Our families help shape who we are-what we look like, what we like to eat, even what our strengths and abilities are. So when a parent is a renowned children's book author or illustrator, creative ability may be part of an amazing legacy. Leonard S. Marcus introduces readers to five best-selling and award-winning families with talent that spans the generations. By opening up these family albums-sharing personal memories, scrapbooks, book dummies, model shots, and final art, Marcus chronicles the way books come into being, the way artists are nurtured and grown, and the way where we come from influences who and what we become. Includes in depth interviews and extensive histories of five famous multi-generational families of children's book creators: Jerry Pinkney and his son Brian Pinkney Anne and Harlow Rockwell and their daughter Lizzy Donald Crews and Ann Jonas, and their daughter Nina Crews Walter Dean Myers and his son Christopher Myers Edith and Clement Hurd and their son Thacher Hurd

The Three Little Pigs go green in the updated children's book The Three Little Green Pigs, LLC: A Recycling Pig Tale. The descendants of the original Three Little Pigs are now in the construction business building green homes out of recyclable materials. A contest pits the pigs against one another and the winner will be able to build his home throughout the town. Using different recyclable materials, the winning pig must satisfy the city inspector (a descendant of the Big Bad Wolf!). The story ends with the wolf purchasing an ecological home that has several modern changes, and the winning pig hiring his two cousins. This is one home that no one can huff and puff and blow the house down! Richard Oldenburg is an avid storyteller and volunteers monthly to read to children at libraries and schools in Bear Valley Springs, California. He promotes the "art of imagination" through his storytelling. One evening while discussing old folk and fairy tales with his wife, a thought was planted. Could an old fairytale be brought up to date? The result is this book, now dedicated to his wife of 28 years Publisher's website:

Unique in its coverage of contemporary American children's literature, this timely, single-volume reference covers the books our children are--or should be--reading now, from board books to young adult novels. Enriched with dozens of color illustrations and the voices of authors and illustrators themselves, it is a cornucopia of delight. 23 color, 153 b&w illustrations.