Introducing Children’s Literature: From Romanticism to Postmodernism

Original in its approach, this book sets children’s literature within the context of literary movements and adult literature. It is an invaluable guide to reading children’s literature through the perspective of literary history, and is essential reading for students studying writing for children. Focusing on the major literary movements from Romanticism to Postmodernism, Thacker and Webb examine the concerns of each period and the how these influence and are influenced by contemporary children’s literature. A general chapter prefaces each section, explaining the relationship between major issues of the period and the form and themes of children’s texts. Close readings of selected texts then demonstrate defining characteristics of the form of writing and the literary movements. Books discussed include: Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women Charles Kingsley’s The Water-Babies Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden .