This course examines writing for young people, with a focus on children’s books about cities. We will consider how represen-tations of childhood in literature change over time and in response to specific historical and cultural events, with special focus on literary representations of children in urban environments, and the role of the city in the development of children’s literature as a genre. We will explore the relationship between books for children and the historical experiences of children in London. Readings will include classic and contemporary children’s literature by British, American, and African authors, including Peter Pan, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Zarah the Windseeker, including novels and picture books. The class will take field trips to notable sites in London relevant to the history of childhood and children’s literature. Students will write regularly in response to course readings, field trips, and lectures, and they will conduct original research about the relationship between the history of children’s literature and the city of London, and present that research in class.
