Children’s Literature: History and Development
Children’s literature refers to materials or books written for children and young people, published by children’s publishers, and located in the children’s section of libraries.
Evolution of Children’s Literature
1. Classical World
This era encompasses ancient Greece and Rome. Oral literature began with storytelling. The purpose was to entertain, comfort, instruct the young, and pass on religious and cultural heritage. There was no distinction between adult and children’s literature.
- Greek stories: Stories of the Trojan War or Aesop’s Fables: animal tales with morals to instruct children in cultural and personal values.
- Roman stories: Tales of Ovid’s Metamorphoses (tales of gods, goddesses, heroes, and heroines). Modern retelling stories like the Tale of Troy or online texts like “The Age of Fables.”
2. Middle Ages
The Roman Catholic Church controlled social and political scenes and education. Education was a luxury; books were very expensive, and only a few people could write or read.
- Biblical stories: Stories about saints to set examples for the youth.
- Secular stories: Romantic stories or epic stories about great heroes. Children’s versions of these tales include “Light Beyond the Forest.”
3. Renaissance
Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press, enabling multiple copies of books. This facilitated the rapid spread of information, mass education, and increased literacy. Books for children were educational, teaching boys how to behave. The first children’s picture books were also created. The 17th century saw spiritual and intellectual development in children’s literature.
- Spiritual development: The rise of Puritanism, which believed the Bible should be accessible to everyone. They encouraged literacy among the middle class.
- Key texts:
- Hornbooks (wooden books with basic language lessons)
- Battledores (cheap cardboard books with educational material)
- New England Primer (a famous schoolbook that introduced the alphabet to Puritans through rhymes)
- Chapbooks (small, cheap books containing fairy tales and secular works)
- John Locke believed that children had equal capabilities to learn and that adults were responsible for providing them with education. Some works were rewritten for children, such as Robinson Crusoe.
4. The 18th and 19th Centuries
Newbery was the first to successfully promote children’s literature. His books were large collections of stories and poems by various writers. “Little Pretty Pocket Book” was the first published children’s book designed to entertain and teach children. Rousseau and his moral tales emphasized the importance of moral development. Most moralistic tales for children were written by women, as children’s literature was considered inferior to adult literature. There was a revival of old folktales, such as those by Charles Perrault (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty) and Andersen’s Fairy Tales.
5. The Victorians: The Golden Age
During this time, children’s literature flourished due to the reinforcement of the family unit, the development of printing technology, the rise in women’s status, and increased educational opportunities.
- Fantasy stories: *Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland* (Lewis Carroll) or *The Adventures of Pinocchio* (Carlo Collodi).
- Adventure stories (for boys) like *Treasure Island* by Stevenson.
- Domestic stories (for girls) like *Little Women* by Alcott.
There was a change in children’s book illustrations; at the end of the 19th century, writers decided to write illustrated storybooks for children, which were now available for sale.
6. 20th Century
Children’s literature changed, shifting from primarily learning to entertainment. There was a rise of fantasy and realistic fiction (e.g., *The Hobbit*), and numerous children’s books received awards like the Newbery Medal. Social changes, such as the rise of youth culture, realism, an increase in the variety of world cultures in books, and the feminist movement, further influenced children’s literature.