From Elizabeth Kennedy,
Your Guide to Children's Books.
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If you are interested in children's books, you will want to visit The Children's Book Council (CBC) Web site. Parents, teachers, librarians, writers, illustrators, and others will find valuable information on The Children's Book Council site.

What is The Children's Book Council?

The Children's Book Council (CBC) is a nonprofit trade organization. Its members are United States publishers and packagers of children's and young adult trade books. The CBC "is dedicated to encouraging literacy and the use and enjoyment of children's books." The organization is the official sponsor of the annual Young People's Poetry Week, the third week in April, and Children's Book Week, the week before Thanksgiving.

The Online Magazine of The Children's Book Council

The CBC magazine is an excellent online source of information about children's books, authors, and illustrators. The magazine's Showcase features a thematic bibliography of books published by members. There is a new list featured every other month. Each bibliography features a long list of children's books and includes cover art and a detailed summary for each book. Topics in the Showcase Archives include multicultural books, nature and science, folk and fairy tales, historical fiction, biographies, holidays, mysteries, and the African-American experience.

The magazine also spotlights "anticipated bestsellers" on the Hot Off the Press page. On the Perspectives page, you'll find interesting essays, such as "Latinos, Spanish Speakers, and Books: The Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents," author and editor dialogues, and articles about techniqes in children's book illustration.

Resources for Writers and Illustrators From The Children's Book Council

If you are interested in writing or illustrating children's books, you will appreciate the detailed information provided by The children's Book Council. It includes a section on Common Questions and Answers for Aspiring Authors & Illustrators, an Illustrator's Guide, and a list of CBC members. The list of member publishers includes the following information for each publisher: address, phone number, contacts; the ages, formats, and genres the publisher specializes in; and a brief statement regarding the company's policy on manuscript submissions.

Additional Online Resources From The Children's Book Council

Some of the other online resources include:

• A directory of Author and Illustrator Web sites
• An online store with posters, bookmarks, and publications, many of which relate to Young People's Poetry Week or Children's Book Week
• Detailed information for those celebrating Young People's Poetry Week and Children's Book Week
• Reading lists of outstanding children's books
• Information about children's book events, programs, and conferences
• Employment and internship opportunities in children's book publishing
• Children's book-related news.

As you can tell, I always have a great time visiting the Web site of The Children's Book Council. I return on a regular basis to take advantage of all the site has to offer and encourage you to do the same.