This work aims to help teachers ensure that children develop an awareness of the prejudice expressed in books and other reading material they encounter. It reviews recent work which aims to counter prejudice in children's literature, and traces the historical and theoretical basis of this work. It also discusses the equality issues and stereotyping in a range of books - old and new, popular and classic. The focus throughout the text is on the practical ways in which teachers and librarians can help children to develop an awareness on bias, so that they are less likely to adopt the prejudices...

This work, designed to be used as a basic textbook for student teachers taking B.Ed and PGCE initial training courses: provides an accessible but rigorous treatment of early childhood education, integrating ideas and practice; acts as a springboard for students' further study; arose out of the concerns and needs expressed by students themselves; and has been written from a well-known centre for early childhood studies.