Children's Literature I INTRODUCTION Kate Greenaway's May Day The delicate skill and graceful simplicity of English artist Kate Greenaway's illustrations delighted children and impressed thinkers, including art critic John Ruskin. Greenaway illustrated many commercially successful children's books including May Day, Little Ann, and Mother Goose. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California/SuperStock Children's Literature, writings designed to appeal to children--either to be read to them or by them--including fiction, poetry, biography, and history. Children's literature also includes riddles, precepts, fables, legends, myths, and folk poems and folktales based on spoken tradition. Works of ancient literature, such as the stories by Greek poet Homer, are often adaptable to children's reading because of their simple narrative forms. II EARLY HISTORY Until the Renaissance (14th century to 17th century) the main sources of children's literature in the Western world were the Bible and the Greek and Latin classics. The expansion of literacy following the invention of printing in the 15th century increased the range of children's literature, and subsequently national history became a fresh subject for young readers. After the 18th century, archaeologists, philologists, and anthropologists added material from Asian and tribal cultures and European folklore. This article discusses developments in English and American literature for children. A The Middle Ages Robin Hood The legendary hero Robin Hood is a popular figure from English folklore, especially among children. According to the stories about him, he led a band of outlaws called the Merry Men, who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. Corbis In England the earliest forms of oral literature, passed from generation to generation, were simple folktales, usually of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon origin. These tales included folk ballads, among them the Robin Hood collection, and narratives sung by wandering bards about King Arthur and his knights (see Arthurian Legend). The first books specifically intended for children were collections of the 7th and 8th centuries that were written in Latin. The best-known works of this type, by outstanding ecclesiastical scholars such as Aldhelm, Alcuin, and Saint Bede the Venerable, were employed as lesson books in the monastery schools. B The Renaissance With the development of vernacular literature, particularly after the invention of printing, more children's books appeared. The publications of the first English printer, William Caxton, included the Book of Curtesye (1477), a collection of rhymes that sets forth rules of conduct for a "goodly chylde." Eight years later Caxton printed Le Morte d'Arthur (1469-1470; The Death of Arthur) by English translator and compiler Sir Thomas Malory, which became the basis for later treatments of the Arthurian legends. Caxton also issued the beast fable Reynard the Fox (1481), translated from a Flemish version, and the Fables (1484) of Greek writer Aesop, translated from the French. A new type of children's book, called the hornbook, appeared during the 16th century. It consisted of a printed page covered by a transparent sheet of horn and mounted on a square of wood with a handle at one end for the child to hold. Used for elementary instruction, the hornbook contained alphabets, the Lord's Prayer, Roman numerals, and the like. The chapbook, an unstitched pamphlet usually consisting of about 70 folded pages, appeared in the 17th century. Chapbooks, which were peddled from door to door throughout England, contained versions of popular literature ranging from nursery rhymes to medieval romances. C The 17th and 18th Centuries Cinderella Flees Cinderella, heroine of a European folktale, is mistreated by her jealous stepmother and stepsisters; a supernatural helper intervenes on her behalf, and her fortune is reversed when a prince falls in love with her and marries her. The familiar English version is a translation of French writer Charles Perrault's "Cendrillon," which appeared in the collection of fairy tales, Contes de ma Mère l'Oye (1697). Some features in Perrault's version are original touches, such as the fairy godmother and the glass slipper. Leonard de Selva/Corbis Works of moral and religious instruction written for children gained increased importance under the influence of Puritanism in the 17th and 18th centuries. The New England Primer (1690), printed in Boston, Massachusetts, by English-born publisher and journalist Benjamin Harris, is a typical example. It contains a rhymed alphabet, tables of syllables, the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and an account of the burning of a Protestant martyr at the stake. Preparation for possible sudden death and departure to the next world was a feature of the rhymes and stories in earlier editions of the Primer. Verses that became well known as a result of their inclusion in the Primer include the prayer "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" and the "Cradle Hymn" by English churchman Isaac Watts. Editions of The New England Primer were issued as late as the 19th century. The title of another contemporary children's book, Spiritual Milk for Boston Babes (1646), further indicates the religious tone of most of the children's literature of the period. One of the most significant developments in children's literature was the use of illustrations. Orbis Sensualium Pictus (The Visible World in Pictures), the first known children's picture book, was issued in Latin in 1658 by Czech educational reformer John Amos Comenius. An English translation appeared a year later. The book, illustrated by woodcuts, covers a wide range of subjects. The Little Mermaid Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish writer of fairy tales in the 19th century. His adopted city, Copenhagen, erected a statue of one of his most beloved characters, the Little Mermaid, at the entrance to the harbor. Made of cast bronze, the statue reflects the Danish love of simple, fluid line and form. Robert Harding Picture Library Classics of children's literature include adult books that also appeal to children or have been adapted for children. One is The Pilgrim's Progress (published in two parts, 1678 and 1684) by English author and preacher John Bunyan. It is a simple but forceful allegory of conflict between good and evil. Another is Robinson Crusoe (1719), the story of an ingenious and self-reliant castaway, by English novelist and journalist Daniel Defoe. This masterpiece served as a basis for another children's favorite, The Swiss Family Robinson (1812; translated 1814) by Swiss writer Johann Rudolf Wyss. Gulliver's Travels (1726), by Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift, which fascinates adults as a satire, is enjoyed by children for its fantasy. The first significant French children's book was Histoires ou contes du temps passé avec des moralités (1697; Stories or Tales from Olden Times, 1729), a collection of traditional fairy tales known also as Contes de ma mère l'oye (Tales of Mother Goose), by Charles Perrault. Its tales include "Sleeping Beauty," "Cinderella," "Red Riding Hood," and "Bluebeard." The name Mother Goose became traditionally associated with nursery rhymes in England and the United States. Defoe's Robinson Crusoe This excerpt, read by an actor, is taken from the classic novel The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1719) by Daniel Defoe. Based on the true experiences of the sailor Alexander Selkirk, it tells the story of a man who is shipwrecked on a desert island. In this excerpt, Crusoe realizes for the first time that he is not alone on the island. (p)1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved./Bettmann/Corbis In the 18th century, English publisher John Newbery became the first to print attractive, inexpensive books for children. Containing stories, verses, puzzles, riddles, maxims, and lessons, the books sold in small paper-covered editions. Newbery's moral precepts were gentler and less forbidding than those promoted in the previous century. His best-known publications are The History of Little Goody Two Shoes (1765), erroneously credited to British author Oliver Goldsmith; A Little Pretty Pocketbook (1744); and Mother Goose's Melody (about 1765), reprinted in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1785. Until the late 18th century no clear distinction was made between instruction and entertainment in children's literature. Most stories and poems written for children were designed to convey useful information or moral advice. Largely because of the growth of religious freedom, especially in Great Britain and in the newly established American nation, and because of the egalitarian principles spread by the French Revolution (1789-1799), children's literature eventually became less didactic. A major influence in this development was French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau, who, in his novel Émile (1762), pointed out that the mind of a child is not merely the mind of an adult in miniature, and that it must be considered on its own terms. William Blake English poet William Blake wrote poetry that emphasized the goodness in children's souls. In "The Tiger" (1794), Blake celebrates the creation of life. Here, an actor recites an excerpt from the poem. (p) 1992 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved./Culver Pictures Authors influenced by Émile exhibited a tendency to overemphasize the guiding role of the wise and benevolent adult. An English example is The History of Sandford and Merton (3 volumes, 1783-1789) by Thomas Day. In this work the story is constantly interrupted by lengthy sermons that stress the work's educational purpose. A similar product of the Rousseau movement was the work of English novelist Maria Edgeworth, who wrote two collections of short stories for children, The Parent's Assistant (1796) and Moral Tales (1801). Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794) by English artist, poet, and mystic William Blake provide the first examples of literature concerned with the essential goodness of children in the spirit of Rousseau's educational philosophy. Blake's ideas on the innocence of children and their corruption by adult standards of belief and behavior are also derived from a blend of German mysticism, English Protestantism, and the political ideas of the French Revolution. Blake believed that passion, or feeling, according to the individual conscience, was superior to all intellectual rules. His writings and engravings were much too difficult for young readers to understand, but they influenced other authors and artists in the field of children's literature. Blake, like contemporary English poet William Wordsworth, portrayed childhood as a happy and virtuous time and considered growing up to be a saddening and complicated process. III THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES Treasure Island Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the children's adventure story Treasure Island in 1883 about a boy racing pirates to find buried treasure. He also wrote the horror story The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in1886 and a collection of poems titled A Child's Garden of Verses in 1885. Culver Pictures The romantic wave that swept Europe early in the 19th century also affected children's literature (see Romanticism). In Britain the writings of novelist Sir Walter Scott, who was noted for his tales of chivalry, were read with delight by older children. A revival of interest in the works of English playwright William Shakespeare resulted in one of the most popular children's books, Tales from Shakespeare (1807), consisting of versions of the Shakespeare stories by essayist Charles Lamb and his sister Mary Ann Lamb. Two American authors of the same period, Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper, wrote with historical vividness about the more recent American past. While their works were not written primarily for children, they became popular with young readers, and translations of the works of Cooper became favorites in Europe. Irving developed the legends of the Dutch settlers in New York State in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. (1819-1820), which contains the classic stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Cooper wrote about early American frontier life in his series known as the Leather-Stocking Tales, of which the most famous book is The Last of the Mohicans (1826). Renewed interest in folklore, an aspect of the romantic movement, led to the enrichment of children's literature with myths, legends, and wonder stories. The German brothers Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm and Wilhelm Karl Grimm (see Grimm Brothers) made notable contributions in their volumes of stories known collectively in English as Grimm's Fairy Tales. Published between 1812 and 1815 and circulated in translations throughout the world, the volumes include tales such as "Hansel and Gretel," "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "The Valiant Little Tailor," and "Rapunzel." More original and stylized versions of folktales were written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, whose collections appeared between 1835 and 1872; the first English translation was published in 1846. Some of the more famous Andersen stories are "Thumbelina," "The Little Match-Girl," "The Nightingale," "The Red Shoes," "The Ugly Duckling," and "The Constant Tin Soldier." American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne retold the classic myths of Greece in A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys (1852) and Tanglewood Tales for Girls and Boys (1853). In England, toward the end of the 19th century, Andrew Lang wrote one of the best-known collections of European fairy tales in a series of volumes beginning with the Blue Fairy Book (1889). The avid response of children to myths and fairy stories demonstrated their wide range of imagination and their acceptance of both reality and fantasy. Edward Lear, English painter and author of limericks and nonsense verse, realized this and wrote works such as A Book of Nonsense (1846) and More Nonsense (1870). A combination of fantasy and humor was also achieved by English author and mathematician Lewis Carroll, pen name of Charles Dodgson, in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking Glass (1872). According to some theories, the popularity of these works is to be accounted for by the mathematical logic underlying their fantasy; according to others, by the profound psychological perceptions in the fantasy. Above all, it is generally agreed that the two books are masterpieces of children's literature. The drawings of the original illustrator, Sir John Tenniel, made his name well known also. British writer Oscar Wilde continued the creative fairy-tale tradition with The Happy Prince and Other Tales (1888). Two other notable late-19th-century British writers for children were Robert Louis Stevenson and Rudyard Kipling. Stevenson's books Treasure Island (1883), A Child's Garden of Verses (1885), and Kidnapped (1886) have become classics, as have Kipling's animal stories in The Jungle Book (1894), The Second Jungle Book (1895), and Just So Stories for Little Children (1902), based on the folk traditions of India. A number of poems by Kipling, especially "If," are found in poetry anthologies for older children. In the United States during this period the most notable stories about animals were the dialect tales of Joel Chandler Harris in his Uncle Remus books (published between 1880 and 1906), in which he relied on the folk traditions of blacks in the South. Fantasy continued to be a major mode of literature for children in the early 20th century. In 1900 L. Frank Baum published the first of his Wizard of Oz series. A perennial favorite with American children, the series was continued by other writers for many years after Baum's death. From his stage play Peter Pan (1904), a fantasy about a boy who refused to grow up, British novelist and dramatist Sir James Matthew Barrie adapted Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906) and Peter and Wendy (1911). Another fantasy that has become a classic is The Wind in the Willows (1908) by British writer Kenneth Grahame, which recounts the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger, and their pompous friend Toad. English poet and novelist Walter de la Mare made a distinguished contribution to children's poetry with his Songs of Childhood (1902) and other collections. His anthology of children's poems Come Hither (1923) remains a classic, one of the most comprehensive of its kind. Imaginative tales, based on the prowess of legendary figures such as Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, Mike Fink, and Tony Beaver and on episodes in the life of the American pioneer Davy Crockett, continue to captivate American children. America Sings (1942) by poet and novelist Carl Lamson Carmer is an outstanding collection of such tales. Realistic fiction includes two titles that have endured as childhood classics: Anne of Green Gables (1908) by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, about a spirited orphan growing up on Prince Edward Island, and The Secret Garden (1911) by American writer Frances Hodgson Burnett, which presents characters with whose development children can identify, as well as a story with a touch of mystery. Several foreign children's classics have enriched English and American children's literature, including Heidi (1880; translated 1884) by Swiss writer Johanna Spyri, whose heroine is a spirited young girl living in the Swiss Alps; The Adventures of Pinocchio (1882; translated 1892) by Italian writer Carlo Lorenzini, better known as Carlo Collodi, whose hero is an irrepressible wooden puppet; and The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (2 volumes, translated 1907) by Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf, whose hero is a boy who rides over Sweden on the back of a goose. In another vein are books by late-19th-century French naturalist Jean Henri Fabre. These works, especially those about wasps, beetles, mason bees, and spiders, increased interest in science. A Illustrated Children's Books "The Emperor's New Clothes" Danish fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Andersen wrote "The Emperor's New Clothes" in 1837. The fable tells the story of a king who believed only wise people could see the clothes made for him by a crafty tailor. He paraded nude down the road of his kingdom, wearing his "new" clothes. CORBIS-BETTMANN A tradition of clear, colorful, and simple drawing for children in various styles gradually developed in the 19th century, especially in England. The more famous artists include Walter Crane, whose first series of toy picture books was issued between 1865 and 1873; Kate Greenaway, whose lovable children on flower-bedecked pages appeared in Kate Greenaway's Almanacs (1883-1897) and other books; and Randolph Caldecott, whose four-volume set of simple line drawings illustrating favorite nursery rhymes and works such as The Diverting History of John Gilpin, Three Jovial Huntsmen, and Come Lasses and Lads was published between 1878 and 1885. Another outstanding British illustrator was Leslie Brooke, best known for the humorous, detailed animal drawings in his Johnny Crow's Garden (1903), Johnny Crow's Party (1907), Johnny Crow's New Garden (1935), and the collection The Golden Goose Book (1905). Beatrix Potter wrote and illustrated books that have been called "classics in miniature," including The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1900) and The Tailor of Gloucester (1902). The character of Peter Rabbit was adopted in stories written by Thornton Waldo Burgess, an American author of children's books on animals and wildlife. B Early Children's Magazines and Contributors Louisa May Alcott American writer Louisa May Alcott's autobiographical children's books are considered literary classics. She is best known for her novel Little Women (1868-1869) and its sequels, Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886), which included compelling, emotional descriptions of 19th-century family life. Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis Magazines such as the American publications Youth's Companion, founded in 1827, and St. Nicholas, founded in 1873, were significant in the development of children's literature, and they continued their influence into the early years of the 20th century. The contributors included English writers such as Kipling; Americans Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Howard Pyle (who was noted also as an illustrator), and Oliver Wendell Holmes; and Canadian-born illustrator and author Palmer Cox, creator of the popular Brownies books. Mark Twain American writer and humorist Mark Twain demonstrated an uncanny understanding of childhood and human nature, often writing in the vernacular of the American South. Twain's biting social and political satires reflect his abhorrence of social and moral injustices. In the moral climax of Mark Twain's quintessential American novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is deciding to help Jim, a runaway slave, escape. Recited by an actor. (p) 1992 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved./THE BETTMANN ARCHIVE/(p) 1992 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Some American magazine contributors also became famous for their children's books. In Little Women (1868-1869), Alcott began a series of novels about New England family life that gained enduring popularity. Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) provides a lively picture of boyhood escapades in a Missouri town on the Mississippi River in the pre-Civil War era (before 1860). Twain's companion volume The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) is considered by critics to be one of the masterpieces of American literature. Pyle's books retold English legends, as in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (1883) and The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (1903). Both are illustrated with his own drawings. C Fiction for Older Boys and Girls The Wonderful Wizard of Oz The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was the first in a series of 14 books for children by American writer L. Frank Baum. The first book about Oz was published in 1900. This illustration from the book depicts the main characters seated around a dinner table. Culver Pictures Works of fiction written specifically for older boys and girls began to appear in the mid-19th century and became increasingly popular during the 20th century. The best known of such books include those by American author Horatio Alger, such as Ragged Dick (1867) and From Farm Boy to Senator (1882), based on the theme of success achieved through hard work and thrift. Other popular books for boys include the series about a schoolboy athlete named Frank Merriwell, written by Gilbert Patten under the pen name Burt L. Standish, and the series of adventure stories Onward and Upward by William Taylor Adams, who wrote under the pen name Oliver Optic. Love stories written for adolescent girls also first became popular in this period, notably Ramona (1884) by Helen Hunt Jackson and a series entitled What Katy Did by Sarah Chauncey Woolsey, who wrote under the pen name Susan Coolidge. D The Period After World War I Winnie-the-Pooh English writer A. A. Milne originally wrote Winnie-the-Pooh for his son in 1926. This pen-and-ink illustration by English artist E. H. Shepard shows Pooh Bear standing on a chair trying to reach his honey pot. THE BETTMANN ARCHIVE/Corbis Notable postwar (after 1918) English children's books include those by writer and illustrator Hugh Lofting, whose Doctor Dolittle series, begun in 1920, has for its hero a doctor who prefers to treat animals rather than humans. The books of poems When We Were Very Young (1924) and Now We Are Six (1927) and the tales of whimsy in Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928) by poet and playwright A. A. Milne became classics. The Mary Poppins stories (1934-1963) by Australianborn Pamela L. Travers, enormously popular both as books and in a motion-picture version (1964), have a prim and proper but magical nursemaid as their heroine. A. A. Milne English author A. A. Milne wrote the poem "Us Two" (recited here by an actor) for the collection entitled Now We Are Six (1927). The poem features the characters Christopher Robin and his bear, Pooh, who became famous after the publication of Winnie-the-Pooh (1926). Although Milne also wrote literature for adults, including short stories, plays, novels, poetry, and essays, he is best known for the acclaimed children's stories and poems about the beloved stuffed bear Winnie-thePooh. (p) 1994 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved./© Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The distinction between works written expressly for children and those that children could share with adults became more precise in the postwar period, particularly in the United States. This occurred in part because the spread of compulsory education and psychological testing made it possible for authors to write books directed at children within specific age and developmental groups. The volume and quality of reading material for children increased tremendously after World War I (1914-1918), and school and public libraries made books, magazines, and reference works available without cost to the borrower. The American Library Association was increasingly helpful to educational organizations in the selection of reading material for children. The annual observance of Children's Book Week, begun in 1919, acquainted the general public with the importance of books for the young. Annual prizes were established in honor of publisher John Newbery and illustrator Randolph Caldecott. The Newbery Medal for the best American children's book and the Caldecott Medal for the best picture book focused attention on quality in children's literature. Encyclopedias for children were issued, among them the World Book Encyclopedia (19 volumes, first published in 1917-1918 as the World Book) and Britannica Junior (12 volumes, 1934). Newspapers inaugurated regular departments in which children's books were reviewed. The Horn Book magazine, established in Boston in 1924, evaluates children's books and related subjects. Little House on the Prairie American author Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote the Little House series between 1932 and 1943. Little House on the Prairie, one of the books in the series, was first published in 1935. The novels were based on her experiences as a child growing up on the frontier. This book later formed the basis of a television series by the same name that was popular during the 1970s and 1980s. Garth Williams/Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder With the publication of Millions of Cats (1928) by American artist and writer Wanda Gág, the picture narrative, in which text is reduced to a minimum, became a favorite with preschool-aged children. Until 1930 most illustrated children's books were in black and white, but new printing developments made color illustration increasingly popular. Leading color illustrators who sometimes wrote their own texts include Edward Ardizzone, Ludwig Bemelmans, and Roger Duvoisin. Popular books of the period include the Babar series (beginning in 1931) by French writer Jean de Brunhoff, about an elephant who lives in Paris, and The Story About Ping (1933) by Marjorie Flack with illustrations by Kurt Wiese, about a Yangtze River duck who narrowly misses getting cooked to eat. E World War II and After Charlotte, left, and Wilbur American essayist and writer E. B. White published the children's classic Charlotte's Web in 1952. The story tells how Charlotte, a spider, saves Wilbur, a pig, from slaughter. The story was made into an animated motion picture in 1973. The Everett Collection, Inc. The Little Prince (1942; translated 1943), written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is an allegory about the rewards of sharing. Notable American children's writers of the 1940s and 1950s include James Thurber, whose fantasies Many Moons (1943) and The White Deer (1945) were illustrated with his own drawings, and E. B. White, whose books Stuart Little (1945) and Charlotte's Web (1952) won praise and popularity. The seven-volume series known as the Chronicles of Narnia (19501956) by British novelist C. S. Lewis is a major contribution to fantasy literature for children and has been frequently translated. Exciting as adventure stories, the books can also be read as allegories. Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss is the pen name of children's author Theodor Seuss Geisel. His eccentric characters and whimsical illustrations have made his books enduring favorites with both children and adults. UPI/THE BETTMANN ARCHIVE Other books of unusual interest include A Hole Is to Dig (1952) by Ruth Krauss, which re-creates childhood experience through subtleties of language; The Wheel on the School (1954) by Meindert DeJong; and The Cat in the Hat (1957) by Theodore Seuss Geisel, who wrote under the pen name Dr. Seuss. Geisel's book is an extravagant fantasy, conceived as a supplementary reader for schoolchildren and illustrated with comic drawings. F The 1960s and After Children's books imparting information, especially on science and social studies, became predominant in the 1960s and 1970s. Outstanding collections of poetry were also published. These include A Journey of Poems (1964), an anthology of relatively lesser-known verse by Richard F. Niebling, and Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle (1967), compiled by Stephen Dunning. In 1982 the Newbery Medal was awarded for the first time to a book of poetry, A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers (1981) by Nancy Willard. The book also received a Caldecott Award for its illustrations, the first book to receive both awards. A delightful picture story for very young children is The Snowy Day (1962) by Ezra Jack Keats, telling of a young city boy experiencing his first snowstorm. Trumpet of the Swan (1970) demonstrated the enduring skill of E. B. White. Another author, Isaac Bashevis Singer, continued to produce allegorical works for children, such as The Wicked City (1972). Julie of the Wolves (1972), an engrossing novel about the love a young girl has for the wolves of Alaska, won a Newbery Medal for the author, Jean George. One of the most provocative and talented of contemporary author-artists was Maurice Sendak. His hauntingly imaginative picture books, based on real childhood experiences, include The Sign on Rosie's Door (1960), Where the Wild Things Are (1963), In the Night Kitchen (1970), and Outside Over There (1981). Cartoonist William Steig's humorous drawings grace picture books about animals, such as Dr. De Soto (1982), about a mouse dentist, and Dr. De Soto Goes to Africa (1994). Other beautifully illustrated books for children include the works of Chris Van Allsburg, whose books use black-and-white pictures, and Mitsumasa Anno, whose Anno's Alphabet (1975) contains no text, only intriguing illustrations that can be enjoyed at various levels by children and adults. Van Allsburg won Caldecott Medals for his imaginative children's fantasies Jumanji (1981) and The Polar Express (1985). Where the Wild Things Are Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963, is the first part of a trilogy by award-winning American author-artist Maurice Sendak. Haunting and imaginative, the book describes how a child creates a fictitious world to deal with his anger. When the story was made into an opera, Sendak designed the sets and the costumes. Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Maurice Sendak In fiction, realism became emphasized. Since the 1960s many novels for older children have dealt frankly with social issues such as the effects of death and divorce, race relations, relationships with retarded siblings, drug addiction, and sex. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret (1970) by Judy Blume, about a 12-year-old girl's passage into adolescence, was banned by some libraries. Two popular books about farm life in Canada, A Prairie Boy's Winter (1973) and A Prairie Boy's Summer (1975), were written and illustrated by William Kuralek. Karen Hesse won a Newbery Medal for Out of the Dust (1997), a novel about a teenage girl's experiences during the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s in Oklahoma. J. K. Rowling British author J. K. Rowling signs one of her incredibly popular books about boy wizard Harry Potter. Rowling's books sold millions of copies worldwide and dominated bestseller lists at the end of the 1990s and in the early 2000s. Tim Sloan/AFP Paperback books for children were firmly established by the early 1970s, and this less expensive form was widely accepted. Children's literature also became available in a wide variety of nonprinted forms, such as recordings, tape cassettes, and later, video and CD-ROM. A popular form of books for very young children has been board books, presenting short texts with easily identifiable themes, nonstereotyped characters, and attractive illustrations. Since about 1980, pop-up books (formally termed paper engineering books) have been favorites with children up to the junior high school level. Titles in this format include The Most Amazing Hide-and-Seek Alphabet Book (1978) by Robert Crowther and The Human Body (1983) by Jonathan Miller, the latter containing three-dimensional movable anatomical illustrations designed for older children. Children's books continue to cover traditional subjects but also examine topics increasingly relevant to children's understanding of society, such as multiculturalism, homosexuality, the environment, and AIDS. In the late 1990s and early 2000s a series of books by English author J. K. Rowling about a young wizard named Harry Potter appealed to both children and adults. Although the Potter books dominated bestseller lists worldwide, some parents objected to the books on the grounds that they glorified black magic and witchcraft. G Modern Children's Magazines Periodicals dedicated to young readers continue to be a vital aspect of children's literature in the United States, although Youth's Companion had ceased publication by 1941 and St. Nicholas ceased in 1943. Cricket, which began in 1974, is patterned somewhat after the latter. Popular magazines include Boys' Life (begun 1911), with a combination of stories, how-to features, and puzzles; Highlights for Children (1946); and Sesame Street (1971). In the 1990s Ladybug (1990) and Spider (1994), magazines with monthly themes, were begun. Several magazines on nature are available, including Your Big Back Yard (1980) for preschoolers and Ranger Rick (1967), both published by The National Wildlife Federation, and Owl (1976), published in Canada by The Young Naturalist Foundation and aimed at children over the age of eight. Ebony Jr., the first magazine specifically intended for black children, ran from 1974 to 1985. 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