The Routledge Companion to International Children's Literature

Demonstrating the aesthetic, cultural, political and intellectual diversity of childrens literature across the globe, The Routledge Companion to International Childrens Literature is the first volume of its kind to focus on the undervisited regions of the world. With particular focus on Asia, Africa and Latin America, the collection raises awareness of childrens literature and related media as they exist in large regions of the world to which mainstream European and North American scholarship pays very little attention. Sections cover: Concepts and theories Historical contexts and national identity Cultural forms and childrens texts Traditional story and adaptation Picture books across the majority world Trends in childrens and young adult literatures. Exposition of the literary, cultural and historical contexts in which childrens literature is produced, together with an exploration of intersections between these literatures and more extensively researched areas, will enhance access and understanding for a large range of international readers. The essays offer an ideal introduction for those newly approaching literature for children in specific areas, looking for new insights and interdisciplinary perspectives, or interested in directions for future scholarship.