The Stories Behind the Stories: The Remarkable True Tales Behind Your Favorite Children's Books
by Danielle Higley (Author)
"Entertaining . . . A lovely keepsake celebrating books that remain key parts of childhood for people all around the world."--Foreword Reviews
Did you know that the Very Hungry Caterpillar was originally just a fat worm named Willi? Or that the author of Charlotte's Web hatched real spiders on top of his dresser? In The Stories Behind the Stories, you'll hear the incredible behind-the-scenes tales of twenty-nine beloved children's classics. Discover the childhood inspiration behind Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the original name of Curious George, the mysterious origin of Mother Goose, and what happened when Maurice Sendak told his editor he couldn't draw wild horses (spoiler alert: he drew wild things instead). It's a celebration of children's literature, and you're invited!
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Publishers Weekly
In accessible prose, this tome explores the background of nearly 30 well-known children's stories and series written by mostly white authors from 1697 to 2007, including Winnie-the-Pooh; Nancy Drew mysteries; The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe; Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series; and more. In an engaging style, Higley surveys the authors' backgrounds and writing histories: "But practice makes perfect, and only a few years later, Warner wrote another book... The Box-Car Children." Sidebars throughout offer the author, publication date, and a "Did You Know?" feature for each title, while full-color collages by Miles combine quotes and public domain visuals for an imagination-stoking complement. Front matter features an author's note. Ages 7-11. (Nov.)
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