Seventeen essays examine the genre of children's literature, covering the genre's definition, its growth, its common themes, and controversy in the genre; also includes a chronology and a bibliography.
Content Note
Foreword -- Introduction -- Historical overview of children's literature -- 1. Defining the genre -- What is children's literature? / Margaret R. Marshall ; Children's literature sustains its own genre / Clifton Fadiman ; On three ways of writing for children / C.S. Lewis -- 2. Growth of children's literature -- Early years of children's literature / Roger Lancelyn Green ; Edward Stratemeyer's legacy of series books / Peter A. Soderbergh ; End of the idealized view of childhood / Jackie Wullschlager ; Birth of realistic young adult literature / Jack Forman -- 3. Common themes of children's literature -- Subversion in children's literature / Alison Lurie ; Children's horror : a world accustomed to violence / Roderick McGillis ; Use of secrecy to foster growth / John Daniel Stahl ; Underestimating the importance of the everyday-life story / Deborah Stevenson ; Exploring death through children's books / Francelia Butler -- 4. Controversy in children's literature -- Challenging, censoring, and banning inappropriate books / Maria B. Salvadore ; Stereotypical female characters in popular children's books / Marjorie N. Allen ; Where have the books for boys gone? / Stefan Kanfer ; Harry Potter and the question of magic / Alan Jacobs ; Continuing need for multicultural literature / James S. Jacobs & Michael O. Tunnell.