The Cambridge Companion to Children's Literature Book

List of illustrations vii

Notes on contributors ix

Preface xiii

Chronology Eric J. Johnson xvii

Part I Contexts and Genres

1 The origins of children's literature M. O. Grenby 3

2 Children's books and constructions of childhood Andrea Immel 19

3 The making of children's books Brian Alderson 35

4 Picture-book worlds and ways of seeing Katie Trumpener 55

5 The fear of poetry Richard Flynn 76

6 Retelling stories across time and cultures John Stephens 91

7 Classics and canons Deborah stevenson 108

Part II Audiences

8 Learning to be literate Lissa Paul 127

9 Gender roles in children's fiction Judy Simons 143

10 Children's texts and the grown-up reader U. C. Knoepflmacher 159

11 Ideas of difference in children's literature Lynne Vallone 174

Part III Forms and Themes

12 Changing families in children's fiction Kimberley Reynolds 193

13 Traditions of the school story Mavis Reimer 209

14 Fantasy's alternative geography for children Andrea Immel U. C. Knoepflmacher Julia Briggs 226

15 Animal and object stories David Rudd 242

16 Humour and the body in children's literature Roderick McGillis 258

Further reading 272

Index 279