History of Children’s LiteratureBy:Marvin P. Posillo

Emerging from Oral Tradition Children's literature grew from stories passed

down orally from generation to generation. The earliest written folk tales are arguably

the Pachatantra, from India, which were written around 200 AD.

The earliest version of Aesop's Fables appeared on papyrus scrolls around 400 AD.

Early history: Anglo-Saxon Period Monks and other learned men wrote

“LESSON BOOKS” for children. Adhelm -father of Malmesbury and bishop of

Shernone. -De Septenarion, de Metris, enigmatibus,

ac Pedum Regulis (contained the meaning and use use of the number seven in the bible, riddles, and puzzles in Latin which children were asked to solve)

The Medieval Period (15th century)

Books on manners and morals began to appear in england

William Caxton’s Boke of Curtayse (1477) The Babies Boke (Manners and Meals in the Olden

Time)- contained rules of behavior for boys who trained to become knights during age chivalry

During the Middle Ages, very little literature was written for the sole purpose of entertaining children.

ABC Books or Primer They were called primers

because they were used at the hour of prime as a book of private devotions in the Angelican Church.

Henry VII- ordered the printing of both catholic and protestant primers that contained the alphabet and Christian principles

Hornbooks Textbooks containing basic

texts like the Lord's Prayer and the alphabet would not appear until the 1400's.

First books designed to handle by children.

Capital letters followed by vowels and their combinations with consonants were printed across the top

The Lord’s prayer was printed at the bottom.

The paper used for this was covered with a transparent horn and was held in a place like metal, brass and copper.

The Advent of Illustration CHAPBOOKS

- Chapbooks, pocket-sized books often folded rather than stitched together, were the first books to be illustrated for children. They usually contained simple woodcut pictures to go along with their contents--often popular ballads, folk tales, or religious passages.

They usually contained simple woodcut pictures to go along with their contents--often popular ballads, folk tales, or religious passages.

Chalrles Perault, Frenchman, published a collection of tales entitled Tales of My Mother Goose.

Called Chapbooks because they sold by itinerant peddlers called chapmen.

Meanwhile, during the 1600's, the concept of childhood was evolving, children were seen as separate entities with their own needs and limitations.

Publishers throughout Europe began printing books specifically intended for children.

The purposes of these texts were still frequently didactic, although several collections of fairy tales were published with varying success.

First Picture Book 1658 – first illustrated

school book appeared. Orbis Pictus(The World

of Pictures)- it was invented by Johann Amus Comenius, Bishop of Moravia and an educator who believed in teaching children by letting them see things with their own eyes.

PURITAN PERIOD Books for children were influenced by

Puritan ideas. The stressed the fear of God, religious

instruction and preparation for death which does not enjoy by children.

John Bunyan – Pilgrim’s Progress(1678)

Daniel Defoe – Robinson Crusoe(1714)

Johathan Swift – Gulliver’s Travels(176)

Mallory – Death of King Arthur - Reynard the Fox - Aesop’s fables

New England Primer A book made especially for the children

of the American colonies. It contained the alphabet, words and

syllables for spelling lesson, the Lord’s prayer, catechisms, hymns, and verses, rhymes for each letter of the alphabet.

17th and 18th Century Dr. Isaac Watt –

published Divine and Moral songs for children

Battledore – had the alphabet and easy-reading matter that made it popular until 1840.

John Newberry Era(1713-1767) “Father of children’s literature” In 1744, he published his Little Pretty

Pocket Book, the first book that can be truly called it “Mother Goose Melody”.

The Newberry Award- named after him in 1992.

The Didactic Period Jean Jacques Rousseau(1712-1778), he

published “Emile”. Thomas Day, published “History of

Sanford and Merton” The Peter Parley Books, informational

books about countries of the world, wonders of science and historical figures.

The Return of Fairy Tales Old and New

1823, Grimms’ Popular Stories, from old German stories collected by Jacob and Wilhem Grimm.

Hans Christian Andersen(1846) published “Fairy Tales”, “Thumbelina”, “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, and “The Nightingale”.

- “Great Master of the

Literary Fairytales”

Edward Lear’s “Book of Nonsense”, marked the need for laughter in development of children.

1863 Jules Verne Cinq semaines en ballon, voyage de découvertes en Afrique (Five Weeks in a Balloon), the first major science fiction novel.

1865, Lewis Carroll published “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland”

The Realistic Literature

1868, Louisa M. Alcotts’ “Little Women” and later followed by “Little Men”.

1877 Anna Sewell “Black Beauty”

1881 Robert Louis Stevenson “Treasure Island”