Children's Literature (Edinburgh Critical Guides to Literature)

This critical guide provides a concise yet comprehensive history of British and North American children's literature from its seventeenth-century origins to the present day. Each chapter focuses on one of the main genres of children's literature: fables, fantasy, adventure stories, moral tales, family stories, the school story, and poetry. M. O. Grenby shows how these forms have evolved over three hundred years as well as asking why most children's books, even today, continue to fall into one or other of these generic categories. Why, for instance, has fantasy been so appealing to both Victorian and twenty-first-century children? Are the religious and moral stories written in the eighteenth century really so different from the teenage problem novels of today? The book answers questions like these with a combination of detailed analysis of particular key texts and a broad survey of hundreds of children's books, both famous and forgotten. Key Features \* The first concise history of children's literature to be published for more than a decade \* Extensive coverage of children's literature, across genres, continents and from the beginnings of the form to Harry Potter and Philip Pullman \* Links close reading of texts with the historical and cultural context of their production and reception This book outlines what is different about writing for children followed by a succinct account of the often neglected history of children's literature. It goes on to examine a number of genres - fairy tales and fables, moral tales and books of instruction, fantasy and adventure stories, domestic and school stories, and poetry. These accounts are inclusive and wide-ranging, focusing primarily on the multiplicity of British and American texts published between the mid-eighteenth century and today and the religious, political, ideological and pedagogical contexts which influenced them. The possible futures of the study of children's literature are discussed, especially the wide variety of scholarly methodologies which are increasingly being used in the analysis of children's literature. Key features *First concise and affordable introductory guide to children's literature. *Extensive coverage of children's literature, across genres, continents and from the beginnings of the form to Harry Potter and Philip Pullman. *Examines key theoretical questions including definition, dual audience, canonicity, the relationship between text and image, 'childist criticism' and 'cross-reading'. * Links close reading of texts with the historical and cultural context of their production and reception. *Extensive bibliography, with a particular emphasis on internet resources through which rare and out-of-print primary texts may be accessed. GBS_insertPreviewButtonPopup('ISBN:9780748622740');This critical guide provides a concise yet comprehensive history of British andNorth American children's literature from its seventeenth-century origins to the present day.Each chapter focuses on one of the main genres of children's literature: fables, fantasy, adventure stories, moral tales, family stories, the school story, and poetry. M. O. Grenby shows how these forms have evolved over three hundred years as well as asking why most children's books, even today, continue to fall into one or other of these generic categories. Why, for instance, has fantasy been so appealing to both Victorian and twenty-first-century children? Are the religious and moral stories written in the eighteenth century really so different from the teenage problem novels of today? The book answers questions like these with a combination of detailed analysis of particular key texts and a broad survey of hundreds of children's books, both famous and forgotten.Key FeaturesThe first concise history of children's literature to be published for more than a decadeExtensive coverage of children's literature, across genres, continents and from the beginnings of the form to Harry Potter and Philip PullmanLinks close reading of texts with the historical and cultural context of their production and reception" This critical guide provides a concise yet comprehensive history of British and North American children's literature from its seventeenth-century origins to the present day. Each chapter focuses on one of the main genres of children's literature: fables, fantasy, adventure stories, moral tales, family stories, the school story, and poetry. The author shows how these forms have evolved over three hundred years as well as asking why most children's books, even today, continue to fall into one or other of these generic categories Introducing Students To The Unique Challenges Of Working With Children's Literature, This Title Outlines What Is Different About Writing For Children Followed By A Succinct Account Of The Often Neglected History Of Children's Literature.