From Cover to Cover is a fresh, up-to-date look at some of the best
examples of children's literature today, and also includes practical
advice on how to write clearly articulated, reasoned opinions so that
others can learn about books they have not yet read. In addition to a
brief introduction that clearly explains how children's books evolve
from manuscripts into bound books, and a simple explanation of the
importance of the many different parts of a book (jacket flaps, title
page, copyright, Cataloging-in-Publication information, etc.), the
author demonstrates how to think about and critically evaluate several
different genres of children's books. Included are sections about books
of information (and the author's responsibility to document sources);
traditional literature (myths, legends, tall tales, folktales); poetry,
verse, rhymes, and songs; picture books; easy readers and transitional
books; and fiction. There is also a concluding chapter on how to write
reviews that are both descriptive and analytical.