Children's literature -- History and criticism

What would you find if you went back and reread all of your favourite books from childhood? Francis Spufford discovers both delight and sadness, in this memoir.

Do you remember the first time you fell in love with a book? The stories we read as children extend far beyond our childhoods; they are a window into our deepest hopes, joys and anxieties. They reveal our past - collective and individual, remembered and imagined - and invite us to dream up differ...

Organised to show developments in children's literature over time and across genres, this illustrated introductory guide looks at key British, American and Australian works, from picture books and texts for younger children, through to graphic novels and young adult fiction.