Brian Alderson (born 1930) is an author, translator, critic, and children's book historian. He has translated
fairy tales
A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the Folklore, folklore genre. Such stories typically feature Magic (supernatural), magic, Incantation, e ...
, is a contributor to ''
Books for Keeps
''Books for Keeps'' is a British online magazine covering children's books.children's books
A child () is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking countries, the legal definition of ''chi ...
editor for ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
He began as a specialist bookseller in 1950. He lectured on children's literature at the
Polytechnic of North London
The University of North London (UNL) was a university in London, England, formed from the Polytechnic of North London (PNL) in 1992 when that institution was granted university status. PNL, in turn, had been formed by the amalgamation of the No ...
for twenty years before becoming books editor for ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' from 1967 until 1995. He has organized exhibitions and written extensively on children's book history and illustration. He was president of the Beatrix Potter Society. He received the
Eleanor Farjeon
Eleanor Farjeon (13 February 1881 – 5 June 1965) was an English author of children's literature, children's stories and plays, poetry, biography, history and satire.
Several of her works had illustrations by Edward Ardizzone. Some of her cor ...
Award and received an honorary doctorate from the
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a public research university in Guildford, Surrey, England. The university received its Royal Charter, royal charter in 1966, along with a Plate glass university, number of other institutions following recommendations ...
* Brian Alderson, "Edward Ardizzone: a preliminary hand-list of his illustrated books, 1929–1970". ''The Private Library'', 2nd series, 5:1 (1972 Spring), pp. 2–64.
* Brian Alderson, ''Edward Ardizzone: A Bibliographic Commentary''. Pinner: Private Libraries Association, 2003. .
* Brian Alderson, "Miniature libraries for the young". ''The Private Library'', 3rd series, 6 (1983), 3–38.
* Brian Alderson and Felix de Marez Oyens, ''Be merry and wise: origins of children’s book publishing in England 1650–1850''. New York: The Pierpont Morgan Library, 2006. .
* F. J. Harvey Darton, ''Children’s Books in England''. 3rd ed. Revised by Brian Alderson. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982. .
* Brian Alderson, "Tracts, Reward and Fairies: the Victorian contribution to children's literature". In: ''Essays in the History of Publishing...'', ed. Asa Briggs, London: Longman, 1974.
* ''Cakes and Custard: children's rhymes'' selected by Brian Alderson and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. London: Heinemann, 1975. .
* Brian Alderson, ''Ezra Jack Keats: a bibliography and catalogue''. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company, University of Southern Mississippi, 2002. .
* Brian Alderson, ''Ezra Jack Keats: Artist and Picture-Book Maker'', Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company, 1994. .
* Brian Alderson, The History of Aesop's Fables . ''
Books for Keeps
''Books for Keeps'' is a British online magazine covering children's books.
* Brian Alderson, Fairy Tales in the New Millennium . ''Books For Keeps'' 131 (November 2001).
* Lorraine Johnson and Brian Alderson, ''The Ladybird Story: children's books for everyone''. London:
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. Based in London, it is one of the largest libraries in the world, with an estimated collection of between 170 and 200 million items from multiple countries. As a legal deposit li ...