Books Received

Abstract

Books Received Mark I. West The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen. Edited by Maria Tatar. New York: W. W. Norton, 2008. This fully annotated collection of Andersen's fairy tales includes his most famous tales as well as some of his lesser-known stories. In her annotations Maria Tatar expounds upon such topics as Andersen's use of European folklore, the symbolism that runs through many of the tales, and the connections between events in his life and the tales. This volume also includes a scholarly introduction that covers Andersen's life and his impact on the history of fairy tales. Black History in the Pages of Children's Literature. By Rose Casement. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2008. This annotated bibliography features thoughtful summaries of children's books that deal with African American history. Each of the chapters deals with a particular period in African American history, beginning with the exploration and settlement of North America and ending with contemporary times. For each chapter Rose Casement provides a concise discussion of the role that African Americans played during the period being covered and then provides an annotated list of children's books that relate to this period in African American history. Children's Literature and Learning: Literary Study Across the Curriculum. By Barbara A. Lehman. New York: Teachers College Press, 2007. In this highly readable volume, Barbara Lehman combines literary theories with practical advice in an effort to promote programs that introduce literature to children in ways that are developmentally appropriate. Although her book is grounded in theory, she makes frequent references to children's books. The book closes with an annotated listing of all of the children's books that she cites. Grimm Pictures: Fairy Tale Archetypes in Eight Horror and Suspense Films. By Walter Rankin. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2007. Walter Rankin argues that the fairy tales collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm have had a significant influence on contemporary horror films. In each of the eight chapters, he pairs a fairy tale with a horror or suspense film. For example, he discusses the many connections between "Little Red Cap" and The Silence of the Lambs. [End Page 105] The Liberated Child: Childhood in the Works of Astrid Lindgren. Edited by Maria Nikolajeva, et al. Stockholm: Swedish Institute for Children's Books, 2007. Published in conjunction with the Swedish children's literature journal titled Barnboken, this collection of essays grew out of the Astrid Lindgren Centennial Conference, which took place in Stockholm in May 2007. All of the essays in this collection are in English. The scholars who contributed to this collection are Maria Nikolajeva, Ulla Lundqvist, Karen Coats, Astrid Surmatz, David Rudd, Agnes-Margrethe Bjorvand, Elina Druker, Alan Richards, Carole Scott, Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer, and Roni Natov. Rudyard Kipling: The Books I Leave Behind. By David Alan Richards. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2007. Yale University Press, in association with the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, produced this full-color volume as a catalogue for an exhibition of Kipling's works, which were on view at the Beinecke during the summer of 2007. This volume is not focused entirely on Kipling's children's books, but it includes a lot of information and images related to Kipling's works for children.