Parents' Guide to

Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books

By Jan Carr, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Lively biography of the man who gave birth to kids' books.

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One would expect a biography of an 18th century kids' book publisher to be popular with librarians and publishing folk, but the happy surprise is that this book's a delightful romp for all. Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books is playful, fun, and lively, the very qualities Newbery himself valued in a kids' book. The writing is engaging, with a sly, cheeky tone. "Many mums and dads worried that if their little nippers read fun books, they’d turn wild as beasts!"

The art is a perfect match for the subject matter, evoking a period feel while brimming with humor. One spread shows a bookshop crowded with eager readers that include a pirate, pickpocket, and giant. Even the typography of this book is fun, with a variety of old-fashioned typefaces jumping off the page. Newbery published books "that were loved so hard, that were thumbed so often, they came apart at the spine." This book is quite happily in that tradition.

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