History of Children's Literature Part 2

Summary

This script explores the evolution of children's literature, highlighting the emergence of picture books in the 19th century with influential illustrators like Randolph Caldecott. It discusses the 20th century's groundbreaking works such as 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' and 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,' and the rise of American illustrators like Wanda Gag. The narrative continues through the 20th century, touching on the impact of awards, the shift to consumer markets, and the inclusion of diverse narratives. The 2000s are marked by digital formats, meta-fiction, and the recognition of children's literature's importance through Library of Congress ambassadors.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The early 19th century saw the rise of the picture book, with illustrators like Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway becoming influential figures, leading to awards named in their honor.
• 🐰 Beatrix Potter's 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' is recognized as the first modern picture storybook, blending text and illustrations to enhance storytelling.
• 🌟 The 20th century began with groundbreaking works like 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', marking a shift towards modern fantasy in children's literature.
• 📚 Publishers in the early 20th century hired ghostwriters to produce series like the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, which were popular but of varying quality.
• 🏆 The mid-20th century introduced prestigious awards like the Caldecott and Newbery medals to honor outstanding contributions to children's literature.
• 📈 The 1960s financial boom led to an increase in school library funding, which in turn boosted the publication and sales of children's books.
• 🔍 The 1960s also saw a shift towards more realistic themes in children's literature, with books addressing previously taboo subjects like death and divorce.
• 📚 In the 1970s, the market for children's books shifted towards consumer purchases, leading to the publication of more interactive and attention-grabbing books.
• 🏛️ The 1980s and 1990s witnessed a resurgence of institutional purchases for schools and a rise in the involvement of large corporations in children's book publishing.
• 📱 The 2000s brought a focus on new literacies, with digital formats and online resources becoming more prevalent in children's literature.
• 🌐 The Harry Potter series had a significant impact on the children's book industry in the 2000s, expanding the audience to include adults and redefining the genre.

Q & A

What significant change occurred in children's literature during the early 19th century?

The early 19th century saw the rise of the picture book in children's literature, with improved printing techniques making color illustrations more common.

Who was Randolph Caldecott and why is he influential in children's literature?

Randolph Caldecott was a famous illustrator known for showing action in pictures. He is influential because he was one of the first to create dynamic illustrations that complemented the storytelling, and the Caldecott Medal, an illustration award in the United States, is named in his honor.

What is the significance of Beatrix Potter's 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'?

Beatrix Potter's 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' is significant as it is considered the first modern picture storybook, where the text and colored illustrations were designed to work together to tell a story for children.

How did the publishing landscape for children's books change in the 20th century?

In the 20th century, the domain of children's books was firmly established with groundbreaking events and the creation of enduring classics. Publishers began to honor outstanding books with awards, and the market expanded with the rise of series books and the influence of ghostwriters.

What was unique about Wanda Gag's 'Millions of Cats' in the context of American picture storybooks?

Wanda Gag's 'Millions of Cats' is credited as the first American picture storybook, marking a significant milestone in the development of children's literature in the United States.

Why were Edward Stoudemire's series books considered a publishing phenomenon?

Edward Stoudemire's series books were a publishing phenomenon because they were produced in large quantities for young readers, with Stoudemire outlining the plots and ghostwriters or junior editors handling the actual writing, making them accessible and affordable.

What impact did the financial boom of the 1960s have on children's publishing?

The financial boom of the 1960s led to an increase in government grants for public school libraries, resulting in more books being published and sold than ever before, and a rise in the number of awards given to outstanding children's books.

How did the shift from school to consumer market in the 1970s affect children's books?

The shift to a consumer market in the 1970s led to the publication of more books aimed at attracting individual buyers, such as parents. This resulted in the creation of books with more engaging and interactive elements, like pop-up books and books with records.

What were some of the taboos in literature that began to be addressed in children's books during the 1960s and 1970s?

In the 1960s and 1970s, children's books started to address previously taboo subjects such as death, divorce, alcoholism, and child abuse, reflecting a new realism and a more open discussion of difficult topics.

How did the involvement of larger corporations in the 1980s and 1990s change the children's book publishing industry?

The involvement of larger corporations in the 1980s and 1990s led to the consolidation of publishing houses and an increase in the scale of operations. This resulted in a bigger business with more institutional purchases for schools and a continued focus on the retail market.

What is the significance of the 'I can read' or beginning reader genre in children's literature?

The 'I can read' or beginning reader genre is significant because it introduces simpler vocabulary versions of stories to accommodate younger or less experienced readers, making literature more accessible to a wider audience of children.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Rise of the Picture Book in the 19th and Early 20th Century

This paragraph explores the emergence of picture books in the 19th century, highlighting notable illustrators like Randolph Caldecott, whose work influenced the Caldecott Medal. It also discusses key milestones, such as Beatrix Potter's *The Tale of Peter Rabbit*, the first modern picture storybook, and L. Frank Baum's *The Wonderful Wizard of Oz*, a pioneering American fantasy. Other notable works from this period include *Peter Pan*, *Anne of Green Gables*, and *Winnie the Pooh*. American illustrators like Wanda Gág and books like *Goodnight Moon* and *Make Way for Ducklings* also gained prominence.

05:01

🏆 The Impact of Ghostwriting in Children's Literature and the Emergence of Awards

This section reveals the ghostwriting practice behind famous book series like *Nancy Drew* and *The Hardy Boys*, all masterminded by publisher Edward Stratemeyer. It also discusses the creation of major children's literature awards, such as the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Newbery Medal, and the Caldecott Medal, recognizing outstanding contributions to the field. The importance of children's literature grew, especially with government support for school libraries in the mid-20th century.

10:02

📖 The Evolution of Realism in Children's Books

This paragraph details how children's literature in the 1960s embraced new realism, addressing once-taboo topics like death, divorce, and child abuse. Key books from this period include *Where the Wild Things Are*, *Harriet the Spy*, and *The Snowy Day*, the latter being the first picture book to feature a Black protagonist without stereotyping. In the 1970s, the market shifted from schools to consumers, and more innovative formats like scratch-and-sniff and pop-up books emerged. Realistic fiction, addressing controversial themes, gained popularity with authors like Judy Blume and books like *My Brother Sam is Dead*.

📈 Corporate Influence and the Expansion of Beginning Reader Books

This section focuses on the corporate takeover of children's publishing in the 1980s and 1990s, with companies like Simon & Schuster and Viacom acquiring smaller publishers. The rise of the 'I Can Read' genre, simplifying classic stories for younger audiences, also occurred. Despite frustrations with varying reading levels, this genre became a staple in children's literature. Poetry and anthologies gained more recognition during this period, further diversifying the market.

🌐 Digitalization and the Future of Children's Literature in the 2000s

The final paragraph examines trends in the 2000s, including the growing importance of digital literacy and debates about online learning vs. traditional books. Metafiction and postmodern picture books are also emerging genres. The Harry Potter phenomenon reshaped children's literature, showing its appeal to adults. Young adult and new adult literature gained traction, targeting older adolescents and young adults. Lastly, the Library of Congress established an ambassador for young people's literature, acknowledging the genre's national importance.

Keywords

💡Picture book

A picture book is a type of book primarily aimed at children, where the illustrations are integral to the story. In the video, the rise of the picture book in the early 19th century is highlighted, with examples like Beatrix Potter's 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit,' which used both text and illustrations to tell the story, marking a significant development in children's literature.

💡Randolph Caldecott

Randolph Caldecott was a pioneering English illustrator known for his dynamic and action-filled illustrations in children's books, such as 'The Diverting History of John Gilpin.' His work was so influential that the Caldecott Medal, awarded for excellence in children's book illustration in the U.S., is named after him. He played a key role in shaping the visual storytelling of the time.

💡Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter was a British author and illustrator known for her iconic work 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit.' Her book is considered the first modern picture storybook because of how it paired illustrations with text to engage children in storytelling. Her contributions mark a key point in the evolution of children's literature, where visuals were used to enhance the narrative.

💡The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Written by L. Frank Baum, 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' is one of the first American modern fantasy books for children. It diverged from European fantasy traditions and became a defining work of children's literature in the U.S. The book's success represents a shift toward creating fantasy worlds that resonated with American readers, expanding the genre's reach.

💡Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew is a fictional character and the protagonist of a popular mystery series aimed at young readers. The character was created by the Stratemeyer Syndicate, with ghostwriters contributing to the stories under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. The video mentions that series like Nancy Drew were commercially successful, despite being considered formulaic, showing the syndicate’s impact on serialized children’s literature.

💡Caldecott Medal

The Caldecott Medal is a prestigious award given annually to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Named after Randolph Caldecott, it underscores the importance of illustration in children's literature. The video discusses how this award symbolizes the lasting influence of visual art in storytelling for children.

💡Newbery Medal

The Newbery Medal is an annual award given by the American Library Association to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Mentioned alongside the Caldecott Medal, it reflects how both text and illustrations are celebrated in the children's literary world. The video points out its role in recognizing outstanding children's books.

💡Winnie the Pooh

'Winnie the Pooh,' written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926, is one of the most enduring and beloved animal fantasy stories. The video notes its significance as a trend-setting book in children's literature, illustrating the early 20th-century rise in popularity of stories centered around anthropomorphized animals, which became a staple of the genre.

💡Stratemeyer Syndicate

The Stratemeyer Syndicate was a publishing group responsible for creating and managing popular children's book series like 'Nancy Drew' and 'The Hardy Boys.' Edward Stratemeyer would outline plots, and hired ghostwriters would write the books. The video highlights the syndicate's role in mass-producing fiction series for young readers, showing a shift towards more commercialized children's literature.

💡New Realism

New Realism refers to a trend in children's literature beginning in the 1960s, where books began addressing formerly taboo subjects such as death, divorce, and alcoholism. The video mentions this era as a turning point when children's books started to reflect real-life struggles and challenges, marking a departure from the idealized worlds previously depicted in children’s literature.

Highlights

The rise of the picture book in the early 19th century marked a pivotal shift in children's literature.

Famous illustrators like Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway revolutionized children's book illustrations.

The Caldecott Medal, named after Randolph Caldecott, is now a prestigious illustration award in the United States.

Howard Pyle's illustrations in classics like 'The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood' were highly influential.

Beatrix Potter's 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' is recognized as the first modern picture storybook.

L. Frank Baum's 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' was one of the first modern fantasy books written in America.

Wanda Gag's 'Millions of Cats' is credited as the first American picture storybook.

Margaret Wise Brown's 'Goodnight Moon' remains one of the best bedtime stories.

Dr. Seuss's 'The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins' was his first published book, marking his entry into children's literature.

The Edward Stoudemire Syndicate popularized series books for young readers through ghostwriters.

The creation of the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1956 recognized international contributions to children's literature.

The 1960s financial boom led to an increase in funding for school libraries, influencing children's book publishing.

Books addressing taboo subjects like death and divorce became more prevalent in the 1960s.

The 1970s saw a shift in the market for children's books from schools to consumer markets.

Interactive books like scratch-and-sniff and pop-up books gained popularity in the 1970s.

The 1980s and 1990s experienced a resurgence of institutional purchases for schools and a focus on whole language teaching.

Corporations outside of publishing began acquiring publishing houses, making children's book publishing a bigger business.

The 'I can read' or beginning reader genre emerged, simplifying vocabulary for younger readers.

The 2000s brought a focus on new literacies, with digital formats and meta-fiction becoming more prominent.

The Harry Potter series had a significant impact on the children's book world, appealing to both children and adults.

The Library of Congress appointed an ambassador for young people's literature, recognizing the importance of children's literature.

Transcripts

hi this is the history of children's

literature part 2 and we're going to be

beginning by talking about the rise of

the picture book in the early 19th

century so at the top there are listed

some illustrators that were some of the

most famous English and American

illustrators of their time publishers

would hire the illustrators to produce

the work for many different children's

books especially as the printing

techniques improved and the color

illustrations were more common in books

Randolph Caldecott was so influential

that the Caldecott medal is now the

illustration award in the United States

and in Britain they are called their

illustration award that kate greenaway

medal Randolph Caldecott is often known

as the first illustrator to show action

in pictures such as his book the

diverting history of John Gilpin and

that's one of his most best remembered

illustrations in fact it's on the cover

of the Caldecott medal he also had Pyle

was known for doing stunning

illustrations in classics like the Mary

Adventures of Robin Hood of great renown

he also wrote that book so the domain of

children's books was firmly established

with the dawning of the 20th century the

century began with a lot of

groundbreaking events Beatrix Potter

wrote and illustrated her enduring tale

The Tale of Peter Rabbit which is known

as the first modern picture storybook

which means it was written for children

with illustrations she matched the

colored illustrations with text page for

Paige thus using the pictures to share

in the storytelling process Peter Rabbit

was one of the first characters known to

be a child children's book character

another first occurring book in the

early 20th century was The Wonderful

Wizard of Oz and it was known to be one

of the first modern fantasy

books I'm usually fantasy had been kind

of the domain of the Europeans but the

Wizard of Oz was the first modern

fantasy written in America other

enduring classics that were written were

Peter Pan in Kensington garden and of

Green Gables the granddaddy of animal

fantasies which is the wind and the

Willows

and another trend-setting fantasy was

Winnie the Pooh published in 1926 the

illustrator from America who was known

to be equal to Beatrix Potter from

England is someone named Wanda gag her

book millions of cats is credited to be

the first American picture story book

another landmark picture book of the

time was good night moon in published by

written by Margaret wise Brown which is

still known to be published as one of

the the best bedtime stories as well as

Madeline written by led lug we'd been

demoman's dr. Seuss also had a book

published he was known to be widely

known as an American children's book

author and illustrator and his book to

think that I saw on Mulberry Street was

his first published book another

modern-day classic is the book make way

for ducklings which is an endearing tale

of a spunky duck and the eight ducklings

that follow her around through Boston

while those books were definitely

noteworthy and popular with the public

there were also other public popular

books that were considered lesser

quality and those are the books

published by Edward Stoudemire

Stoudemire syndicate was a publishing

phenomenon that

began in the late 19th century Eduard

Stoudemire saw potential to produce more

books that were fiction series for young

readers so typically Eduard Stoudemire

would outline the plots and then he

would hand over all of the writing to

his ghost writers or his junior editors

and so the the following series here the

rover boys the Bobbsey Twins

Tom Swift the Hardy Boys Nancy Drew and

the baby-sitters club were all written

by ghost writers the ideas were

brainstormed by Eduard Stoudemire but

most of them were written by just people

on the publishing staff so if you know

of any of the authors such as the author

of Nancy Drew to be known as Caroline

King there is no person named Carolyn

keen or Franklin Dixon for the Hardy

Boys there is no Franklin Dixon so

that's usually a shocking revelation to

people in the latter half of the 20th

century because the world of children's

books was becoming so prevalent the

publishing world began to want to honor

the books that really stood out in 1956

the hand Christian Anderson award was

created and that is an international

award the American Library Association

began a few different Awards such as

there are no those notables list the

Newberry and the Caldecott and other

organizations like the National Council

of teachers of English began their

awards one's called the Orbis pictus

award and they also give an Excellence

and poetry award in the 1960s there was

a financial boom and there were many

large government grants that would help

fund public school libraries and so the

children's publishing most of their

money what went to the schools the books

were usually hard bound and durable for

school libraries and also public

libraries more books were published and

sold than ever before and there were

more awards given out than ever before

at the same time

there was also in our American culture

an age and of new realism there were

taboos that used to be placed on

literature in general that were being

lifted people wanted to talk about

issues that in the past might have been

taboo such as death divorce alcoholism

and child abuse so many of the books

that began in the 1960s started to show

a more real view of life noteworthy

books at that time were where the wild

things are Harriet the Spy the snowy day

which is the first picture book

published that shows a black child as a

protagonist without any negative

stereotyping and that book also won the

new the Caldecott medal in 1963 and

another noteworthy book are the series

the book of three which is a fantasy

series by Lloyd Alexander in the 1970s a

lot of the federal money's that went to

school libraries started to go away and

so the market for children's books

shifted from the school market into a

more consumer market so book store

purchases were going to be made by the

parent or the consumer with so with that

in mind a lot of the publishing houses

began to make books that were what I

call manipulative type books that might

get the attention of someone spending

their own personal money books like that

included scratch-and-sniff books touchy

feely or texture books books too fragile

for the school library such as pop-up

books toy books books with records and

other type of books shown in this in

this picture there picture books

continued to be published but the

illustrations had to be bigger and

brighter and more flashy to get people's

attention also the the series books that

were of a cheaper price such as those by

the Stottlemeyer syndicate so

quickly and so more of those books were

published in the 1970s some of the books

that were realistic fiction were also

highly popular in the 70s some of the

books for children started taking on

shocking and realistic themes such as

those by Judy Blume titled are you there

Margaret are you there God it's me

Margaret and the book forever and also

books that would talk about death more

like my brother Sam is dead and those

other ones listed there also tackled

often unpopular viewpoints or points of

view that were silenced in the past

journey to topaz was about a Japanese

concentration camp and the two listed

there at the bottom were books that won

the Caldecott and Newbery Award awards

for that year and they were depicting

stories from an african-american point

of view so books with underrepresented

populations were being recognized among

the awards so in the 18 9 1980 SN in the

1990s the publishing world started

getting more institutional purchases

back into the schools the whole language

way of teaching reading became more

popular and so people wanted to teach

with literature books again and so the

retail market continued but schools

started finding more money to buy books

another interesting thing about the

1980s and the 1990s was the different

corporations that started getting

involved with publishing larger

corporations that had no relation to

books started buying up the PERT

publishing houses for example the

Macmillan publishing company purchased

Atheneum along with some other

publishing houses until its children's

book division had set 11 imprints then

Simon & Schuster bought Macmillan and

paramount bought

Simon & Schuster and soon Viacom the

cable TV giant snapped up paramount and

so the children's book publishing became

an even bigger business

Simon Schuster is now got three imprints

under it it now has an imprint called

books for young readers Athenian books

for young readers and the Margaret Kaye

mcelder ebooks in addition to the the

large number of publishing houses and

their imprints there was a new genre

that was born called the I can read or

the beginning reader type of books in

those types of books they would label it

like the picture there and they would

take almost any story and use simpler

vocabulary to make the the reading age

audience a lower grade or a lower age

and so with that books that were

previously published could be

republished with simpler vocabulary and

those can be found now very commonly as

a teacher it's somewhat frustration

--all and also as a parent because the

different publishing houses have

different ways of leveling their books

and so you really have to be aware of

how they level but it's definitely a

genre of its own within the picture book

world and also in the 1990s poetry

anthologies and poetry began to be more

recognized in the award circles and in

the publishing world so where are we in

the 2000s the publishing book world now

focuses on a few different things and

usually the it doesn't reach the schools

for many years but what's popular right

now in the publishing of children's

books has to do with the new literacies

that the term people use when they talk

about how children learn to read it used

to be that people felt you had to have a

book in your hand but there's a lot of

debate going on in a controversial way

that children don't need a book they can

learn from online digital sources and

there's research going on about it but

because of that a lot of the publishing

houses now

their books in a digital format

available to schools in the consumer

online there's also the topics of meta

fiction and postmodern picture books

we're gonna be discussing that in a

different presentation but those are

things in the 2000s that break some of

the traditional structures and rules of

children's literature there's also the

Harry Potter phenomenon that happened in

the 2000s which we talked about in a

different presentation but it it kind of

gave a jolt to the children's book world

and definitely gave adults a different

view of how interesting children's

literature can be and also the the

author's influence on the children's

book industry another thing in the 2000s

has been the genres of young adult

literature and just recently the new

adult literature which is aimed at more

older adolescent into adulthood those

who are having money to spend on books

but they're not necessarily young

protagonist in the story and finally

another edition in the 2000s has been

that the Library of Congress has taken

note of the influence of children's

literature on literacy and children and

so they have began appointing an

ambassador for the young people of for

the young people's literature for the

last few years and that's always an

author or an illustrator of influence

and so it's interesting to show that we

do recognize it as a nation hope you

enjoyed this presentation