by Sandra Merville Hart

Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week is February 1-7 in 2021. It’s an annual event held in the first week of February.

Authors and illustrators of children’s books from Children’s Authors Network (CAN!) tell stories and teach writing workshops at schools, libraries, and children’s shelters.

They hope to instill a love of books in the young readers.

As a novelist myself, I love this idea! I remember the first time I entered a library with my third-grade class. It thrilled me to see all those bookshelves lined with books in my elementary school’s library. Then I learned that students could check out two books to read and return them in two weeks—what a privilege! I didn’t know where to start. Thankfully, the librarian had suggestions.

If you have a young reader in your life and don’t know where to turn for wholesome, fun stories for them, here are a few suggestions:

Junie B. Jones Series by Barbara Park

Berenstain Bears Series by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain

Otis the Tractor Series by Loren Long

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. Long

Magic Treehouse Series by Mary Pope Osborne

Chronicles of Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis

Little House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Anne of Green Gables Series by L.M. Montgomery

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

Trixie Beldon Series by Julie Campbell

Taxi Dog by Debra Barracca

My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara

My Friend Bear by Jez Alborough

 Over the River by Derek Anderson

 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson and Donna Diamond

The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain and Andrew Glass

 Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy

 

Authors of children’s books:

Tasha Tudor

Max Lucado

Jill Roman Lord

Beverly Lewis

Dandi Daley Mackall

Michelle Medlock Adams

Kathie Lee Gifford

Burton Cole

Eddie Jones (geared to middle-grade boys)

Clyde Robert Bulla

Graeme Base

Roald Dahl

Parents, it’s a good idea to keep a watchful eye on what your children are reading. There may be inappropriate language or topics in books, even those found in the children’s section of the library.

I hope you find some gems for your child!

Sources

“Celebrate Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week,” Read Write Think, 2020/12/14, http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/calendar-activities/celebrate-children-authors-illustrators-20675.htmlC.

 

“Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week,” childrensauthorsnetwork!, 2020/12/14, https://www.childrensauthorsnetwork.com/childrens-authors-and-illustrators-week.html.