The Figure of the Child in WWI American, British, and Canadian Children’s Literature : Farmer, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

"Over the past century, much attention has been paid to the literature written for adults in response to the First World War, but there has been comparatively little consideration of how the war influenced literature for young readers at the time. Based on extensive archival research, this study examines an array of wartime writing for young people and provides a new understanding of the complexities and nuances within children's literature of the period. In its discussion of nearly 150 primary sources from Britain, Canada, and the United States, this volume considers some well-known texts but also brings to light forgotten children's literature of the era, providing new insights into how WWI was presented to the young people whose lives were indelibly impacted by the crisis. Paying special attention to the varied ways in which child figures were depicted, it reflects on what these portrayals reveal about adult conceptualizations of youth, and it considers how these may have shaped young readers' own views of armed conflict, citizenship, and childhood. From the helpless victim to the heroic combatant, child figures appeared in many guises, exposing a range of adult concerns about nation, empire, and children's citizenship. Exploring everything from alphabet books for beginning readers, to recruitment materials for high school students, this book examines works from multiple genres and provides a uniquely comprehensive study of transatlantic children's literature produced during the first global war"-- Provided by publisher This study examines an array of wartime writing for young people and provides a new understanding of the complexities and nuances within children’s literature of the period. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Copyright Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 List of Figures 8 Acknowledgements 10 Introduction: Wartime Tales of Innocence and Experience 12 1 Family Ties and Family Feuds: National Identities in a Time of War 27 2 ‘What Have We Done?’: The Vulnerable and Victimized Child 56 3 The Child at Play: Blurring the Boundaries between Children’s Pastimes and the Business of War 79 4 Tinker, Tailor, Farmer, Thrift-Maker: The Child Contributor on the Home Front 111 5 Young Recruiters and Youthful Recruits: Promoting Enlistment and Other Participation on the Frontlines 137 6 A Babe in Arms: The Conflicted Figure of the Boy Soldier 163 7 “Why We Fought the Hun”: Portraying the German Enemy to Child Readers 185 Conclusion: The Child as the Embodiment of Hope 213 Works Cited 220 Index 236 Wartime,Tales;,National,Identities;,Farmer;,Young,Recruiters;,Child,Readers Wartime Tales,National Identities,Farmer,Young Recruiters,Child Readers