Before the nineteenth century, most books read by children in the 5-12 age bracket were written for adults; the exceptions were books written to teach either morality or some subject matter (botany, French). In this course we will read many of the excellent books that were written during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, after the earth-shaking discovery that books written for children could, like books for adults, aim principally at delight, with instruction as a delightful by-product.
This "Golden Age" is not necessarily superior to our own age, but the works that survive from it have met the test of generations of child and adult readers. In addition, studying them in their historical context gives us fresh insights into the lives of children in the times and places in which they were written. Some of these books, like Huckleberry Finn, Alice in Wonderland, and Wind in the Willows, are now read as often by adults as by children, but others, like Tom Sawyer, The Secret Garden, and the children's novels of such writers as E. Nesbit and Louisa May Alcott, have been kept alive principally by children. The primary work of this course will be the reading of children's fiction, both as works of literary art in their own right and as mirrors of an age, especially its attitude or attitudes toward childhood.
Each student will write two papers during the semester, chosen from three topics: (1) a comparison of a novel to a film or play based on the novel or to another novel by the same author; (2) a comparison of an American and an English children's book contemporary with each other and similar in some respect (i.e, theme, plot, setting, genre, or types of characters); and (3) a discussion of a work or works of children's fiction in terms either of the special demands of writing for children, or the social pressures and assumptions that governed that work or group of works. Reading quizzes and class participation/attendance will also affect students' grades.
While this course is suitable for everyone who plans to be a parent, has younger brothers or sisters, or was once a child, it is principally addressed to majors in English and English education. If you are looking for something that won't require much work, this isn't it. Few of the books we will read are difficult, but there will be at least SIXTEEN of them. On the other hand, if you are interested in exploring some fascinating and accessible literature of an earlier time period, specific to an audience (children) important to us all, this course will be a good choice.