What is the history of children’s literature?
The origins of children’s literature. By the end of the 18th century, children’s literature was a flourishing, separate and secure part of the publishing industry in Britain. Perhaps as many as 50 children’s books were being printed each year, mostly in London, but also in regional centres such as Edinburgh, York and Newcastle.
Who is known as the father of children’s literature?
The father of children’s literature. But the most celebrated of these pioneers is John Newbery, whose first book for the entertainment of children was A Little Pretty Pocket-Book Intended for the Instruction and Amusement of Little Master Tommy and Pretty Miss Polly (c.1744).
Are children’s books literature?
Children’s books, however, are a late growth of literature. Miss Yonge says, “Up to the Georgian era there were no books at all for children or the poor, excepting the class-books containing old ballads, such as Chevy Chase, and short tales, such as The King and the Cobbler, Whittington and his Cat.”
Who was the first illustrator for children's books?
Another method of creating illustrations for children's books was etching, used by George Cruikshank in the 1850s. By the 1860s, top artists were illustrating for children, including Crane, Randolph Caldecott, Kate Greenaway, and John Tenniel.
What is the origin of children's literature?
Children's literature can be traced to traditional stories like fairy tales, that have only been identified as children's literature in the eighteenth century, and songs, part of a wider oral tradition, that adults shared with children before publishing existed.
When did the children's literature start?
18th centuryChildren's literature first clearly emerged as a distinct and independent form of literature in the second half of the 18th century, before which it had been at best only in an embryonic stage.
What is the oldest known children's story?
A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, Intended for the Instruction and Amusement of Little Master Tommy, And Pretty Miss Polly by Isaiah Thomas (1744) Most consider this to be the true first children's book in print.
Who is the most famous children's writer?
Dr. Seuss. Theodore Seuss Geisel wrote and illustrated over 60 books for children. Using a whimsical art style and sing-song rhyming scheme, he created many of the world's most loved and best selling children's books.
What is the purpose of children's literature?
Children's literature creates foundational pathways for a child's language development and acquisition, as well as encourages an actively engaged imagination.
What defines children's literature?
“Children's Literature” is defined as material written and produced for the information or entertainment of children and young adults. This includes material in all non-fiction, literary and artistic genres in physical and digital formats.
What are the four types of children's literature?
Some of the most common genres of literature for kids include picture books, traditional literature, poetry and verse, biography, fiction and nonfiction.
What is the golden age of children's literature?
The “Golden Age” of Children's Literature (1865-1926) was a formative period for children's literature in America and Britain. Peter Pan, Alice, Dorothy, and Tom Sawyer all hail from the Golden Age, and their adventures have become ingrained in our cultural imagination.
What is the difference between literature and children's literature?
Children's literature is any literature that is enjoyed by children. More specifically, children's literature comprises those books written and published for young people who are not yet interested in adult literature or who may not possess the reading skills or developmental understandings necessary for its perusal.
Who is the most successful children's author of all time?
Dr. SeussDr. Seuss tops the list of 10 best-selling children's books.
Who is the most famous children's poet?
Well-known and beloved children's poet, Shel Silverstein, has been adored for generations. It's no surprise that he is on this list. If you haven't introduced your kids to the poetry of Shel Silverstein then they are in for a treat.
Who wrote stories for little children?
Rudyard KiplingJust So Stories / AuthorJust So Stories – For Little Children – Written and Illustrated by Rudyard Kipling. This book contains Rudyard Kipling's 1902 collection of short stories, Just So Stories – For Little Children.
How has children's literature developed over time?
Just as other forms of literature, children's literature grew from stories passed down orally from generation to generation. Irish folk tales can be traced back as early as 400 BCE, while the earliest written folk tales are arguably the Pachatantra, from India, which were written around 200 AD.
When was the golden age of children's literature?
1865-1926The “Golden Age” of Children's Literature (1865-1926) was a formative period for children's literature in America and Britain.
At what age does the audience for children's and adolescent literature begin?
The age range for children's literature is from infancy through the stage of early adolescence, which roughly coincides with the chronological ages of twelve through fourteen. Between that literature most appropriate for children and that most appropriate for adults lies young adult literature.
What was the first book ever written?
The Epic of GilgameshThe first book ever written that we know of is The Epic of Gilgamesh: a mythical retelling of an important political figure from history.
What is children's literature?
It can be broadly defined as the body of written works and accompanying illustrations produced in order to entertain or instruct young people . The genre encompasses a wide range of works, including acknowledged classics of world literature, picture books and easy-to-read stories written exclusively for children, and fairy tales, lullabies, fables, folk songs, and other primarily orally transmitted materials or more specifically defined as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or drama intended for and used by children and young people. One writer on children's literature defines it as "all books written for children, excluding works such as comic books, joke books, cartoon books, and non-fiction works that are not intended to be read from front to back, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference materials". However, others would argue that comics should also be included: "Children's Literature studies has traditionally treated comics fitfully and superficially despite the importance of comics as a global phenomenon associated with children".
Who wrote Centuries of Childhood?
In 1962, French historian Philippe Ariès argues in his book Centuries of Childhood that the modern concept of childhood only emerged in recent times. He explains that children were in the past not considered as greatly different from adults and were not given significantly different treatment. : 5 As evidence for this position, he notes that, apart from instructional and didactic texts for children written by clerics like the Venerable Bede and Ælfric of Eynsham, there was a lack of any genuine literature aimed specifically at children before the 18th century. : 11
What was the first children's book?
Widely considered the first modern children's book, A Little Pretty Pocket-Book was the first children's publication aimed at giving enjoyment to children, containing a mixture of rhymes, picture stories and games for pleasure. Newbery believed that play was a better enticement to children's good behavior than physical discipline, and the child was to record his or her behaviour daily. The book was child–sized with a brightly colored cover that appealed to children — something new in the publishing industry. Known as gift books, these early books became the precursors to the toy books popular in the nineteenth century. Newbery was also adept at marketing this new genre. According to the journal The Lion and the Unicorn, "Newbery's genius was in developing the fairly new product category, children's books, through his frequent advertisements... and his clever ploy of introducing additional titles and products into the body of his children's books." Professor Grenby writes, ”Newbery has become known as the ‘father of children's literature’ chiefly because he was able to show that publishing children’s books could be a commercial success.”
How many genres are there in children's literature?
Genres may be determined by technique, tone, content, or length. According to Anderson, there are six categories of children's literature (with some significant subgenres): Picture books, including concept books that teach the alphabet or counting for example, pattern books, and wordless books.
What is juvenile literature?
Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader. Children's literature can be traced to traditional stories like fairy tales, that have only been identified as children’s ...
How many books did Doctor Dolittle have?
While fighting in the trenches for the British Army in World War I, Hugh Lofting created the character of Doctor Dolittle, who appears in a series of twelve books . The Golden Age of Children's Literature ended with World War I. The period before World War II was much slower in children's publishing.
What is the literature of the fifteenth century aimed at?
Since the fifteenth century much literature has been aimed specifically at children, often with a moral or religious message. Children's literature has been shaped by religious sources, like Puritan traditions, or by more philosophical and scientific standpoints with the influences of Charles Darwin and John Locke.
Who was the father of children's literature?
It was into this scene that John Newbery came--he who was destined to be called The Father of Children's Literature. Publisher and writer of about two hundred children's books, he was the first man to realize that children had no stories of their own and to attempt to remedy that deficiency.
What did Newbery bring to children?
Newbery brought to children pleasure and happiness in books that had been almost entirely lacking before his time and his contribution marks a milestone in the development of a special literature for children.
Who was the first philosopher to promote children's literature?
It was not until the advent of philosophers John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the late seventeenth – mid eighteenth centuries that children’s literature took on a more playful, jovial character. Locke was a firm proponent of the idea of childrens’ clean slate, or tabula rasa, on to which adults could impose their mores, morals, and ethics. Following Locke’s Enlightenment philosophy, literature could be used to influence, educate, and guide the child, but only if said literature was pleasurable and entertaining. Locke exhorted parents to promote reading as a leisurely, fun activity for their children and urged authors to create pleasant, enjoyable children’s books, all in an effort to aid children’s retention and application of important life lessons.
What are the two forms of children's literature in the Anglophone world?
Childhood’s retreat to a separate sphere of life helped usher in what several consider to be the beginning of two new forms of children literature in the Anglophone world: the novel and, most importantly, the picture book.
What did Rousseau emphasize in his book?
Rousseau, on the other hand, emphasized children’s autonomy in their development. Unlike Locke and his notion of the tabula rasa, Rousseau stressed that children grow at their own pace and perceive the world in their own terms and frames of reference. To him, childhood was the language of the “noble savage,” i.e. the utmost form of simplicity and innocence. According to his romantic worldview, children were to be treated as competent, precocious readers who had unique, independent capacities for appreciating aesthetics; as Vanessa Joosen and Katrien Vloeberghs state in their introduction to “ Changing Concept of Childhood and Children’s Literature ,” the child’s “uncorrupted affinity for beauty” is his/her most salient identifying factor. Successful children’s literature, then, would seek to cater to the child’s world-view in an effort to identify and align, rather than mold and change.
What was the role of literature in the Puritan faith?
To them, literature held the paramount role of preparing children for salvation and safeguarding them from hell ; not surprisingly, then, the majority of Puritan literature portrayed children facing grim life-and-death scenarios wherein they had to rely on a supreme moral compass.
How did the Renaissance affect education?
Resultantly, educational materials specifically targeting children could be produced more economically in greater volumes, and parents and educators could devote more time to rearing children, cater to their unique needs, and develop childhood as an institution distinct from adulthood (Bingham and Scholt).
What was the first picture book for children?
Even if the book’s aims were closer to pedagogy than to recreation, Comenius’s work is nonetheless considered the first picture book for children (Hunt). Still, children’s literature was quite far from being all fun and games, as it were.
When did fantasy books start?
The first fantasy books for children (such as the Wizard of Oz, The Hobbit, and The Little Prince) were originally meant for adults. It was not until the 1950s and 1960s that children’s fantasy began to thrive; even then, fear became transformed from a didactic pathway to an aesthetical experience.
How did children's literature come about?
Emerging from Oral Tradition. Just as other forms of literature, children's literature grew from stories passed down orally from generation to generation. Irish folk tales can be traced back as early as 400 BCE, while the earliest written folk tales are arguably the Pachatantra, ...
When did children's books become popular?
The trend of illustrating children's books prevailed, and children's literature grew in popularity throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In 1744, John Newbery published A Little Pretty Pocket-Book. The volume was heralded as the true first book intended for children's pleasure reading.
What books did Wanda Gag publish?
Wanda Gag's Millions of Cats (1928) was one of the most successful of this era, selling more than a million copies. Other classic children's picture books were published soon after: The Little Engine that Could (1930); Babar (1931); Madeline (1933); and Curious George (1941).
What was the concept of childhood in the 1600s?
Meanwhile, during the 1600s, the concept of childhood was evolving. Rather than being seen as miniature adults, children were seen as separate entities with their own needs and limitations. Thus, publishers throughout Europe began printing books specifically intended for children.
What was the first book to be illustrated?
The Advent of Illustration. Chapbooks, pocket-sized books often folded rather than stitched together, were the first books to be illustrated for children. They usually contained simple woodcut pictures to go along with their contents--often popular ballads, folk tales, or religious passages.
What was the purpose of instructive texts in the Middle Ages?
During the Middle Ages, very little literature was written for the sole purpose of entertaining children.
When did Aesop's Fables come out?
The earliest version of Aesop's Fables appeared on papyrus scrolls around 400 AD. In Imperial China, story telling reached its peak during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). Many stories from this epoch are still used to instruct students in China today. No such equivalent exists in Greek and Roman literature.
What is the history of children's books?
The History of Children’s Books. “There have been children’s stories and folk-tales ever since man first learned to speak. Children’s books, however, are a late growth of literature.”. It is hard to imagine a world without books for children. There have been children’s stories and folk-tales ever since man first learned to speak.
What is the name of the book that children learn letters from?
Children had all this time been learning their letters, not exactly from books, but from “hornbooks” and “battledores,” the invention of some thrifty and saving person in the days when books were dear. A hornbook of 1570, and another on whose back is a portrait of Charles I. in armor, have only a single leaf, with the alphabet, large and small, the Lord’s prayer, and monosyllables. At the top of the older one is a large cross, — the “Christ-cross,” from which the alphabet is often called the crisscross row, — and below are the Roman numerals. There is a piece of transparent horn in front, to keep the paper from wet fingers, and the whole is set in a wooden frame with a handle. This handle has sometimes a hole for a string, to sling the book to the scholar’s girdle. It is thought that leaden plates were sometimes used for the same purpose, as moulds for them still exist. The battledore, or first book for children, a later substitute for the hornbook, was printed on a card, and contained the alphabet and simple combinations of letters.
What is the origin of the play The Comedy of Errors?
It is founded on the Menaechmi of Plautus, the source of a part of the Comedy of Errors; and the Vice, as Richard Grant White says, “wore generally, if not always, the costume of the domestic fool or jester of the period, which is now worn by the clown of the circus,” performing “the mingled functions of scamp, braggart, and practical joker.” In this children’s play, the lackey is sent on an errand, but loiters by the way, and Jacke Jugler, dressing himself like him, plays the part of his double.
Where did John Newbery grow up?
More than a hundred years later, a boy named John Newbery, claiming descent from him, was growing up on a farm in the little village of Waltham St. Lawrence, Berkshire. Like many another country boy, he preferred town life to the farm, and, being fond of books, went into the office of a printer in Reading.
When was the first Liliputian magazine published?
In 1751 , the first number of “The Liliputian Magazine, or, The Young Gentleman and Lady’s Golden Library,” appeared. It was probably issued monthly, at threepence, had copperplate cuts, and aimed “to amend the World, to render the Society of Man more amiable, and to re-establish the Simplicity, Virtue and Wisdom of the Golden Age.” The history of George II.’s time, it may be noticed, shows no marked effect produced by this work.
Where did fairy tales come from?
The fairy-tales and wonder-stories sold in England by chapmen, and now treasured in libraries, were, many of them, of French origin, either from the old metrical romances, or tales collected by Perrault and the Comtesse d’Aulnoy. Cinderella, Valentine and Orson, The White Cat, The Yellow Dwarf, Beauty and the Beast, are all of direct French descent, and were once as dear to storylovers of all ages as they have always been to children. Some of the chapbooks are distinctively English, as, for example, The History of Thomas Hickathrift, in whose adventures Thackeray thought that he could discover the robust style of Henry Fielding. This story is less known than many of the other old tales, and is worth recounting. There is a Norfolk legend of a giant called Hickafric, from whom Thomas’ adventures are probably derived. He lived in the reign of William the Conqueror, had more strength than six horses or twenty men, became a brewer’s servant, fought with and killed a giant, taking possession of his cave and riches, and living happy ever after, with an occasional fight to keep his spirits up. It is in the description of the battle with the giant that Thackeray finds traces of the hand which wrote of the immortal contest between Molly Seagrim and Goody Brown, and the previous Homeric village battle.
Where was John Rogers's book printed?
The verses made by Mr. John Rogers had been printed in Boston, in 1685, by Samuel Green, in a primer called The Protestant Teacher for Children, of which there is a mutilated copy in the library of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts.
When did children's books start being used in classrooms?
American classrooms have had some form of children's books since the 17th century, but the books teachers have used, and the way they use them, have changed dramatically. For our Tools of the Trade series, we decided to go back to the beginning.
Who wrote the book "Some Thoughts Concerning Education"?
Chapter 1: Once upon a time (in the late 1600s), in a land far, far away (England), there lived a British philosopher named John Locke. He's mostly remembered for his works of political theory. But for our purposes, let's focus on a short book he wrote in 1693, called Some Thoughts Concerning Education.
What genre is Alec Mahini?
Their teacher thinks all these genres — fantasy, mystery, biography — are worth reading. "Any book that can hook their interest is wonderful," Parrish explains.
Why didn't books like Twain and Carroll make it into classrooms?
Seth Lerer argues that those books didn't align with a major purpose of U.S. education in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: the assimilation of immigrants.
When was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland published?
Chapter 2: Then, we fell down the rabbit hole. Lewis Carroll published Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 1865. "It offers such an amazing imagined world of curiosity that it really kind of changes the game," says Gleason.
When was the New England Primer published?
An edition of the The New England Primer, from 1803.
Who said "tis usually long before Learners find any Use or Pleasure in reading which may tempt them?
As Locke put it, " ... 'tis usually long before Learners find any Use or Pleasure in reading which may tempt them to it."
Who invented x-rays?
The author profiles famous inventors like Ben Franklin and Thomas Edison, and also mostly unknown ones like Wilhelm Roentgen, who invented x-rays. In doing so, the author explores the many different ways inventions are made. And with step by step advice for becoming an inventor, it’s easy to see how inspiring this inventor kids book can be for young makers.
What is the story of Mattie?
The story focuses on Mattie’s young life, creating kites and sleds that are faster than those of any of the boys she knows. After witnessing an accident while working at a factory, she began to think of ways to make the machines around her safer. Despite being only 12, the manager agreed to make some of her changes.
Overview
Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader.
Children's literature can be traced to traditional stories like fairy tales, that have only been identified as children's literature in the eighteenth century, and songs, part of a wider oral tradition, …
Definition
There is no single or widely used definition of children's literature. It can be broadly defined as the body of written works and accompanying illustrations produced in order to entertain or instruct young people. The genre encompasses a wide range of works, including acknowledged classics of world literature, picture books and easy-to-read stories written exclusively for children, and fairy tales, lullabies, fables, folk songs, and other primarily orally transmitted materials or more specifi…
History
Early children's literature consisted of spoken stories, songs, and poems, used to educate, instruct, and entertain children. It was only in the eighteenth century, with the development of the concept of childhood, that a separate genre of children's literature began to emerge, with its own divisions, expectations, and canon. The earliest of these books were educational books, books on conduct, and simple ABCs—often decorated with animals, plants, and anthropomorphic letters.
National traditions
Literature for children had developed as a separate category of literature especially in the Victorian era, with some works becoming internationally known, such as Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass. At the end of the Victorian era and leading into the Edwardian era, Beatrix Potter was an author and illustrator best known for her children's books, which featured animal characters. In her thirties, Potter published The Tale of P…
Classification
Children's literature can be divided into categories, either according to genre or the intended age of the reader.
A literary genre is a category of literary compositions. Genres may be determined by technique, tone, content, or length. According to Anderson, there are six categories of children's literature (with some significant subgenres):
Illustration
Pictures have always accompanied children's stories. A papyrus from Byzantine Egypt, shows illustrations accompanied by the story of Hercules' labors. Modern children's books are illustrated in a way that is rarely seen in adult literature, except in graphic novels. Generally, artwork plays a greater role in books intended for younger readers (especially pre-literate children). Children's picture books often serve as an accessible source of high quality art for young children. Even aft…
Scholarship
Professional organizations, dedicated publications, individual researchers and university courses conduct scholarship on children's literature. Scholarship in children's literature is primarily conducted in three different disciplinary fields: literary studies/cultural studies (literature and language departments and humanities), library and information science, and education. (Wolf, et al., 2011).
Literary criticism
Controversies often emerge around the content and characters of prominent children's books. Well-known classics that remain popular throughout decades commonly become criticized by critics and readers as the values of contemporary culture change. Critical analysis of children's literature is common through children's literary journals as well as published collections of essays contributed to by psychoanalysts, scholars and various literary critics such as Peter Hunt.