I love that I know so much about children’s literature. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed and to share this love with my family and friends is such a treat.

What I love even more is when I find out about something I should have known about for a long time and didn’t.

The other day, a good friend was talking about her children’s favorite read alouds. “All the Barbara Cooney books.” she said casually as if I surely knew all about Barbara Cooney. Somehow, Cooney, an equally talented author and illustrated, had flown low on my radar. I had heard of her book Roxaboxen but hadn’t ever read this amazing tribute to imagination. I had knew of Ox Cart Man but had never read it. And then there are titles like Emma and Hattie and the Wild Waves which both celebrate creativity in a beautiful way but that I never even knew existed.

My friend’s children have had to go without their favorite read alouds for the past few days as we have borrowed all their collection. I am thrilled to have been introduced to such a great new (to me) talent. I wonder what else is out there…