The discussion traces the relationship between children’s literature and social change, revealing the extent to which children’s books were informed by pedagogical, moral, religious and political agenda and explores the implications of the dual imperatives of instruction and amusement which have underpinned writing for young readers throughout the centuries.
Penny Brown is Senior Lecturer in Comparative Literary Studies at the University of Manchester, U.K., and also author of The Poison at the Source and The Captured World.