length of the story will make it difficult for younger children to engage. However, with the imaginative illustrations, the book will capture many children. This prize-winning illustrator has taken the challenge of illustrating a classic tale in the genre of a children's picture book to successfully attract readers into Alice's adventures. Recommended. 2007, Minedition, 112pp., $24.99 hc. Ages 6 to 11. Reviewer: Cindy Walker (Library Media Connection, November/December 2007).
ISBN: 978-0-69840052-8
ISBN: 0-69840052-6
Alice Through the Looking-glass
Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Helen Oxenbury's captivating illustrations make this volume of Lewis Carroll's work approachable to today's young readers. A contemporary Alice wanders around a fanciful land and meets the odd assortment of characters. Oxenbury brings to life Humpty Dumpty, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Walrus and the Carpenter, and many others, giving them each their own personality. The funny, whimsical illustrations are delightful and not the least bit frightening or disconcerting. Alice is portrayed as a confident, caring, capable young girl who walks and works through the chapters of the book to win the chess game, which the author claims, correctly, follows the rules of chess. Almost every spread contains an illustration, whether pen-and-ink or full color. It is a book that will attract readers simply for the joy of paging through the beautiful illustrations. Pre-readers will have Carroll's story introduced to them through the engaging illustrations alone. Oxenbury previously illustrated Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, for which she won the Kate Greenaway Medal. This volume, too, is worthy of such an award. 2005, Candlewick, $24.99. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Kathryn Erskine (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7636-2892-1
ISBN: 978-0-7636-2892-5
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Once again the topsy-turvy world of Alice as she tumbles through the rabbit hole and into events which become "curioser and curioser" comes to life. As Alice's size increases enough to fill an entire house or diminishes to just a few inches, she encounters the humorous and whimsical characters such as the erratic Mad Hatter, the grinning Cheshire Cat, the sage Caterpillar, and the crazy Queen of Hearts. Each chapter is delightful and amusing. The game of croquet takes on a new challenge when played with hedgehog balls that get up and move about and flamingo mallets, which are difficult to manage. And just who did steal the tarts? The ending is the same! As a matter of fact, the text is just as Carrol published it originally in 1865. Oxenbury has brought it into the present century with her wonderful illustrations and watercolor paintings. Upon reading the fantasy to a nine-year-old, I am convinced that this classic begs to be shared! Through the insight of a young person, one can delight in the nonsensical characters, prose and poetry. 1999, Candlewick Press, $12.99. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: Laura Hummel (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7636-2049-3
Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking Glass
Angelica Shirley Carpenter
Angelica Carpenter begins her biography of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (pen name: Lewis Carroll) quite appropriately by describing the day in 1862 when Charles and a fellow tutor at Oxford went on a picnic with three young sisters, and Charles told the story of a girl named Alice (for one of the sisters) who fell down a rabbit hole where she had adventures with many strange creatures. It was all "invented" as they rowed down the stream, but later Charles wrote it down and found a publisher. That is how Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There entered English literature. They were two of the first books written purely to entertain children, and over the years have earned a secure place in the canon. Carpenter gives us a description of Charles' boyhood as the oldest son of a rural clergyman with a total of eleven children, seven of them girls. Charles cared for his siblings, often telling them stories. He never got over the desire to take care of children and keep them amused. At age twelve he went to boarding school, at fourteen to Rugby (which he hated), and in due time, to Oxford, where he excelled at mathematics and became a tutor. Four chapters are devoted to his books, also his hobby of photography, an art that was in its infancy. Because Charles, like many other Victorian photographers, found the bare bodies of children ideal as personification of innocence, purity, and beauty, questions have been raised about his motives. Actually Charles was devoutly religious and took pains to keep his conscience clean. Carpenter takes note of Charles' many friendships among people in the arts, the letters he sent to them, and to the children of families he knew. Though shy with adults, he was playful and charming with his "child-friends." Carpenter goes on to describe the interest in the author of the Alice stories even after Charles' death in 1898. A bibliography (with items marked for young readers) is included, and also an index. A number of black-and-white photographs add interest. Angelica Carpenter has also written biographies of Frances Hodgson Burnett and L. Frank Baum. She has an easy readable style. It is an honest portrait of a gentle, imaginative, highly gifted man. In sifting through the available materials on Charles/Lewis, she has chosen details of interest to young readers and has given useful information about his major works. (Lerner Biographies) Nonfiction (828 or biography). Grades 8 and up. 2002, Lerner, 128p, $25.26. Ages 13 up. Reviewer: Marsha Harper (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 15, No. 2)).
Best Books:
- Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Ninth Edition, 2005; H.W. Wilson; United States
- Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to the Eighth Edition, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States
ISBN: 978-0-8225-0073-5
Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Harold Bloom, editor
This interesting book of critical essays is part of a series created by Dr. Bloom to accompany his "Great Books" studies. Bloom suggests that a liberal education should include the study of 100 of the greatest books ever written. They are the basis of this series and are listed in the beginning of the book. There is some debate, of course, on what are the 100 greatest books. This edition about Alice's Adventures in Wonderland includes 12 critical essays by well-known authors such as J.B. Priestly, Phyllis Greenacre, and Florence Baker Lennon. The authors attempt to categorize Carroll's famous children's novel in terms of thematic content, particular elements such as fantasy or love and death, and his use of poetry. The essays make for challenging and interesting reading, but as even Dr. Bloom admits, "Carroll's genre evades every definition." Carroll's use of nonsense is an English tradition not easily explained, and continues, thank goodness, as evidenced in many Beatles songs and Monty Python performances. Differing from folk tales in its lack of clear moral lessons, Alice's reading remains an exercise in the kind of childlike fun that leaves one thrilled and a bit apprehensive at the same time. The book includes an afterthought by Dr. Bloom, comparing the "Alice" books to modern children's stories such as the "Harry Potter" books; a chronology of the life of Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll); an extensive bibliography; brief vita on the authors of the essays; and an index. 2006, Infobase Publishing/Chelsea House, $45.00. Ages adult. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7910-8586-4
ISBN: 978-0-7910-8586-8
Added 1/2/09
To stay up to date on new books on this topic, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here.
If you're interested in reviewing children's and young adult books, then send a resume and writing sample to marilyn@childrenslit.com.