#ItalianLitMonth n.40: Jack Zipes: Encounters with Gianni Rodari and His Grammar of Fantasy

by Jack Zipes I never expected to meet Gianni Rodari, and unfortunately I never did meet him. Nevertheless, he is a real force in my life, a life force, as are many other people whom I have encountered and who have compelled me to rethink the purpose of my life and work and to alter … Continue reading #ItalianLitMonth n.40: Jack Zipes: Encounters with Gianni Rodari and His Grammar of Fantasy

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: You Can’t Kill Snow White

At the risk of repeating myself yet again, picture books are for everyone. They are most certainly appropriate for young adults, especially when they are bold, daring, and splashed with a bit of danger. Published by Enchanted Lion Books' new picture book imprint Unruly, You Can't Kill Snow White is both a new interpretation and … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: You Can’t Kill Snow White

#Yiddishlitmonth: Honey on the Page

by Miriam Udel Honey on the Page: A Treasury of Yiddish Children’s LiteratureEditor and translator, Miriam Udel. Foreword by Jack Zipes. With illustrations by Paula Cohen and original artists. NYU Press, 2020.ISBN-10 ‏: ‎ 1479874132ISBN-13 : ‎ 978-1479874132 Imagine a rabbi who spends a sublime Sabbath in the desert hanging out with a friendly lion; a farm’s … Continue reading #Yiddishlitmonth: Honey on the Page

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Telling Stories Wrong*

“Once upon a time, there was a girl who was called Little Yellow Riding Hood.” “No, red!” “Oh, right!” Little Red Riding Hood. Her mother called her one day and said, “Listen, Little Green Riding Hood…” “No, Red!” “Oh, right! Red. Her mother said: Now go to Aunt Hildegard’s house and take her this potato … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Telling Stories Wrong*

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest

Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Dulcinea who lived happily “with her father in a house on the edge of a large forest.”  The forest, of course, was off-limits to all, for deep within it, an evil witch lived inside a castle, replete with a treacherous, monster-filled moat.  Such is the stuff of fairy tales, … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest