The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature (4 Volume Set)

About this book

For much of its history childrens literature has been overlooked or looked down on by scholars. But in recent years childrens literature has assumed greater importance as literary critics psychologists anthropologists and historians have begun to discover what children and parents have known for centuries: that this is a literature of extraordinary richness depth and delight. The Encyclopedia captures and elucidates this richness in four volumes and 3 200 signed entries. It offers comprehensive coverage of childrens literature from medieval chapbooks of moral instruction for children to J. K. Rowlings immensely popular Harry Potter books. Unlike other references the Encyclopedia not only documents but also interprets every work major and minor that has played a role in the history of childrens literature in the world. General essays illuminate prominent trends themes genres and the traditions of childrens literature in many countries. In addition the Encyclopedia provides biographies of important writers as well as extensive coverage of illustrators with numerous examples of their work. Sociocultural developments such as the impact of toys films animation the Internet literacy libraries and librarians censorship the multicultural expansion of the field and other issues related to the appreciation and dissemination of childrens literature are also addressed. While the Encyclopedia concentrates on the tradition known best by its readership it also covers the international development of childrens literature and offers an unprecedented treatment of works from Australia Canada New Zealand India Pakistan African countries and other nations. Its over 800 distinguished contributors come from around the world and include such renowned scholars and writers as Gillian Avery Peter Hunt Klaus Doderer Hansa Heino Ewers Jean Perrot Denise Escarpit Brian Alderson and Betsy Gould Hearne. A-Z organization accessible writing plentiful illustrations cross-references bibliographies a comprehensive index and a systematic outline make the Encyclopedia an invaluable and easy-to-use research reference.