Read all of Slate’s stories about the 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years .

On Oct. 8, 2010, the New York Times ran a story on its front page: “ Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children .” As we interviewed children’s publishing professionals while compiling this list, several told us they remembered exactly where they were when they read this death knell for their industry. The Times wasn’t wrong: Sales were down, especially of new books. Once upon a time, an adult shopping for a child might have bought a classic they remembered from their own childhood, and also a new book, recommended by a bookseller. More and more, buyers just went for the classic—almost always Seuss or Sendak—and new books languished on the shelves.

But, feared a number of ambitious autho

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