Children's literature is a remarkable area of writing and a growing area of study. Its characters - Pooh Bear, the Wizard of Oz, the Famous Five, Peter Rabbit - are part of most people's psyche and have strong links to basic myth and archetypes. They arouse strong feelings, as demonstrated by recent debates over political correctness.
An Introduction to Children's Literature combines a history of writing for children with an assessment of its literary, sociological, and pedagogical roles. Fundamentally a history of British children's literature, Hunt identifies fantasy, nostalgia, nature images, a sense of place of territory, testing and incitation, and warmth and security as all key characteristics of children's literature.
Approaching Children's Literature History and Histories The Early History of Children's Literature Maturity, 1860-1920 The Long Weekend, 1920-1939 Equal terms: 1940 to the Present Uses and Abuses, Themes and Variations Conclusion: Stalking the Perfect Children's Book A Chronology of Children's Literature Notes Short Bibliography Index