The Global Fund For Children

In The Picture Book Kitchen

• By Cynthia Pon on November 17th, 2010
• Category: Blog, North America

Submitted by Maya Ajmera and Cynthia Pon

Washington, DC – Many have weighed in on the recent New York Times article “Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children” (October 8, 2010), some responding with nostalgia, others with indignation, yet others with refutation, and some with open-eyed optimism. Judging from the wide spectrum of responses, the community that sees to the state of children’s reading and learning (namely, parents, teachers, librarians, publishers, authors, illustrators, and booksellers) is alive and contesting. What does The Global Fund for Children have to add to this spirited exchange? While we are best known for our grantmaking, for 15 years we have also been one of the few nonprofit organizations that devote precious resources to the development of children’s books—books that are worthy of children’s imagination, their capacity to learn, and their ability to be compassionate.

We believe in creating books that offer children enjoyment while also serving as a vital source of learning and inspiration. By opening a window to the world through the perspectives of children and by shedding light on cultures less often represented in the marketplace, our efforts to raise the next generation of informed and caring global citizens go hand in hand with our work in international development.

From our earlier books, Children from Australia to Zimbabwe and To Be a Kid, to more recent titles spanning domestic as well as global diversity—Children of Native American Today, Children of the U.S.A., Going to School in India, Faith, and Global Babies, among others—we and our publishing partner Charlesbridge Publishing have experimented with different formats of photo-illustrated picture books that would at once engage the youngest readers (from babies, really) and invite children who can read on their own to find out more.

It may seem presumptuous of us, co-creators of photo-illustrated picture books, to make pronouncements on picture books as a genre. The fact is, our nonfiction picture books continue to be in demand. Fiction or nonfiction, the best reading (whether it is prefixed by “e-,” or “i-,” print or electronic) takes the form of an adventure where children can lose themselves in unfamiliar worlds, and yet see themselves reflected in peoples, cultures, and customs that may be vastly different on the surface but are grounded in the hopes, struggles, and aspirations of a common humanity.

On the front cover of Nasreen’s Secret School, our first illustrated picture book, a girl with clear, teal-colored eyes looks out onto the world. Against a backdrop of high Afghan mountains, Nasreen has opened a book from whose pages rise figures portraying art, science, mysticism, and the warmth of everyday life that “long ago, made Herat beautiful.” Written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter, Nasreen’s Secret School is the winner of the 2010 Jane Addams Book Award for Younger Children. Based on the true story of a girl served by one of our grantee partners, this picture book has an important message for readers and purveyors of picture books: “Nasreen no longer feels alone. The knowledge she holds inside will always be with her, like a good friend.”

With that in mind, The Global Fund for Children looks forward to continuing to create appealing picture books for young readers—illustrated stories developed in collaboration with grantee partners, as well as photo-illustrated books that highlight global themes and feature children from around the world. A portion of the royalties goes back to support our grantee partners. We are also a supporter of the Golden Baobab Prize, which seeks to inspire the growth of African children’s literature. Through our Books for Kids project, we donate Global Fund for Children books to community literacy projects that demonstrate a need for quality children’s books.

It is true that the poor economy has constrained many young children and their families, the mainstays of the picture book industry especially in this country. As consumers, we are also blessed with multiple formats and titles, and as we make choices about what books to produce/bring before that special young reader, let us remember that a child’s desire to learn and to build bridges is our hope against ignorance and fear.