An Brief History of Children’s
Literature in the Western
Tradition
People to Know
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The Puritans (1550s -1700s) sinful child
John Locke (1632-1704) rational child
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) natural child
John Newberry (1713-1767) child consumer
William Blake (1757-1827) wise child
Not for children, but popular with children
– John Bunyan: Pilgrim’s Progress (1678)
– Daniel Defoe: Robinson Crusoe (1719)
– Jonathan Swift: Gulliver’s Travels (1726)
Early years
Children didn’t read. There was nothing special for them, but some stories from
these years remain popular with them.
Renaissance
Some people started to care specifically about children and their education.
The Puritans
• Children are born sinful.
• Children should learn to read to study the Bible.
• Stories of martyrs detailing horrible deaths were
thought especially appropriate for children.
• Fear is the one of the most important learning
tools.
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Fear God
Fear hell
Fear punishment for wrong actions.
Whip children to help them learn
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs (1563)
The full title is Actes and Monuments of these Latter and Perillous Days, touching Matters of the Church.
Biggest publication
project to date at
2300 pages .
This woodcut
comes from an early
edition. Pictured
here is William
Tyndale, just before
being burnt at the
stake, as he cries
out "Lord, open the
King of England's
eyes."
The New England Primer
(1683-1830)
Hornbook
These were made with
a paddle-shaped piece
of wood with paper over
it and thing strips of
horn over that to protect
the paper. These were
very durable learning
materials
Battledore
Used by
children when
printing got
cheaper.
Circa 1700
Early Books
The First Children’s
Picture Book
(1659)
Orbis Sensualium
Pictus
(A bilingual Latin-English
picture dictionary “a
nomenclature of all chief
things that are in the
world.” This is just one
page)
John
Bunyan’s
Pilgrim’s
Progress
(1678)
A Christian allegory
still popular today, often
rewritten in easier to
understand versions for
modern children and
adults.
Gulliver’s Travels (1719)
Robinson Crusoe (1726)
John Locke (1632-1704)
• British Philosopher & Educational Thinker
• Some Thoughts Concerning Education, 1693
• The mind of a child is a blank slate. “Tabula Rasa.”
People are born without innate ideas. This is a huge
difference from other ideas at the time, such as that
people are born sinful. (Augustin). People are NOT born
with a certain logic (Cartesian).
• Children need to learn how to become rational people in
order to be good adults in a well-ordered community.
• Children need to learn to resist their natural impulses in
favor or reason. Curb natural desire.
• Be gentle and patient with children so they can learn and
get in the habit of using reason.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
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French Philosopher & Educational Thinker
Emile: or, On Education, (1762)
A direct challenge to Locke’s ideas.
It’s most important to developing the pupil’s
character and moral sense.
• Society corrupts. Children learn best by figuring
things out for themselves – naturally.
• Natural Man. “The Noble Savage.” Primitive
people are more pure. Child are more pure.
• Robinson Crusoe is the best book for children,
provides the best model.
John Newberry (1713-1767)
• Sometimes thought of as the first publisher of
children's books.
• A business man who saw a new market.
• Remembered for his publishing, not his writing.
• Sees children as a valuable market
• Knows middle class parents want to raise their
children well.
A Little Pretty
Pocket-book.
(1744)
John Newberry’s first big
publishing success for
children. These were
packaged with a ball for
boys and a pincushion for
girls.
Little Goody Two
Shoes (1778)
John Newberry’s most popular
book
William Blake (1757-1827)
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Songs of innocence (1789)
Child is symbolic of the best of humanity.
Children come from heaven
The child in you needs to cherished
Children have a certain kind of wisdom based on
purity or innocence.
• Childhood is an ideal time. Leaving childhood is
sad. It’s something to be longed for.
• Also William Wordsworth
Victorian Age
Heinrich
Hoffmann
Struwwelpeter
(1845 in German
English edition 1848)
click here to find the
whole book on line.
Beginning of the 20th Century
Working kids, circa 1920
After WWII
Randolph Caldecott
Wanda Gag’s Millions of Cats
The first American Picture Book?