Children literature term paper

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“There is nothing whatsoever that is new that one can say about Lewis Carroll; and if one indulges in a little gentle speculation on the possible influence on him of Lear first Book of Nonsense it must be taken at its face value, as pure speculation and with no known foundation in fact. Both were writers of nonsense, and writers of genius in their kind. Dodgson was born in 1832, and thus was a little old for the Nonsense Book; 1846 was, in fact, the year he entered Rugby. But he had ten brothers and sisters, all younger than himself, for whom he was accustomed, as a boy, to provide amusement. It seems incredible that in the rectory at Croft, where he was born, the Book of Nonsense should not have been found. In later life Dodgson moved in somewhat the same circles as Lear, but neither ever mentions the other. Nevertheless it does seem likely that Dodgson saw the book as a boy, and that he was influenced by it, if only to the extent of showing his younger brothers and sisters that he could do that sort of thing equally well.”
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“Children's literature comprises part of any literate society's culture of childhood -- the only culture many adults view children as having. Since this literature is primarily produced and bought by adults, the way it interfaces with children's own culture will always be problematic, especially when it is intentionally directed at achieving particular ends. Any appreciation of the role of such literary works in effecting the multicultural ideal must address the question of their genuine impact on children, surely most truly evident amongst youngsters themselves in their own culture, which Kathleen McDonnell terms "the site of what little power and autonomy they have in the adult-controlled world". It is in their child-focused milieus that we ought to look for the ways that children their selves consciously demonstrate their inculcation of new ideas and reflect them in their own (rather than adult-directed) thoughts, creations and behaviors. Yet, considerations of the successes and failures of multiculturalism generally ignore the lives that children actually lead, the beliefs and orientations that they themselves have. Only now are those who have been raised wholly under multiculturalism entering into positions of power in the Western society and, interestingly, their emergence is coincident with a significant conservative backlash against the policy.”
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“The 20th century saw the establishment of a professional field of literature for children and young adults. Professional associations and professional journals were started. For example, in 1900 the American Library Association (ALA) opened a division for children's materials and services, and at about the same time, some library schools began offering courses focusing on children's books. Public libraries added children's rooms that were staffed by children's librarians, and in 1924 the first review journal devoted exclusively to children's literature, The Horn Book Magazine, was founded. By the 1920s a class of professional writers devoted solely or almost solely to writing literature for children--as opposed to moral reformers, teachers, and clerics as authors--produced a larger quantity and better variety and quality of children's books than had been seen to that point. This development was hastened by the establishment in 1922, under the auspices of the ALA, of the first of the great American children's book awards, the Newbery Medal. In 1938, with the establishment by ALA of the Caldecott Medal for illustration, more and better artists were encouraged to enter the field of children's books as well. For the remainder of the 20th century, book award programs were effectively used to create interest in children's books generally and to promote awareness of specific types of books. Competition for the most prestigious awards resulted in better, more original works.”
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