Children's literature includes books, poems, magazines, and stories made for young readers. In addition to common types of stories, modern children's literature is grouped by the age of the readers, from picture books for very young children to books for older youth who are close to becoming adults.

Children's literature has roots in traditional stories, such as fairy tales, which were not always considered children's literature until the 1700s. Before books were printed, stories and songs were shared between adults and children as part of an oral tradition. It is hard to track the development of children's literature before printing was invented. Even after printing became common, many classic children's stories were first created for adults and later changed to suit younger audiences. Since the 1500s, many books have been written specifically for children, often with messages about morality or religion. Religious ideas, like those from Puritan traditions, and scientific or philosophical ideas, such as those from Charles Darwin and John Locke, have influenced children's literature. The late 1800s and early 1900s are called the "Golden Age of Children's Literature" because many famous children's books were published during this time.

Definition

There is no one definition that everyone agrees on for children's literature. It is generally described as a collection of written works and illustrations created to entertain or teach young people. This collection includes well-known classic books, picture books, simple stories made only for children, and stories like fairy tales, lullabies, fables, folk songs, and other stories that began as spoken traditions. It can also be described more specifically as books that are fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or drama meant for children and young people. One writer explains that children's literature includes "all books written for children, except for works like comic books, joke books, cartoon books, and non-fiction books that are not meant to be read from beginning to end, such as dictionaries or encyclopedias." However, some people believe that children's comics should also be included: "Children's Literature studies has often treated comics in an incomplete or shallow way, even though comics are an important global part of children's culture."

The International Companion Encyclopedia of Children's Literature states that "the boundaries of genre… are not fixed but blurred." Sometimes, people cannot agree on whether a particular book is best suited for adults or children. Some books are hard to classify. For example, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series was written and sold for children, but it is also widely read by adults. The series' popularity led The New York Times to create a separate list for children's best-selling books.

Although picture books are often linked to children's literature, spoken stories existed long before books were printed. Many children's stories have roots in ancient storytelling traditions. Seth Lerer, in the introduction to Children's Literature: A Reader's History from Aesop to Harry Potter, writes, "This book presents a history of what children have heard and read…. The history I write of is a history of reception."

History

Early children's literature included spoken stories, songs, and poems that taught, guided, and entertained children. It was not until the 1700s, when the idea of childhood began to develop, that a special type of literature for children started to appear. These early books focused on education, teaching proper behavior, and simple lessons like the alphabet, often with pictures of animals, plants, and letters that looked like people.

In 1962, French historian Philippe Ariès wrote in his book Centuries of Childhood that the modern idea of childhood only appeared recently. He explained that in the past, children were not seen as different from adults and were not treated differently.

As evidence, Ariès pointed out that before the 1700s, most books for children were written by religious leaders to teach lessons, and there were few books created just for children. Other scholars noted that some older works, like The Play of Daniel from the 1100s, did teach children about values and culture. Before the modern idea of childhood, children's books were mostly about teaching lessons about behavior, education, and religion.

In the 1600s, the idea of childhood began to take shape in Europe. Adults started to see children as separate, innocent beings who needed care and guidance. English philosopher John Locke wrote about the tabula rasa in his 1690 book An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Locke believed that a child's mind was like a blank slate, and that experiences shaped a child's learning. He argued that parents should use fun books to teach children, not force. He also suggested creating picture books for children.

In the 1800s, some children's books became popular in schools. These included stories by Aesop, Jean de la Fontaine, and Charles Perrault, such as Tales of Mother Goose. Their popularity led to more fairy tales and fantasy stories for children, often with magical items and talking animals.

Puritanism, a religious movement, also influenced children's books. Puritans focused on teaching children about salvation and morality. They published many books aimed at children, such as those by James Janeway. One of the most famous books from this time is The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, which is still read today.

Chapbooks, small and inexpensive books with pictures, were popular in Britain. Though not made for children, young people enjoyed them. These books helped preserve stories during a time when strict religious rules limited access to imaginative tales.

Hornbooks, simple books with the alphabet and prayers, were used in England and later brought to America. The first such book was Spiritual Milk for Boston Babes by Puritan John Cotton in 1646. Another early book, The New England Primer, was used in schools for 100 years and included religious lessons and alphabet rhymes.

In 1634, Italy published The Pentamerone, a collection of folk tales. Charles Perrault began writing fairy tales in France in 1697, though they were not well received at first. In 1658, John Amos Comenius created Orbis Pictus, an illustrated book for young children learning to read. It is considered the first picture book made specifically for children.

Denmark's first children's book was The Child's Mirror by Niels Bredal in 1568. Sweden published A Pretty and Splendid Maiden's Mirror in 1591, and by 1766, Sweden had children's magazines and fables. In Italy, Giovanni Francesco Straparola wrote The Facetious Nights of Straparola in the 1550s, which included fairy tales for adults. In Russia, the first children's books were primers like ABC-Book in 1571 and The Illustrated Primer in 1694. Peter the Great's efforts to modernize Russia helped spread Western children's books. Catherine the Great wrote stories for children, and Nikolai Novikov started the first children's magazine in Russia.

Modern children's books began in 18th-century England. A growing middle class and ideas about childhood innocence led to books that both taught and entertained children. In the 1740s, London publishers created books for young readers. Thomas Boreman and Mary Cooper were among them, with Cooper's Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book being the first nursery rhyme collection. John Newbery, however, is best known for A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, widely considered the first modern children's book. It combined rhymes, stories, and games to entertain children. Newbery believed that fun was better than punishment for teaching good behavior. The book had a colorful cover and was designed to appeal to children, making it a new kind of publication. These early books, called gift books, became the start of modern children's literature.

National traditions

Children's literature became its own type of writing during the Victorian era. Some books from this time became famous worldwide, such as Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and its follow-up Through the Looking-Glass (1871). Another well-known book from this period is Anna Sewell's Black Beauty (1877), which is about a horse's life. At the end of the Victorian era and the start of the Edwardian era, Beatrix Potter published The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902. Potter later wrote 23 children's books and became wealthy. She was the first person to create a toy based on a book character, patenting a Peter Rabbit doll in 1903. Michael O. Tunnell and James S. Jacobs, professors of children's literature at Brigham Young University, noted that Potter used pictures and words together in her stories, with colored illustrations on every page.

Rudyard Kipling wrote The Jungle Book in 1894. A main theme in the book is about being left alone and then being cared for, similar to Kipling's own childhood. In the late 1800s, early versions of picture books were created by English artists like Randolph Caldecott, Walter Crane, and Kate Greenaway. These books had more pictures than words and many were colored. Some artists, including Arthur Rackham, Cicely Mary Barker, W. Heath Robinson, Henry J. Ford, John Leech, and George Cruikshank, made a living by illustrating books. In the 1890s, Joseph Jacobs collected famous English fairy tales in English Fairy Tales, including stories like Jack and the Beanstalk and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

The Kailyard School of Scottish writers, including J. M. Barrie, who created Peter Pan (1904), focused on idealized versions of society and brought fantasy and folklore back into popularity. In 1908, Kenneth Grahame wrote the children's classic The Wind in the Willows, and Robert Baden-Powell published Scouting for Boys. Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden (1910) was inspired by a real garden in Kent. During World War I, Hugh Lofting created the character Doctor Dolittle, who appears in a series of twelve books.

The Golden Age of Children's Literature ended with World War I. Before World War II, children's book publishing in England slowed, but some notable books were published, such as Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne (1926), Tales of Toytown by S.G. Hulme Beaman (1928), Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers (1934), The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (1937), and The Sword in the Stone by T. H. White (1938). In 1940, Puffin Books began publishing affordable paperbacks, making books more accessible during World War II. Enid Blyton's books, which have sold over 600 million copies, remain popular and have been translated into nearly 90 languages. She wrote about education, nature, fantasy, and mystery, and is best known for her Noddy, The Famous Five, and The Secret Seven series. The first Famous Five book, Five on a Treasure Island, was published in 1942.

After World War II, the European book market recovered. A group of writers called the "Inklings," connected to Oxford University, included C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Lewis began The Chronicles of Narnia in 1950, while Tolkien is famous for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (1954). Alan Garner wrote fantasy stories like Elidor (1965) and The Owl Service (1967), which is based on a Welsh myth. The Owl Service won the Carnegie Medal.

Mary Norton wrote The Borrowers (1952), about tiny people who borrow from humans. Dodie Smith's The Hundred and One Dalmatians (1956) and Philippa Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden (1958) are also well-known. Roald Dahl wrote fantasy books with unexpected endings and dark humor, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) and James and the Giant Peach (1961). Michael Bond began writing stories about Paddington Bear in 1958.

Children's books about boarding schools often focus on life in English boarding schools. Popular stories from this time include Ronald Searle's St Trinian's and Jill Murphy's The Worst Witch.

Ruth Manning-Sanders' A Book of Giants retells giant stories from around the world. Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising is a five-volume fantasy series set in England and Wales. Raymond Briggs' The Snowman (1978) became a holiday animation. The Railway Series by W. Awdry and his son features Thomas the Tank Engine. Margery Sharp's The Rescuers series is about a group of heroic mice. Michael Morpurgo's War Horse (1982) and Dick King-Smith's The Sheep-Pig (1984) are other notable works. Diana Wynne Jones wrote Howl's Moving Castle (1986), and Anne Fine's Madame Doubtfire (1987) is about a family with divorced parents. Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series began with Stormbreaker (2000).

Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials is a trilogy of fantasy books that follow two children, Lyra and Will, as they explore parallel universes. The series won awards, including the 2001 Whitbread Book of the Year prize. J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, which began with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997) and ended with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007), is the best-selling book series in history. It has been translated into 67 languages. Neil Gaiman wrote Coraline (2002) and The Graveyard Book (2008), and Terry Pratchett wrote humorous fantasy books.

Classification

Children's books can be grouped into types based on the kind of story or the age of the reader.

Many children's books are part of a series, meaning they are connected and continue a story across multiple books.

A literary genre is a type of writing. Genres can be based on writing style, tone, subject, or length. According to Anderson, there are six main types of children's books (including some important subcategories).

The rules for these groups are not always clear, and some books might be placed in different groups. Books for younger children usually use simple words, large print, and many pictures. Books for older children use more complex words, regular print, and fewer (or no) pictures. The categories that include age ranges are these:

Illustration

Pictures have always been part of children's stories. A piece of papyrus from Byzantine Egypt shows illustrations that go with the story of Hercules' labors. Modern children's books have pictures that are not often found in adult books, except in graphic novels. Usually, artwork plays a bigger role in books for younger readers, especially those who are not yet able to read. Children's picture books often provide young children with access to high-quality art. Even after children learn to read well enough to enjoy stories without pictures, they (like adults) still like the drawings found in chapter books.

According to Joyce Whalley in The International Companion Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, "an illustrated book differs from a book with illustrations in that a good illustrated book is one where the pictures enhance or add depth to the text." Using this definition, the first illustrated children's book is considered to be Orbis Pictus, published in 1658 by the Moravian author Comenius. Acting as a kind of encyclopedia, Orbis Pictus had a picture on every page, followed by the name of the object in Latin and German. It was translated into English in 1659 and used in homes and schools across Europe and Great Britain for many years.

Early children's books, such as Orbis Pictus, were illustrated using woodcut, and often the same image was used in many books, even if it was not well suited to the story. Newer methods, including copper and steel engraving, were first used in the 1830s. One of the first uses of chromolithography (a way of making multi-colored prints) in a children's book was in Struwwelpeter, published in Germany in 1845. English illustrator Walter Crane improved its use in children's books in the late 19th century.

Another method for creating illustrations was etching, used by George Cruikshank in the 1850s. By the 1860s, top artists were illustrating for children, including Crane, Randolph Caldecott, Kate Greenaway, and John Tenniel. Most pictures were still black-and-white, and many color pictures were hand-colored, often by children. The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators credits Caldecott with "The concept of extending the meaning of text beyond literal visualization."

Twentieth-century artists such as Kay Nielson, Edmund Dulac, and Arthur Rackham created illustrations that are still reprinted today. Advances in printing technology were shown in children's books. After World War II, offset lithography became more refined, and painter-style illustrations, such as those by Brian Wildsmith, were common by the 1950s.

Illustrators of Children's Books, 1744–1945 (Horn Book, 1947), a detailed four-volume work by Louise Payson Latimer, Bertha E. Mahony, and Beulah Folmsbee, lists illustrators of children's books over two centuries.

Scholarship

Professional groups, special publications, individual researchers, and university courses study children's literature. Research in this area is mainly done in three main areas of study: literary studies/cultural studies (such as literature, language, and humanities departments), library and information science, and education (Wolf, et al., 2011).

Scholars in university departments like English, German, Spanish, or cultural studies often analyze books. This analysis may examine an author, a theme, genre, time period, or writing techniques. It may also explore issues using different methods, such as poststructural, postcolonial, New Criticism, psychoanalytic, or new historicism. Findings from this research are usually published in books or scholarly journals.

The field of Library and Information Science has studied children's literature for a long time.

Most researchers in education focus on how children's literature is used in classrooms. They may also study topics like reading at home, reading outside of school, or how parents use children's books. Teachers often use children's literature to support teaching in the classroom.

Translation of children's literature

Translation of children's books can take many forms and requires understanding how children think, grow, and learn. In 1997, Hollindale focused on how childhood is complex, changing, and full of imagination. Translating books for children means meeting the needs of young readers, so the translated text should include clear ideas, creativity, simple language, and fun with words.

Beyond age, translators must understand how youth culture changes over time. This is because some books translated for children were originally written for both adults and children, such as romances, fables, and fairytales. Adults may appear in these stories as a teacher-like narrator or through humorous comments, which can change how adults and children relate in the original text. Visuals, like pictures, comics, or graphic novels, are important for younger readers. Translators must understand how text and images work together, including design choices like fonts and picture styles.

Understanding how different types of media, such as text and images, work together is essential for translators to create effective translations. Scholars like Oittinen suggest that translators should study both art and translation to better handle children's books. Other experts, such as Puurtinen and Kreller, highlight the importance of elements like sound, story structure, sentence changes, and features like repetition and rhyme in translations. These ideas are being explored further through books, reviews, and research collections, which help guide future studies in the field.

Distribution

In 2020, the United States earned US$4.7 billion from children's books. Germany earned US$2 billion, followed by the United Kingdom (US$508 million), Spain (US$427 million), and France (US$406 million).

Literary criticism

People often debate the content and characters in well-known children's books. Popular books that have been loved for many years sometimes face criticism as society's values change. Experts and writers analyze these books in journals and essay collections, including works by scholars like Peter Hunt.

A major topic in the children's book industry is whether outdated or offensive content, such as racial stereotypes, should be changed in new editions. Some believe the original stories should stay the same, but publishers should add notes to help parents discuss difficult parts with their children. Others argue that these stereotypes are historical items that should be kept. In The Children's Culture Reader, scholar Henry Jenkins discusses Herbert R. Kohl's essay "Should We Burn Babar?" which questions whether children should learn to think critically about unfair ideas instead of ignoring past mistakes. Jenkins suggests that parents and teachers should trust children to make thoughtful decisions.

Some books have been updated in new editions, like Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever and Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In other cases, classic stories have been rewritten by new authors and illustrators. For example, Little Black Sambo has been revised to remove prejudiced language and make the story more respectful.

Books such as The Secret Garden, Pippi Longstocking, Peter Pan, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have been criticized for including racial stereotypes.

The academic journal Children's Literature Review analyzes many famous children's books. In its 114th volume, the journal discusses cultural stereotypes in the Tintin series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé, which portrays people from the Congo in a biased way.

After the "Scramble for Africa" between 1881 and 1914, many children's books were created to describe life in Africa. These books often gave a misleading picture of African life, promoting the idea that European colonizers were superior and that Africans were uncivilized. Examples include The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop, The Story of Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman, and The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwogg by Florence Kate Upton. These books contain racist stereotypes. Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney revised Little Black Sambo as Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo to make it more respectful. Feminist theologian Eske Wollrad has criticized Pippi Longstocking for colonialist stereotypes, and some versions of The Secret Garden have been accused of showing racist attitudes. The Story of Doctor Dolittle has been criticized for implying that people of ethnic minority backgrounds are less than human.

The picture book The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, published in 1962, was the first to feature an African-American child as the main character. However, Middle Eastern and Central American characters remain underrepresented in North American picture books. According to the Cooperative Children's Books Center (CCBC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in 2016, out of 3,400 children's books received that year, only 278 were about Africans or African Americans. Just 92 of these books were written by Africans or African Americans. In an interview, Jerry Pinkney noted the difficulty of finding books with Black children as main characters. In The Black Scholar, Bettye I. Latimer criticized popular books for rarely including ethnic minorities, noting that Dr. Seuss books contain few characters of color. The school series Fun with Dick and Jane, which ran from the 1930s to the 1970s, portrayed a white nuclear family and reinforced gender stereotypes. The first Black family in the series appeared in the 1960s, 30 years after its debut.

Writer Mary Renck Jalongo discusses damaging stereotypes of Native Americans in Young Children and Picture Books, noting that repeated depictions of indigenous people wearing feathers and face paint from the 1800s may lead children to believe they are fictional. Criticisms of Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie highlight their use of racial stereotypes. Wilder's book, based on her childhood in the 1800s, has been banned in some schools for its portrayal of Native Americans. In an essay, M. Lynn Byrd describes the "redskins" in Peter Pan as a racial slur.

Some classic children's books from the late 1800s and early 1900s include themes of empire, colonialism, and imperialism. In The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant by Jean de Brunhoff, published in 1931, themes of imperialism are seen as propaganda. The story reflects French colonialism, showing how elephants who adopt a new lifestyle dominate others. Curious George by H. A. Rey and Margret Rey, first published in 1941, has been criticized for its colonialist themes, including a character resembling a European colonist who takes a monkey from Africa. The Wall Street Journal has described the book as a "barely disguised slave narrative." Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories and other works have also been analyzed for their colonialist themes.

Benefits of children's books

Children's books are very important for child development, especially during preschool years. At this age, children have not had much experience in social situations. Reading books helps prepare them for future interactions and real-life events because reading supports language, thinking, social, and emotional skills.

Children's books help improve language skills by introducing new words and teaching how to use language in different situations. Reading exposes children to many words and different ways sentences are structured. Additionally, books help develop thinking skills such as memory, focus, and imagination. Reading allows children to connect their experiences and knowledge to understand information from their senses, which helps the brain learn about the world. Books also support social and emotional growth. They help children understand themselves and others by showing characters and situations they can relate to. Books often include topics like love, empathy, family, and friendship. Reading these books helps children learn about emotions and apply what they learn to social situations.

Awards

Many well-known awards for children's literature are given in different countries, regions, or for certain languages. International awards are given as a way to honor achievements worldwide. These include the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, Ilustrarte Bienale, which recognizes illustration work, and the BolognaRagazzi Award, which honors artwork and design. Additionally, bloggers who specialize in children's and young adult books present a major online book award series called The Cybils Awards, or Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards.