American children's literature and the construction of childhood
By: Gail Schmunk Murray.
Series: Twayne's history of American childhood series
Publisher: Twayne Publishers; Prentice Hall International
Published: 1998
Place of publication: New York; London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 276
Subjects: Children's literature, American -- History and criticism.; Children -- Books and reading -- United States.; Children in literature.
Description: "Of the many ways cultures have to socialize the young, western cultures have relied heavily on books to transmit certain social values and to cast aspersions on others. In her new study, American Children's Literature and the Construction of Childhood, author Gail S. Murray argues that the meaning of childhood is socially constructed and that its meaning has changed over time. Of course, "society" has never spoken with one voice but in almost every era, a dominant culture has prevailed.

Books written for children reveal this dominant culture, reflect its behavioral standard, and reinforce its expectations."--BOOK JACKET. "Covering the entire history of American children's literature, from The New England Primer to the works of authors like Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak, Murray explores the messages behind the stories, and what these messages reveal about the society that conveyed them."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 250-264) and index.