Who Are The Most Famed Writers of Children's Literature?

Children's literature is broadly defined as books that are written for the sole purpose of being read by children. To an adult, it seems like writing for a younger audience seems like an easy task, but what most of them do not know is that it can be a bit harder than writing books for adults. For one thing it is harder to keep a child interested and because they have shorter attention spans, the story needs to be conveyed to them using the fewest possible words.

Throughout time there have been a great number of children's authors that have come and gone, but there are some whose works have withstood the test of time and are still loved by children of all ages until now. Here is a list of some of the best children's literature authors (in no particular order) whose works people might find interesting to read to their child, or just for themselves for the pleasure of their inner child.

Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss, Theodore Seuss Geisel in real life, wrote some of the most memorable children's books of all time. His first work, "The Cat in the Hat" was a big hit with young children. He uses a lot of silly and often nonsensical words in all of his works that many children find hilarious, the themes Dr. Seuss's books are also full of whimsy and flights of fancy. Besides "The Cat in the Hat", other works of Dr. Seuss that children would love is "Horton Hatches an Egg", "Green Eggs and Ham", and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter was once hailed to be the Hans Christian Andersen of America, thanks to her books that contain lovable animal characters and their stories. Potter wrote a total of twenty-three books in her entire career, the most memorable of which is "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," which tells of the story of the mischievous Peter Rabbit and his adventures as he goes in and out of the garden of Mr. McGregor. With wonderful storylines and colorful illustrations, Beatrix Potter's books are certified classics that are beloved by the young and old alike.

Watty Piper

Arnold Munk, better known for his pen name Watty Piper, wrote one of the most endearing stories ever, "The Little Engine That Could." This tale tells of the little train engine that accepts a very difficult job, amidst the jeers of the larger and more powerful engines, and succeeds in finishing it. It teaches children about the value of perseverance, something that every child should know.

E.B. White

Elwyn Brooks White was a regular writer for the New Yorker magazine in the 1920's, but he is more famous as being the author of the famous children's books "Charlotte's Web" and "Stuart Little." He is very well-known for his animal characters that have very human characteristics. His stories have touched the hearts of millions of readers around the world, and there have been a lot of television and screen adaptations of his famous works.

J.K. Rowling

Joanne Rowling in real life, wrote the widely-famous Harry Potter series. The series that contains seven books, deals with the adventures of the boy wizard, Harry Potter and his friends. Full of magic and amazing creatures, these books (and the movie series made after it) are popular among children and adults alike.

These are just some of the greatest children's books authors and their works. But even though the books and the stories in them were initially meant to be read only by children, adults will also find them very endearing as well.

  1. Authors and Illustrators on the Web
  2. Children's Books Central