Wild Things! Acts of Mischief in Children's Literature

June 23, 2014
Three children’s book specialists gleefully shred the “romanticized image” of children’s authors, illustrators, and editors, slinging behind-the-scenes lore, recalling censorship controversies, and profiling innovators like Maurice Sendak, Ursula Nordstrom, Roald Dahl, and others who eschew cutesiness. They seek out insider gossip and archival snippets, referencing the testy relationship between Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter, the fate of Make Way for Ducklings’ real-life ducks, and Richard Scarry’s gender-inclusive revisions to his oeuvre; a thoughtful chapter explores LGBT “icons” of children’s books. Their discussion of Struwwelpeter’s violence includes a list of “Recent Books in Which the Protagonist Gets Eaten,” and a cranky section plunders chestnuts like Love You Forever (“Kids hate ’em, critics hate ’em, but adults wuv them”). Their publishing history—including accounts of the Stratemeyer Syndicate’s heyday, today’s YA boom—is familiar from scholarship like Leonard S. Marcus’s Minders of Make-Believe, though the coauthors use a snarky, conversational tone. Indeed, nonstop quips sometimes undermine the book’s mission against “the ‘fluffy bunny’ mentality.” Approached as an appetizer rather than a complete history, this chatty volume sheds light on children’s literature’s household names. Ages 14–up.

September 15, 2014

See ya later, fluffy bunnies. The three coauthors--Bird, Julie Danielson, and Peter Sieruta (who passed away unexpectedly while the book was in the final editing process)--count a book, three blogs, hundreds of Kirkus and Horn Book interviews and reviews, a School Library Journal blog, and a day job at the New York Public Library between them. Here they take an unsentimental look at children's literature. Through topical essays, "Behind-the-Scenes Interludes," shaded boxes, and occasional reprinted illustrations, the authors explore the slightly messy (and sometimes humorous) aspects of literature for young people. A few moments seem to miss the mark--when wanting a doll or cross-dressing are assumed to mean a storybook character is gay, for example. Almost 50 pages of source notes, bibliography, acknowledgments, credits, and an index demonstrate the authors' attention to detail. Along with thoughtful essays about the emergence of noncondescending children's literature, quotes from current authors, and candid comments on celebrity writers, most readers will find at least one surprising tidbit: Who also wrote for Playboy? Whose cigarette was digitally removed from the book-jacket photograph? Who is the grandmother of Courtney Love? VERDICT This book will be particularly appealing to writers, illustrators, publishers, librarians, and others with a connection to the children's book business.--Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley Sch., Fort Worth, TX

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2014
A chatty inside look at some of the stories that have shaped modern children's literature.The authors, three prominent children's-literature bloggers (Sieruta died in 2012), wear their hearts on their sleeves in this tribute to the chronically underrated art form. Although they open with the hope that their book will serve as a corrective to those who believe that children's literature is all fluff and bunnies, it's clear that their audience is their choir. They are far from preachy, however, ranging far and wide in their survey of "mischief." Exactly what constitutes mischief is rather conceptually fluid, as the authors cover gay and lesbian authors and illustrators, the relative literary worth of series fiction and celebrity publishing, among other topics. Likewise, organization is a little strained, with a "behind-the-scenes interlude" that covers "hidden delights" falling immediately after the book-banning discussion, for instance, but the authors' enthusiasm and engagement will keep the pages turning. While some of the stories they present are old news to many (Robert McCloskey dosed the models for Jack, Kack, et al., with red wine), others, particularly some fascinating publication histories, will open eyes. The discussion of censorship is particularly thoughtful, both emphasizing intellectual freedom and considering the problematic nature of classic literature amid changing cultural sensibilities.Though it's unlikely to reach far beyond children's-literature scholars and enthusiasts, it will offer that audience a whole lot of enjoyment and no small amount of edification. (Nonfiction. 14 & up)

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Starred review from September 1, 2014
In Wild Things!, collaborators and book bloggers Bird, Julie Danielson, and Peter Sieruta celebrate the subversive in children's literature while tipping their hats to such mischief makers as Maurice Sendak, Roald Dahl, James Marshall, and others. In the process, they offer insightful surveys of such topics as book banning, LGBT literature, series, and celebrity books for kids, all the while drawing a bead on the fluffy bunnies that, to many adult minds, characterize the field. They begin their iconoclastic book with a chapter exploring their theme in-depth, quoting author-illustrator Elisha Cooper, who says, There should not be any should' in art, or, to put it another way, scotch those shibboleths! They conclude with a chapter that focuses on the field post-Potter (Harry, that is). And let's not forget the sidebars in which the focus turns to protagonists who get eaten, women who played a role in the children's book revolution, Margaret and sanitary napkins, and so forth. Sadly, Sieruta died before the book's publication, but his voice survives in a series of what the authors call Pushcart Debates. Obviously, the collaborators plow an ample field, and they do so with affection, insight, the occasional raised eyebrow, and great good humor. Theirs is a book that will delight and divert any lover of books for kids and will also inform newcomers to the field, planting seeds of salutary subversion in their minds and hearts. Wild Things!, I think I love you.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2015
Sieruta, a Horn Book mainstay before his unexpected death in 2012, is joined by Bird and Danielson for a lively historical survey of scandals and secrets from the children's-book biz. Sandwiched among the scrupulously documented juicy bits are thoughtful passages about censorship, celebrity books, and the perpetual struggle between the reading tastes of children and what their elders prefer for them. Bib., ind.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from October 1, 2014

Three popular kidlit bloggers take readers on a wild ride through children's literature that is as entertaining as it is educational. Like the tone of their respective blogs, the writing style is breezy and conversational. Fans and students of children's literature will learn a lot, be entertained, and come away with interesting trivia and anecdotes. For instance, readers will learn the secret identities of some famous authors who wrote under pseudonyms before they became well known. But what really stands out is hinted at in the subtitle, "acts of mischief in children's literature." The authors do a fine job of debunking the notion that children's literature is all "fuzzy bunnies" and "pots of honey." As explored throughout the text, great works of children's literature provide a way of coping with childhood issues by offering a world that is just as complicated and tough as the one adults live in. The authors' knowledge shines through and with its extensive source notes and a thorough index, this title is not to be missed. A perfect choice for children's literature courses.-Renee McGrath, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.