The best and most beloved children’s books stay firmly planted in the reader’s imagination beyond their early years, and well into adulthood. We’ve rounded up a selection of new nonfiction books for older readers—including biographies of legendary creators, close-ups on the making of classic books, and essay collections—that pay tribute to the lasting power of children’s literature.
Bear with Me: A Cultural History of Famous Bears in America
Daniel Horowitz. Duke University Press, $29.95 paper Aug. ISBN 978-1-4780-3237-3. Horowitz examines the role of the bear in American pop culture, including teddy bears, Smokey Bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, and other ursine figures both real and imagined.
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Father of Modern Fantasy
Don Marshall. Adams Media, $17 Nov. ISBN 978-1-5072-2417-5. Known in certain online circles as “The Obscure Lord of the Rings Facts Guy,” TikToker and Tolkien fan Marshall traces the fantasy author’s early life in South Africa and his journey to redefining the genre. Part of the Pocket Portraits series, the book features original illustrations by Marshall.
The Making of Winnie-the-Pooh: Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Other Beloved Characters
James Campbell. Rizzoli, Sept. $29.95 ISBN 978-0-7893-4425-0. Campbell celebrates the 100th anniversary of the publication of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories with a deep dive into the collaboration between author A.A. Milne and illustrator E.H. Shepard.
Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear: A.A. Milne and the Creation of Winnie-the-Pooh
Gyles Brandreth. St. Martin’s, $33 Dec. ISBN 978-1-250-42990-2
Per PW’s review, Winnie-the-Pooh author Milne had “uncanny access to the secrets of the human heart.” Journalist Brandreth’s “affectionate account of the children’s classic” combines archival research with his own childhood memories of the Pooh books, “demonstrating why millions continue to find joy in that ‘silly old bear.’ ” See our q&a with the author.
Worlds of Wonder: Celebrating the Great Classics of Children’s Literature
Edited by Daniel Hahn. Princeton University Press, $29.95 Oct. 28 ISBN 978-0-691-27463-8.
Novelist and translator Hahn compiles this illustrated anthology of short essays about children’s literature, featuring a foreword by former Guardian children’s books editor and PW contributor Julia Eccleshare. The collection spotlights 75 books, from the Victorian era to today, spanning more than 20 countries.
You’re Telling My Kids They Can’t Read This Book?
Andrew Laties. Book & Puppet/Rebel Bookseller, July ISBN 979-8-9908448-5-8.
Laties is a bookseller, activist, and co-owner of Book & Puppet Company in Easton, Pa., where he also publishes books under the Rebel Bookseller imprint. His treatise against censorship details the history of book challenges and strategies for resistance. See our q&a with the author.
