Starting with the figure of a bold, boisterous girl in the mid-nineteenth century and ending with the "girl power" movement of the 1990s, "Tomboys" is the first full-length critical study of this gender-bending code of female conduct. Michelle Abate uncovers the origins, charts the trajectory, and traces the literary and cultural transformations that the concept of "tomboy" has undergone in the United States. Abate focuses on literature including Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" and Carson McCullers' "The Member of the Wedding" and films such as Peter Bogdanovich's "Paper Moon".She also...
Starting with the figure of a bold, boisterous girl in the mid-nineteenth century and ending with the "girl power" movement of the 1990s, "Tomboys" is...
Starting with the figure of a boisterous girl in the mid-19th century and ending with the 'girl power' movement of the '90s, 'Tomboys' is a critical study of this code of female conduct. The book uncovers the origins, charts the trajectory and traces the literary and cultural transformations the concept has undergone in the US.
Starting with the figure of a boisterous girl in the mid-19th century and ending with the 'girl power' movement of the '90s, 'Tomboys' is a critical s...
Dr. Seuss's classic character the Lorax has delighted children for decades while passing along a powerful message about environmental responsibility. The book's young readers, and their parents, would likely be surprised by the emergence of a new character, Truax, a kindly logger created by a longtime employee of the wood products industry, who, not surprisingly, has a far different viewpoint to share. Yet the Truax character, and the book of the same name, is just one example of a growing genre of conservative-themed narratives for young readers spawned by the continuing strength of the...
Dr. Seuss's classic character the Lorax has delighted children for decades while passing along a powerful message about environmental responsibility. ...
"Over the Rainbow is lively, engaging, and thoughtful. More to the point, the field of children's literature needs such a collection." ---Katherine Capshaw Smith, University of Connecticut
In spite of the growing critical interest concerning gender and sexual nonnormativity in and around narratives written for young readers, no book-length volume on the subject has yet appeared. Over the Rainbow: Queer Children's and Young Adult Literature is the first collection of essays dedicated to LGBTQ issues in children's literature. Bringing together significant essays and...
"Over the Rainbow is lively, engaging, and thoughtful. More to the point, the field of children's literature needs such a collection." --...
This collection seeks to understand the long-lasting and global appeal of Tarzan: Why is a story about a feral boy, who is raised by apes in the African jungle, so compelling and so adaptable to different cultural contexts and audiences? How is it that the same narrative serves as the basis for both children's cartoons and lavish musical productions or as a vehicle for both nationalistic discourse and for light romantic fantasy? Considering a history of criticism that highlights the imperialistic, sexist, racist underpinnings of the original Tarzan narrative, why would this character and...
This collection seeks to understand the long-lasting and global appeal of Tarzan: Why is a story about a feral boy, who is raised by apes in the Af...
C. S. Lewis's seven-book series about the fictional land of Narnia has become an irrefutable classic. This collection of original, wide-ranging essays explores the past, present and future importance of The Chronicles of Narnia, providing the most current, and some of the most cutting-edge, research about this popular fantasy series.
C. S. Lewis's seven-book series about the fictional land of Narnia has become an irrefutable classic. This collection of original, wide-ranging essays...
Given the long-standing belief that children ought to be shielded from disturbing life events, it is surprising to see how many stories for kids involve killing. Bloody Murder is the first full-length critical study of this pervasive theme of murder in children's literature. Through rereadings of well-known works, such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, and The Outsiders, Michelle Ann Abate explores how acts of homicide connect these works with an array of previously unforeseen literary, social, political, and cultural issues. Topics...
Given the long-standing belief that children ought to be shielded from disturbing life events, it is surprising to see how many stories for kids in...
This collection seeks to understand the long-lasting and global appeal of Tarzan: Why is a story about a feral boy, who is raised by apes in the African jungle, so compelling and so adaptable to different cultural contexts and audiences? How is it that the same narrative serves as the basis for both children's cartoons and lavish musical productions or as a vehicle for both nationalistic discourse and for light romantic fantasy? Considering a history of criticism that highlights the imperialistic, sexist, racist underpinnings of the original Tarzan narrative, why would this character and...
This collection seeks to understand the long-lasting and global appeal of Tarzan: Why is a story about a feral boy, who is raised by apes in the Af...
