ENG 251: Children's Literature

Includes relevant chapter: "Connecting Visual Literacy and Cultural Awareness Through Picture Book Illustrations"

Playing with Picturebooks draws on a wide range of critical perspectives in examining postmodern approaches to narrative and illustration. Its chapters include metafiction; disruption to narrative conventions; interrogation of 'truths'; historiographic metafiction; difference and ex-centricity; and globalisation and media.

This book examines the ways in which William Shakespeare's stories have been adapted for children, particularly in Mary and Charles Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare. The author describes the significance of the Lamb's Tales as the pre-eminent children's adaptation of Shakespeare's literature, focusing particularly on the lavishly illustrated Edwardian editions which used pictures to convey Shakespeare's stories for children.

This book aims to consider some of Maurice Sendak's most significant works, concentrating on the children's books and the picture books. Other chapters explore Sendak's relationship with the movies and art of Walt Disney; his interpretation of classic fairy tales; a brief consideration of the fairy tale form; Sendak's links with the tradition of children's book illustration; and finally a comparison of Sendak's art with that of other book illustrators.

How Picturebooks Work is an innovative and engaging look at the interplay between text and image in picturebooks. The authors explore picturebooks as a specific medium or genre in literature and culture, one that prepares children for other media of communication, and they argue that picturebooks may be the most influential media of all in the socialization of children. Spanning an international range of children's books, this book examines such favorites as Curious George and Frog and Toad Are Friends.

This volume uses colorful images from Victorian-era illustrated books to provide a survey of their art and the rise of children's literature. Full color plates accent descriptions which include story plot summaries and commentary of the different works.