A study of the history of children's literature reveals much about the various and changing attitudes of adults toward the children of their times. It is interesting to note that much of the early "literature" for children had characteristics of what we would today classify as nonfiction. Below are listed some of the types of literature, literary movements, literary events, time periods, and individual titles from the past, with brief descriptions and details on other sources of information.

The Colloquy (c. 1000)

Credited with being the first literary piece written directly to children. Aelfric, a Benedictine monk and a teacher of Latin, composed this Latin dialogue to be used in the instruction of his students. This question and answer format was used frequently in early children's works of instruction.

A Book of Curteyse (1477)

One of William Caxton's early books of moral teachings. After the development of the Caxton printing presses, the written text became more available, knowledge was more accessible to the lower economic classes, and literacy rates increased. By the early 1500's, the printed written word was being used in children's classrooms.

Orbis Sensualium Pictus (1659)

Credited with being the first illustrated textbook. John Amos Comenius, a Czech educator, authored this textbook which was written in Latin but intended to help teach many subjects. The pictures were considered to be an important addition to encourage learning. The English translation, The Visible World in Pictures, was available the next year.

Milk for Babes... (1646)

A Calvinist catechism written by John Cotton, the Vicar of Boston, Lincolnshire. The full title continues ...Drawn Out of the Breasts of Both Testaments. Chiefly for the spiritual nourishment of Boston babes in either England: but may be of like use for any children.

A Token for Children (1672)

James Janeway's account of the lives of thirteen young children who live religious and virtuous lives and die very young but in spiritual joy. Books like these were written to provide religious teachings during the Puritan influence in New England.

Divine Songs Attempted in Easy Language for the Use of Children (1715)

Isaac Watts provided moral and religious instruction in his rhyming songs for children with much more enjoyment and entertainment than the earlier Puritan pieces. His influence on children's literature and on English hymnody was profound.

The New England Primer (1683-1830)

One of many examples of Primers. The New England Primer had various publishers over the years. One of the first issues was compiled by Benjamin Harris, a Boston book merchant. It was a liturgical book containing a church calendar, psalms, prayers, and such.

Hornbook

Used from the 16th through 18th centuries, the hornbook was a thin piece of wood shaped somewhat like a paddle. On one side of the hornbook there was a sheet of text including the alphabet, a syllabary, Invocation to the Trinity, and the Lord's Prayer. It was covered with a thin layer of horn material to protect it. An excellent web site on the Hornbook can be found at:
Hornbook information at the Blackwell Museum

Battledore

Modeled after the hornbook, it began as parchment stretched over a wooden frame and later evolved into a folded sheet of stiff paper including an illustrated alphabet and prayers. It lasted as a literary form well into the 19th century. A collection of battledores and other historic literary pieces are part of the collection at:
Battledore information at the Blackwell Museum

Primer

The basic lesson book of colonial children. It usually included the alphabet, syllabarium, prayers, psalms, and lessons.

A Little Pretty Pocket Book (1744)

John Newbery's mixture of instruction and delight for children is credited with being among the first commercial books for children. Newbery is seen by many as the first publisher to specialize in children's literature and to provide books which inspired amusement as well as education.

Chapbook or Penny History

Little, pretty and inexpensive, these 8, 16, or 24 page paper booklets were very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were peddled by traveling chapmen and featured folklore, adventures, romances, legends, and fairy tales.

Rational Moralists (1750-1850)

This term refers to the writers of children's books who sought to encourage moral and rational thought in their young readers through their stories. By today's standards these pieces would be called didactic fiction, but they definitely went to the extreme to create strong examples of positive and negative behavior. Most often the role of teaching was very apparent in the stories.

Suday School Moralists (1750-1850)

These writers were similar to the Rational Moralists except their main concern was the teaching of Christian beliefs. The writings were evangelical in nature, but they also contributed to the beginning of social reforms related to abolitionism and child labor practices.

Golden Age of Children's Literature (1850-1875)

This was a time of great change and excitement in the field of children's literature. Some of the many changes that occurred included: an increase of imagination, fantasy, and nonsense in writing for children; a focus on older children and their need for books written with them in mind; an increase in the number of children's magazines; and the development of the domestic novel for young ladies. The most notable change was that books were written to amuse and entertain the child who would most likely be choosing his/her own titles. The influence of these changes continued through the late 1800's and into the early 1900's.

St. Nicholas (1873-1943)

Edited by Mary Mapes Dodge from its inception until her death in 1905, this journal for children age 6 to 16 enjoyed a long and successful life. The magazine sought a balance between the presentation of fact and fantasy and a commitment to excellence in illustration. Many famous children's authors had their start as writers of serials for St. Nicholas.

World Book (1917-1918)

Among the first encyclopedias prepared expressly for children, it included 19 volumes.

Louise Seaman (Bechtel) (1919)

Becomes the head of the first independent children's division of any major American publishing house (Macmillan).

Newbery Award (1922)

The first Newbery Award is presented to Hendrik Willem van Loon for The Story of Mankind, a nonfiction account of history from the time of cave people to 1920. It was published at a time when Publisher's Weekly listed 600 juvenile books as being published that year. For more information on literary awards:
Awards

The Horn Book (1924)

Began publication as the first journal devoted completely to the review of children's literature.

1920's and 1930's

Tales of contemporary America, historical fiction, histories, and biographies were very popular during this time period. After the Depression in 1929, publishers cut back production, especially in their children's departments. In the aftermath, federal programs provided funds that led to a resurgence in publishing. Folk tales, tales about children from other lands, and books about technological advancements were plentiful. Nonfiction titles became increasingly popular.

1940's through 1960's

The influence of World War II brought tales of heroism and patriotism and nonfiction books on tankers, bombers, and other war related topics. The postwar baby boom led to a demand for more schools, more libraries, and more books for children. The influence of Hollywood produced books about or based on movies and the like. This was the beginning of what still exists as a market so rich in the quantity of children's books that the need to judge the quality is paramount.

1970's through 1990's

Economic woes in the 1970's led to many changes in the publishing industry. Books were put on short print runs, promoted for fast sells, and produced using cost saving short cuts. Hardback books were relatively expensive and the paperback market flourished. Prices rose, and libraries suffered severe budget cut backs. When economic conditions improved, publishing rates improved also. In 1991, over 5000 new children's books were published in the United States and over 6000 in Great Britain. As in other time periods, social changes were reflected in the types of books being printed. There began a great interest in multicultural diversity in children's literature. It was apparent that there was a lack of books by or about African-Americans. Many new titles are still being published to remedy this situation. There was also an increase the number and quality of ready-to-read books. Nonfiction became increasingly popular. An emphasis on young adult literature continued to grow during this period. Retellings and single story folktale/picture books grew in popularity, also. Toy (or interactive books) for young children as well as older children and adults became very popular.

Throughout the history of children's literature, nonfiction informational books have existed. In the period from the 1800's until about 1920, most of the well known books for children were books of fiction or poetry. Since the 1920's, the interest in quality nonfiction informational books for children has continued to grow. It becomes increasingly important to encourage this trend with the Information Age upon us.

For more extensive information on the history of children's literature and a list of sources used in the development of this web site refer to:
Sources of Information & Credits

Recent Trends

Return Home