The Cambridge Companion to Children's Literature

by M. O. Grenby (Editor), Andrea Immel (Editor)

Overview

Some of the most innovative and spell-binding literature has been written for young people, but only recently has academic study embraced its range and complexity. This Companion offers a state-of-the-subject survey of English-language children's literature from the seventeenth century to the present. With discussions ranging from eighteenth-century moral tales to modern fantasies by J. K. Rowling and Philip Pullman, the Companion illuminates acknowledged classics and many more neglected works. Its unique structure means that equal consideration can be given to both texts and contexts. Some chapters analyse key themes and major genres, including humour, poetry, school stories, and picture books. Others explore the sociological dimensions of children's literature and the impact of publishing practices. Written by leading scholars from around the world, this Companion will be essential reading for all students and scholars of children's literature, offering original readings and new research that reflects the latest developments in the field.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781139801485
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/10/2009
Series:	Cambridge Companions to Literature
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

M. O. Grenby is Reader in Children's Literature at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Andrea Immel is Curator of the Cotsen Children's Library at Princeton University, New Jersey.

Table of Contents

Preface M. O. Grenby and Andrea Immel; Chronology Eric J. Johnson; Part I. Contexts and Genres: 1. The origins of children's literature M. O. Grenby; 2. Children's books and the constructions of childhood Andrea Immel; 3. The making of children's books Brian Alderson; 4. Picture book worlds and ways of seeing Katie Trumpener; 5. The fear of poetry Richard Flynn; 6. Retelling stories across time and cultures John Stephens; 7. Classics and canons Deborah Stevenson; Part II. Audiences: 8. Learning to be literate Lissa Paul; 9. Gender roles in children's fiction Judy Simons; 10. Children's texts and the grown-up reader U. C. Knoepfelmacher; 11. Ideas of difference in children's literature Lynne Vallone; Part III. Forms and Themes: 12. Changing families in children's fiction Kimberley Reynolds; 13. Traditions of the school story Mavis Reimer; 14. Fantasy's alternative geography for children Andrea Immel, U. C. Knoepfelmacher and Julia Briggs; 15. Animal and object stories David Rudd; 16. Humour and the body in children's literature Roderick McGillis; Guide to further reading; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"[T]here are some critical works with a scope that reaches out to anyone who has questions to ask of children's literature as a whole...The Cambridge Companion to Children's Literature is one of those books....this Companion is both stimulating and illuminating. Such critical insights sharpen our abilities assess what's hot off the presses."
-Deirdre Baker

"The variety of informative contributions contained within this volume—from focused analyzes of themes such as the animal figure or the body, to passionate arguments for form such as in Richard Flynn’s excellent ‘The fear of poetry’ (76–90)—and its elegance of structure ensures that The Cambridge Companion to Children’s Literature cannot fail to be of value to the reader interested in the parallel worlds of children’s books."
-Naomi Milthorpe, Media-Culture Reviews

"The chapters in the collection are broad but not typical in how they approach children's literature. As a whole, the collection is well structured and diverse in its critical approaches [...] As an introduction to children's literature, The Cambridge Companion to Children's Literature is an excellent, straightforward collection that covers the fundamentals. It is also a collection that inspires readers to delve deeper."
-Matthew B. Prickett, Rutgers University at Camden, Children's Literature Association Quarterly

"...each does what it sets out to do-to illuminate different ways of thinking about this strikingly complex subject, with its multiple audiences and their different needs. They would make good, complementary, companions on anyone's shelf."
Peter Hunt,Newcastle University

From the Publisher