Children's Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library

The Children’s Special Collections, housed on the first floor of Minneapolis Central Library, contain unique and inspiring titles, ranging from books hundreds of years old to the most recent award winners.

• The Milestones Collection highlights notable trends in children’s and teen literature, including examples of fiction and nonfiction series of note, controversial titles, children’s books and periodicals illustrating significant aspects of popular culture, and exemplary works of illustration. Browse the Milestones Collection in the catalog.

• The Historical Collection includes notable titles and works by notable authors published in the 19th century or early 20th century (1921 or earlier). Browse the Historical Collection in the catalog.

• The Folklore Collection contains folk and fairy tales, myths, legends, and folklore dealing with specific themes (geography, ethnicity, nature, superstition, symbolism, songs, games, and nursery rhymes). It also includes books about folklore such as bibliographies, histories, and studies of folklore’s effect on children. Browse the Folklore Collection in the catalog.

• The Award Winners Collection includes honor books and winners of awards announced as part of the American Library Association’s annual Youth Media Awards and from the American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award. Browse the Award Winners Collection in the catalog.

• The Minnesota Book Award Collection includes all nominated and winning titles for children and teens since this award began honoring books for youth in 1989. This collection is intended to highlight notable works by authors and illustrators with Minnesota connections. Browse the Minnesota Book Award Collection in the catalog.

• The Pop-Up & Novelty Book Collection contains a selection of notable pop-up books and other novelty titles. The collection highlights titles that are notable for their creative presentation, outstanding artwork, or otherwise novel interpretation of book construction. Browse the Pop-up and Novelty Book Collection in the catalog.

The Children’s Special Collections welcomes researchers and visitors interested in the history and development of children’s literature. Some items reflect outdated or biased viewpoints that may be harmful or difficult to view. Some books, due to content, age, or fragility, are not suitable for young or unsupervised children. All materials are for in-library reference use only.