Behold the child : American children and their books, 1621-1922
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Behold the child : American children and their books, 1621-1922
Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994
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Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. [215]-218) and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
In Behold the Child, Gillian Avery offers an engaging account of children's literature in America from colonial times to the early twentieth century. Exploring a variety of social, cultural, and practical forces, Avery shows how the literature of the old world influenced that of the new and describes the emergence of uniquely American styles and themes in children's books. Her topics include the early days of colonial publishing, the defenders and detractors of Mother Goose, the influence of Sunday schools and tract societies, the "chaste eroticism" of romantic fiction for young readers, and changing notions of American heroes and heroines. Throughout, Avery compares American and English children's books to illuminate "fascinating differences in the respective cultures." Including dozens of illustrations and drawing on a wide range of sources-including previously unpublished materials and long-ignored works by writers such as Cotton Mather, Benjamin Franklin, and Peter Parley-Avery offers the most complete account to date of a significant and vital aspect of American culture.
For anyone interested in the history of children's literature, here is a marvellous look at the changing face of American childhood through three centuries.
by "Nielsen BookData"
