This year, National Children’s Book Week is May 1-7. This national literacy initiative was first established in 1919, and is administered by the nonprofit foundation Every Child a Reader. Penrose Library has nearly 2500 books for young readers in our Juvenile Collection, shelved on the First Floor across from the elevator. These range from picture books to young adult novels, and include many classics as well as recently-published works. There is a subcollection of foreign-language and dual-language books. The majority of these are in Spanish, but other languages are also represented. The Juvenile Collection originally supported Whitman College’s course offerings in Education; a dedicated endowment supports the continued purchase of award-winning children’s books at the college.

[caption id=“attachment_943” align=“alignnone” width=“569”] The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter is one of many children’s books held in Penrose Library. Image: “You may go into the fields or down the lane, but don’t go into Mr. McGregor’s garden.” From the New York Public Library Digital Collections. The New York Public Library has found that this item is in the public domain under the laws of the United States.[/caption]