Junior Literary Guild
Encyclopedia
The Junior Literary Guild was the name of a commercial book club
devoted to juvenile literature that has become the contemporary Junior Library Guild. It was created in 1929 as one of the enterprises of the Literary Guild, which was an adult book club created in 1927 by Samuel W. Craig and Harold K. Guinzburg. Book clubs often marketed books to libraries as well, and by the 1950s the majority of the Junior Literary Guild's sales were to libraries. In 1988, the name was changed to the Junior Library Guild to reflect this change in the company's business.
In 2004 the Junior Library Guild posted a webpage indicating four classics of children's literature that had been Junior Literary Guild selections. They were:
Selection of a children's book by the editors of the Junior Literary Guild (or latterly the Junior Library Guild) is a distinction used for publicity by publishers and authors of children's books. At present, 492 books are selected each year.
The position of editor-in-chief of the Junior Literary Guild has been held by only a few individuals over the years. Carl Van Doren was the first editor. He was followed by Helen Ferris, who served from August of 1929 until 1960. Ferris was a close associate of Eleanor Roosevelt
, who served on the editorial board of the Junior Literary Guild from 1929 through her death in 1962. Roosevelt's involvement in the Guild was fairly active; for example, in a My Day column from 1938 she wrote, "One of the stories I thought interesting about these books was the fact related by the postmaster in a mining town — that two miners' families had often gone without food, but had never cancelled their subscriptions to the Junior Literary Guild books". Ann Durell served until 1962. Thérèse Doumenjou served until 1970, and Marjorie Jones served until 1994, which included the transition from the Junior Literary Guild to the Junior Library Guild. Susan Marston is presently the editorial director. The Junior Library Guild is currently operated by Media Source, Inc., which is based in Plain City, Ohio
. The editorial department is in New York City.
Media Source purchased The Horn Book Magazine in 2009, and Library Journal
and School Library Journal
in 2010.
Book sales club
A book sales club is a subscription-based method of selling and purchasing books. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book discussion club, which can cause confusion.-How book sales clubs work:...
devoted to juvenile literature that has become the contemporary Junior Library Guild. It was created in 1929 as one of the enterprises of the Literary Guild, which was an adult book club created in 1927 by Samuel W. Craig and Harold K. Guinzburg. Book clubs often marketed books to libraries as well, and by the 1950s the majority of the Junior Literary Guild's sales were to libraries. In 1988, the name was changed to the Junior Library Guild to reflect this change in the company's business.
In 2004 the Junior Library Guild posted a webpage indicating four classics of children's literature that had been Junior Literary Guild selections. They were:
- Make Way for DucklingsMake Way For DucklingsMake Way for Ducklings is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Robert McCloskey. First published in 1941, the book tells the story of a pair of mallard ducks who decide to raise their family on an island in the lagoon in Boston Public Garden, a park in the center of Boston,...
, by Robert McCloskeyRobert McCloskeyRobert McCloskey was an American author and illustrator of children's books. McCloskey wrote and illustrated eight books, two of which won the Caldecott Medal, the American Library Association's annual award of distinction for children's book illustration.Many of McCloskey's books were set on the... - Horton Hears a Who!Horton Hears a Who!Horton Hears a Who! is a 1954 book by Theodor Seuss Geisel, under the name Dr. Seuss. It is the second Seuss book to feature Horton the Elephant, the first being Horton Hatches the Egg...
, by Dr. SeussDr. SeussTheodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone.... - Little House in the Big WoodsLittle House in the Big WoodsLittle House in the Big Woods is a children's novel by Laura Ingalls Wilder and was published in 1932. This book is the first of the series of books known as the Little House series....
, by Laura Ingalls WilderLaura Ingalls WilderLaura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder was an American author who wrote the Little House series of books based on her childhood in a pioneer family... - From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerFrom the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerFrom the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a novel by E. L. Konigsburg. It was published by Atheneum Books in 1967, the second published from two manuscripts the new writer had submitted to editor Jean E...
, by E.L. Konigsburg.
Selection of a children's book by the editors of the Junior Literary Guild (or latterly the Junior Library Guild) is a distinction used for publicity by publishers and authors of children's books. At present, 492 books are selected each year.
The position of editor-in-chief of the Junior Literary Guild has been held by only a few individuals over the years. Carl Van Doren was the first editor. He was followed by Helen Ferris, who served from August of 1929 until 1960. Ferris was a close associate of Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
, who served on the editorial board of the Junior Literary Guild from 1929 through her death in 1962. Roosevelt's involvement in the Guild was fairly active; for example, in a My Day column from 1938 she wrote, "One of the stories I thought interesting about these books was the fact related by the postmaster in a mining town — that two miners' families had often gone without food, but had never cancelled their subscriptions to the Junior Literary Guild books". Ann Durell served until 1962. Thérèse Doumenjou served until 1970, and Marjorie Jones served until 1994, which included the transition from the Junior Literary Guild to the Junior Library Guild. Susan Marston is presently the editorial director. The Junior Library Guild is currently operated by Media Source, Inc., which is based in Plain City, Ohio
Plain City, Ohio
Plain City is a village on the west banks of Big Darby Creek, in the northern part of Darby Township, Madison County and the southern part of Jerome Township, Union County in the U.S. state of Ohio...
. The editorial department is in New York City.
Media Source purchased The Horn Book Magazine in 2009, and Library Journal
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
and School Library Journal
School Library Journal
The School Library Journal is a monthly magazine with articles and reviews for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with a focus on technology and multimedia. Reviews are included for preschool to 4th grade,...
in 2010.