Review of Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books by Michelle Markel

Authors

Erin E. Kloosterman, Cedarville UniversityFollow

Publisher

Chronicle Books

City

San Francisco, California, United States of America

Date of Publication

2017

ISBN

9780811879224

Date of Review

2019

Disciplines

Library and Information Science | Modern Literature

Keywords

Children's literature, reviews

Review

John Newbery was born in a time where fun children’s books weren’t published. But, John loved reading and publishing and decided that he wanted to publish beautiful, engaging books geared towards children. He created a book with games, proverbs, ABC’s, and a Giant-Killer, and the book flew off the shelves, especially since John included a toy with purchase. John expanded his offerings to include magazines, full-length novels, joke books, and geography books, effectively changing the publishing industry and paving the way for children’s literature today. Throughout Balderdash!, the illustrations and text are sprinkled around the page, sometimes creating a chaotic scene. However, the overall design of the book is incredibly pleasing with beautiful endpapers and page edges that look like old, antique books. The whimsical text and language make this book best suited for older elementary school children, but younger students could enjoy the playful illustrations. Optional. Erin Kloosterman, Centennial Library Intern, Cedarville University

Recommended Citation

Kloosterman, Erin E., "Review of Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books by Michelle Markel" (2019). Library Intern Book Reviews. 231.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/intern_book_reviews/231

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