Anita Silvey Children's Book Expert
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children's Book by Anita Silvey

Roar­ing Brook Press, 2009

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Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book

life lessons from Notable People from All Walks of Life

“What chil­dren’s book changed the way you see the world?”

Ani­ta Sil­vey asked this ques­tion to more than one hun­dred of our most respect­ed and admired lead­ers in soci­ety, and she learned about the books that shaped financiers, actors, singers, ath­letes, activists, artists, com­ic book cre­ators, nov­el­ists, illus­tra­tors, teachers …

The lessons they recall are inspir­ing, instruc­tive, and illu­mi­nat­ing. And the books they remem­ber res­onate as influ­en­tial read­ing choic­es for fam­i­lies. This book, with its full col­or excerpts of beloved chil­dren’s books, is a trea­sury and a guide: a col­lec­tion of fas­ci­nat­ing essays and an excel­lent gift choice for families.

This book is ide­al for fam­i­ly dis­cus­sions, book clubs, and One Com­mu­ni­ty Reads pro­grams. All ages of read­ers will enjoy talk­ing about the book that has most influ­enced their lives … even six-year-olds!

Reviews

“Silvey’s book includes mini-essays and inter­views with more than 100 accom­plished Amer­i­cans, from busi­ness­men and politi­cians to artists, ath­letes, and actors. Writ­ers like Bev­er­ly Cleary and Judy Blume are also includ­ed, show­ing how a love of read­ing is hand­ed down from one gen­er­a­tion to the next.” (Parade Mag­a­zine)

“Every­thing I Need to Know I Learned From a Children’s Book [is] a delight­ful nos­tal­gic exer­cise in which promi­nent peo­ple reflect on the children’s sto­ries that shaped them.” (The Wall Street Jour­nal)

“This hand­some com­pendi­um is dense and delight­ful. And the longish title is a per­fect cat­a­lyst for more con­ver­sa­tion, in class­rooms and at the din­ner table. What chil­dren’s book taught you some­thing valu­able? Dis­cuss.” (The San Fran­cis­co Chron­i­cle)

“Create[s] a mov­ing patch­work mes­sage about the trans­for­ma­tive pow­ers of read­ing.” (Pub­lish­ers Week­ly)

“Place a book in a child’s hands and you nev­er know what will hap­pen. In Every­thing I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book, Ani­ta Sil­vey gath­ers the rem­i­nis­cences of adults about the works that influ­enced them as chil­dren and the lessons that still res­onate.” (School Library Jour­nal’s Cur­ricu­lum Con­nec­tions)