"This readable and informative account... raises issues about the political and social intent of all children s literature. Essential." Choice

During the New Negro Renaissance, African American children s literature became a crucial medium through which a disparate community forged bonds of cultural, economic, and aesthetic solidarity. Employing interdisciplinary critical strategies, including social, educational, and publishing history, canon-formation theory, and extensive archival research, Children s Literature of the Harlem Renaissance analyzes childhood as a site of emerging...

Designed for librarians, teachers, and researchers who work with children's literature, this volume offers comprehensive coverage of a broad spectrum of award-winning fiction worthy of closer attention by scholars and further exposure to youngsters. Its 726 entries deal with the other English literature, comprising 263 works of fiction by 164 authors from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and selected African nations that publish books for young people in English. Books chosen for inclusion have been recognized as outstanding by library associations and award committees of various...

"Lloyd Alexander--A Bio-Bibliography" profiles both the professional career and private life of this prolific author, winner of both the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award. Although best known and loved for his children's books, Lloyd Alexander also has been a regular contributor to magazines, anthologies, textbooks, and professional journals, all of which are documented in this comprehensive volume.

A biographical glimpse into Alexander's early life reveals a youngster impassioned by books and touches upon the influences that shaped his sensibilities and encouraged his...

In this collection of essays, authorities on a wide range of topics related to science fiction discuss themes and particular works of special interest to young readers. The chapters cover the founding works of science fiction for young readers, specific authors and their works, and science fiction as a vehicle for exploring philosophical, religious, and social ideas. Essays discuss the literary and thematic elements of science fiction and shed light on the evolution of science fiction as a genre for young readers.

The volume begins with a section of essays on the origins of science...

Written for librarians, teachers, and researchers, this is the second five-year supplement to the authors' "Dictionary of American Children's Fiction, 1960-1984" (Greenwood, 1986). Its 567 entries cover 189 award-winning children's books by 136 authors published from 1990 to 1994. Included are concise critical reviews of novels, biographical profiles of authors, and descriptions of memorable characters. An appendix lists books by the awards they have won, and an extensive index allows complete access to the wealth of material contained within this reference work.

Included are...

This is the first annotated guide to recent young adult literature that is organized into specific problem areas: alienation and identity, disabilities, homosexuality, divorced and single parents, adopted and foster families, abuse, eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia), alcohol and drugs, poverty, dropouts and delinquency, teenage pregnancy, AIDS, death and dying, and stress and suicide. More than 900 recommended books published through 1993 have been annotated. Reading levels of recommended books are grades 5-8 and interest level is through grade 12.

This work addresses...

This is the first full-length study of the work of gothic novelist V.C. Andrews. Andrews's ability to create adolescent characters who are caught uncomfortably between childhood and adulthood has won her millions of teenage readers. She focuses on the female adolescent experience and connects with her readers by creating characters who reflect adolescent struggles, confusion, and pain. Huntley shows that the power of Andrews's novels lies in her creation of an enthralling nightmare world, like a fairy tale gone berserk, in which the young heroine struggles with adolescent fears and...

The contributors to this collection of essays address children's literature as an art form, rather than an educational instrument, as has been the traditional approach. Scholars from 10 different countries present a variety of approaches to the history of children's literature, including views on sociological, semiotic, and intertextual models of its evolution. Other issues explored include influence and interaction between stories and their countries of origin. This strong presentation of international perspectives on children's literature will be a valuable resource for scholars of...

This one-stop cross-cultural selective guide to recent retellings of myths and hero tales for children and young adults will enable teachers and library media specialists to select comparative myths and tales from various, mostly non-European cultures. The focus is on stories from Native America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Oceania. The Guide contains extensively annotated entries on 189 books of retellings of myths and hero tales, both ancient and modern, from around the world published between 1985 and 1996. Represented are 1,455 stories suitable for use...

Many Victorian and Edwardian fantasy stories began as extemporaneous oral tales told for the delight of children and, like "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Wind in the Willows," were written down by chance. These fanciful stories, told with child-like spontaneity, are analyzed here to argue their role in the revolution not only of children's literature, but of the general conception of childhood. In contrast to the traditional moral tales of the 18th century that were written with the express purpose of instructing children how to become adults, this literature that Sandner identifies as the...

Over the past fifty years, children's literature has freed itself of many traditional restrictions and become a field of exciting innovations in both form and content. The new status of children's literature has been accompanied by an unprecedented growth in research on children's literature internationally. This volume explores the many changes that have taken place in the past half-century in children's literature, showing how those changes reflect our rapidly-changing world and attempt to prepare children for the new millennium. Among the issues discussed are the shifting boundaries...

Children's literature continues to receive growing scholarly attention, and this is due, in part, to the increased awareness of the complexity of these works and their importance in the curriculum. While some books may become classics and continue to be read long after their publication, others are the product of contemporary society and reflect the changing values of modern American culture. So, too, those titles that have been singled out for recognition reveal the standards of awards committees. This reference is a guide to works of American children's fiction that have won awards...

Myth, legend, and folklore have been entrenched in children's literature for several centuries and continue to be popular. Some of the most ancient traditional tales still extant come from the Celtic cultures of France and the British Isles, whose languages are among the oldest in Europe. Among these tales are four native Welsh legends collectively known as the Mabinogi, which were first translated into English in 1845 by Lady Charlotte Guest. Numerous children's books have been based on the Mabinogi since then, and many have received awards and critical acclaim. Because these books are...