The Oxford Book of Children's Stories

by Jan Mark (Editor)

• Used

  Hardcover
  1993

  $4.20

  Children's writer and Carnegie medallist Jan Mark has selected 44 stories which include moral tales, fairy tales, ghost stories, adventure stories, and school stories; they are inhabited by good and bad children, strict parents, and unkindly uncles and aunts, as well as kings and queens, giants, and enchanters. The stories represent some of the best children's literature written over the past 250 years. They traces how the children's short story has evolved since the publication of Sarah Fielding's The Governess in 1749. The book contains work such authors as Louisa M. Alcott, Rudyard Kipling, E. Nesbit, Richmal Cromptom, Philippa Pearce, and Joan Aiken, as well as some long-forgotten tales. Chronologically arranged, the anthology also serves as an introduction to the historical development of the children's short story, providing insights into the way perceptions of childhood and contemporary attitudes have influenced writers of different periods. But as Jan Mark's selection demonstrates, the ingredients of a good children's story - as well as the fictional tastes of children themselves - have remained remarkably constant, despite changes in style and outlook. This is a survey of the children's short story for parents, teachers, librarians, children's literature professionals - and of course for children themselves.

• Used

  Paperback
  1994

  $3.25

  Selected by the well-known children's writer and Carnegie Medallist, Jan Mark, this collection contains some of the best short stories written for children over the last 250 years. With contributions by 44 different authors, the most recent from 1992, it is the first anthology to trace how the children's short story has evolved since the publication of Sarah Fielding's The Governess in 1749. As well as stories by well-known authors (Louisa May Alcott, Rudyard Kipling, E. Nesbit, and Richmal Crompton) and by leading modern writers (Philippa Pearce, Richard Kennedy, Nadia Wheatley, and Jan mark herself), there are also long-forgotten tales that are still highly readable and entertaining. Anyone who enjoys children's fiction, whether young or old, will find something to savour in Jan Mak's selection. Here are moral tales, fairy tales, ghost stories, adventure stories, and school stories, peopled by good and bad children, strict parents, and kindly uncles and aunts, as well as kings and queens, giants, and enchanters. This book is intended for general; gift market; students and teachers of children's literature at undergraduate level upwards.