History of Children's Literature.

1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200

Main

In the beginning

Taking off.

Artist's applauded.

Growth and expansion

Main
In the beginning
1700 During the beginning of the 18th C hornbooks were mostly all that was available to children. Hornbooks were wooden tablets containing the alphabet, the Lords prayer and vowels. Fairy tales such as Cinderella & Sleeping beauty had been written, however, by the end of the Century childrens books were dominated by the stern spiritual beliefs of puritanism and were predominantly purposed to instruct and teach children rather than being provided for pleasure or entertainment. Examples : Gullivers Travels Jonathan Jonathan Swift & Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe & Chapbooks.

Taking off.
1800 - 1900 In the 19th Century English business man and publisher John Newberry acted on a gap in the market for childrens literature. He believed that books should both instruct and amuse and published childrens books accordingly. In a sense he brought back the lost fairy tales that had been frowned upon by the puritan movement. Examples : Emile by Jaques Rousseau & A little pretty pocket book by John Newberry

Artist's applauded.
1900 - 2000 During this era family stories, fairy tales, adventure stories and informational books became common. Authors and Illistrators began to be awarded for their efforts regarding childrens literature. Before now Britain had dominated the field of childrens literature, however texts began to be produced readily in the U.S.A. Towards the end of the 20th C following the hard times brought by the Great Depression there was an explosion in Childrens literature, notably picture books. Books became affordable, public librarys started popping up. Comic books took off and writers and illistrators were on the rise. Examples : The Jungle Book Walt Disney & Alices Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll, Peter Rabbit Beatrix Potter & The Wonderful Wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum.

Growth and expansion

2000 - 2100 The 21st Century has brought multiculturalism, globalism and technology to the fore. Children have acces to interactive & electronic books. Themes have deepened amongst much childrens literature such as suicide, bullying and supernatural themes. Cult fiction has become popular. Examples : Harry Potter J.K. Rowling

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