'More than a "companion," Hunt's set is a comprehensive overview of children's literature, written by scholars and covering the important topics in children's literature ... No recent reference contains so much ... Highly recommended.' – Choice

• Chapter 1 Introduction, Margaret Meek; Chapter 2 Internationalism, the universal child and the world of children’s literature, Emer O’Sullivan; Part 1 Theory and critical approaches; Chapter 3 Theorising and theories, David Rudd; Chapter 4 Criticism and the critical mainstream, Deborah Cogan Thacker; Chapter 5 Critical tradition and ideological positioning, Charles Sarland; Chapter 6 History and culture, Tony Watkins; Chapter 7 Linguistics and stylistics, John Stephens; Chapter 8 Reader-response criticism, Michael Benton; Chapter 9 Psychoanalytical criticism, Hamida Bosmajian; Chapter 10 Feminism revisited, Lissa Paul; Chapter 11 Picture books and illustration, Perry Nodelman; Chapter 12 Narrative theory and children’s literature, Maria Nikolajeva; Chapter 13 Intertextuality and the child reader, Christine Wilkie-Stibbs; Chapter 14 Comparative children’s literature, Emer O’Sullivan; Chapter 15 Bibliography, Matthew Grenby; Part 2 Forms and genres; Chapter 16 Ancient and medieval children’s texts, Gillian Adams; Chapter 17 Texts in English used by children, 1550–1800, Margaret Evans; Chapter 18 Myth and legend, Maurice Saxby; Chapter 19 Fairy tales and folk tales, Ruth B. Bottigheimer; Chapter 20 Playground rhymes and the oral tradition, Iona Opie; Chapter 21 Children’s rhymes and folklore, Andy Arleo; Chapter 22 Catechistical, devotional and biblical writing, Ruth B. Bottigheimer; Chapter 23 Contemporary religious writing, Rita Ghesquière; Chapter 24 The development of illustrated texts and picture books, Joyce Irene Whalley; Chapter 25 The picture book, Michèle Anstey, Geoff Bull; Chapter 26 Shaping boyhood, Dennis Butts; Chapter 27 Childhood, didacticism and the gendering of British children’s literature, Christine Wilkie-Stibbs; Chapter 28 Popular literature, Denis Gifford; Chapter 29 Contemporary comics, Katia Pizzi; Chapter 30 Poetry, Morag Styles; Chapter 31 Animal stories, Simon Flynn; Chapter 32 High fantasy, C.W. Sullivan III; Chapter 33 Domestic fantasy, Louisa Smith; Chapter 34 The family story, Gillian Avery; Chapter 35 School stories, Sheila Ray; Chapter 36 Pony books, Alison Haymonds; Chapter 37 Historical fiction, Janet Fisher; Chapter 38 War, Carol Fox, Peter Hunt; Chapter 39 Horror, Victoria de Rijke; Chapter 40 Science fiction, Jessica Yates; Chapter 41 Series fiction, Victor Watson; Chapter 42 Teenage fiction, Julia Eccleshare; Chapter 43 Crossover literature, Rachel Falconer; Chapter 44 Writers for adults, writers for children, Marian Allsobrook; Chapter 45 Metafictions and experimental work, Robyn McCallum; Chapter 46 Drama, Susanne Greenhalgh; Chapter 47 Story-telling, Mary Medlicott; Chapter 48 Children’s information texts, Margaret Mallett;

'More than a "companion," Hunt's set is a comprehensive overview of children's literature, written by scholars and covering the important topics in children's literature ... No recent reference contains so much ... Highly recommended.' – Choice

• Chapter 1 Introduction, Margaret Meek; Chapter 2 Internationalism, the universal child and the world of children’s literature, Emer O’Sullivan; Part 1 Theory and critical approaches; Chapter 3 Theorising and theories, David Rudd; Chapter 4 Criticism and the critical mainstream, Deborah Cogan Thacker; Chapter 5 Critical tradition and ideological positioning, Charles Sarland; Chapter 6 History and culture, Tony Watkins; Chapter 7 Linguistics and stylistics, John Stephens; Chapter 8 Reader-response criticism, Michael Benton; Chapter 9 Psychoanalytical criticism, Hamida Bosmajian; Chapter 10 Feminism revisited, Lissa Paul; Chapter 11 Picture books and illustration, Perry Nodelman; Chapter 12 Narrative theory and children’s literature, Maria Nikolajeva; Chapter 13 Intertextuality and the child reader, Christine Wilkie-Stibbs; Chapter 14 Comparative children’s literature, Emer O’Sullivan; Chapter 15 Bibliography, Matthew Grenby; Part 2 Forms and genres; Chapter 16 Ancient and medieval children’s texts, Gillian Adams; Chapter 17 Texts in English used by children, 1550–1800, Margaret Evans; Chapter 18 Myth and legend, Maurice Saxby; Chapter 19 Fairy tales and folk tales, Ruth B. Bottigheimer; Chapter 20 Playground rhymes and the oral tradition, Iona Opie; Chapter 21 Children’s rhymes and folklore, Andy Arleo; Chapter 22 Catechistical, devotional and biblical writing, Ruth B. Bottigheimer; Chapter 23 Contemporary religious writing, Rita Ghesquière; Chapter 24 The development of illustrated texts and picture books, Joyce Irene Whalley; Chapter 25 The picture book, Michèle Anstey, Geoff Bull; Chapter 26 Shaping boyhood, Dennis Butts; Chapter 27 Childhood, didacticism and the gendering of British children’s literature, Christine Wilkie-Stibbs; Chapter 28 Popular literature, Denis Gifford; Chapter 29 Contemporary comics, Katia Pizzi; Chapter 30 Poetry, Morag Styles; Chapter 31 Animal stories, Simon Flynn; Chapter 32 High fantasy, C.W. Sullivan III; Chapter 33 Domestic fantasy, Louisa Smith; Chapter 34 The family story, Gillian Avery; Chapter 35 School stories, Sheila Ray; Chapter 36 Pony books, Alison Haymonds; Chapter 37 Historical fiction, Janet Fisher; Chapter 38 War, Carol Fox, Peter Hunt; Chapter 39 Horror, Victoria de Rijke; Chapter 40 Science fiction, Jessica Yates; Chapter 41 Series fiction, Victor Watson; Chapter 42 Teenage fiction, Julia Eccleshare; Chapter 43 Crossover literature, Rachel Falconer; Chapter 44 Writers for adults, writers for children, Marian Allsobrook; Chapter 45 Metafictions and experimental work, Robyn McCallum; Chapter 46 Drama, Susanne Greenhalgh; Chapter 47 Story-telling, Mary Medlicott; Chapter 48 Children’s information texts, Margaret Mallett;

'More than a "companion," Hunt's set is a comprehensive overview of children's literature, written by scholars and covering the important topics in children's literature ... No recent reference contains so much ... Highly recommended.' – Choice

• Chapter 1 Introduction, Margaret Meek; Chapter 2 Internationalism, the universal child and the world of children’s literature, Emer O’Sullivan; Part 1 Theory and critical approaches; Chapter 3 Theorising and theories, David Rudd; Chapter 4 Criticism and the critical mainstream, Deborah Cogan Thacker; Chapter 5 Critical tradition and ideological positioning, Charles Sarland; Chapter 6 History and culture, Tony Watkins; Chapter 7 Linguistics and stylistics, John Stephens; Chapter 8 Reader-response criticism, Michael Benton; Chapter 9 Psychoanalytical criticism, Hamida Bosmajian; Chapter 10 Feminism revisited, Lissa Paul; Chapter 11 Picture books and illustration, Perry Nodelman; Chapter 12 Narrative theory and children’s literature, Maria Nikolajeva; Chapter 13 Intertextuality and the child reader, Christine Wilkie-Stibbs; Chapter 14 Comparative children’s literature, Emer O’Sullivan; Chapter 15 Bibliography, Matthew Grenby; Part 2 Forms and genres; Chapter 16 Ancient and medieval children’s texts, Gillian Adams; Chapter 17 Texts in English used by children, 1550–1800, Margaret Evans; Chapter 18 Myth and legend, Maurice Saxby; Chapter 19 Fairy tales and folk tales, Ruth B. Bottigheimer; Chapter 20 Playground rhymes and the oral tradition, Iona Opie; Chapter 21 Children’s rhymes and folklore, Andy Arleo; Chapter 22 Catechistical, devotional and biblical writing, Ruth B. Bottigheimer; Chapter 23 Contemporary religious writing, Rita Ghesquière; Chapter 24 The development of illustrated texts and picture books, Joyce Irene Whalley; Chapter 25 The picture book, Michèle Anstey, Geoff Bull; Chapter 26 Shaping boyhood, Dennis Butts; Chapter 27 Childhood, didacticism and the gendering of British children’s literature, Christine Wilkie-Stibbs; Chapter 28 Popular literature, Denis Gifford; Chapter 29 Contemporary comics, Katia Pizzi; Chapter 30 Poetry, Morag Styles; Chapter 31 Animal stories, Simon Flynn; Chapter 32 High fantasy, C.W. Sullivan III; Chapter 33 Domestic fantasy, Louisa Smith; Chapter 34 The family story, Gillian Avery; Chapter 35 School stories, Sheila Ray; Chapter 36 Pony books, Alison Haymonds; Chapter 37 Historical fiction, Janet Fisher; Chapter 38 War, Carol Fox, Peter Hunt; Chapter 39 Horror, Victoria de Rijke; Chapter 40 Science fiction, Jessica Yates; Chapter 41 Series fiction, Victor Watson; Chapter 42 Teenage fiction, Julia Eccleshare; Chapter 43 Crossover literature, Rachel Falconer; Chapter 44 Writers for adults, writers for children, Marian Allsobrook; Chapter 45 Metafictions and experimental work, Robyn McCallum; Chapter 46 Drama, Susanne Greenhalgh; Chapter 47 Story-telling, Mary Medlicott; Chapter 48 Children’s information texts, Margaret Mallett;