When I was growing up, the first books I can remember reading were “Mike Mulligan and his Steamshovel”, and the Curious George books. What attracted me to them were the pictures that were in them. They were fun to read, and to look at as well. Okay, at that age I had some help reading, but I did my own looking.
The Family Site today is The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature. It is located in Abilene Texas, in the Grace Cultural Center. It has as one of its missions the exhibition of art from children’s illustrated literature. Featured extensively on the site are authors William Joyce (“Santa Calls”), Deborah Nourse Lattimore, Mike Wimmer (“All the Places to Love”), and Bernard Most (“Where to Look for Dinosaurs”). There are year around events that draw attention to the work of other authors, as well as promoting the awareness of how important it is that children learn to read.
William Joyce was once quoted as saying, “Children’s literature is the first literature and the first art children are exposed to. It should be good. And when it is, it should be given respect”. This site is worthy of those words.
http://www.nccil.org/home.html
