Children's Literature - Criticism, Interpretation, and History

This guide focuses on literary theory and cultural studies approaches to children's literature.  

For resources on the use of children's literature in K-12 classrooms please consult the very helpful UVic Libraries' guide:

Education--Children's Literature in the Classroom.  

For English literature resources more generally please consult the library guide:

English Language and Literature.  

Your best source of information for an introduction to children's literature is your instructor or supervisor.  Ask them for their recommendations of useful introductory resources.  

Let me know if you have recommendations for additional resources to be listed on this guide.

Here is an interview with Professor Kimberley Reynolds, Professor of Children's Literature at Newcastle University.  In this excellent video clip she very briefly outlines the history of Children's Literature focusing on the UK context.    

An electronic copy Prof. Reynolds' book Children's Literature: A Very Short Introduction is held by UVic Libraries.  Other books by Prof. Reynolds held by UVic Libraries are available here.    

Peter Hunt is an Emeritus Professor of Children' Literature at Cardiff University.  In this Oxford Press video clip, Professor Hunt outlines what he describes as the golden age of children's literature in the UK.   

A copy of his book An introduction to children's literature can be located in the UVic Libraries' catalogue here. 

Additional titles held by UVic by Peter Hunt can be located here.