Customer Reviews

The Norton Anthology of Children's Literature: The Traditions in English (Slipcased Edition)

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If you teach children's literature, or think about children's literature, or have children or were once a child, this mighty compendium is for you. It offers in its rich pages a history of children's literature and an array of works, not only in extract but in more than 40 examples of complete stories, from Peter Pan to Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry. The many introductions and glosses are written with spirit and verve: Dr Seuss described as "high-spirited anarchy" or Frog and Toad as "perfect books of their kind." Alphabets and chapbooks, primers, fairy tales (including ten versions of Little Red Riding Hood, from Perrault to Francesca Lia Block), picture books, nursery rhymes, comics, fantasy and sf, school stories and more are included, from authors as hallowed as Newbery and as modern as Nikki Grimes. This kind of anthology is always dependent on what one can get permission to reprint,under that stricture its editors have done marvelously well. Online resources keyed to this title are also available. Profusely illustrated with black and white images, a section of good color plates is included.

Here in one giant sized paperback book (supplied in a slipcase) is 2200 pages of the best of children's literature of the past 350 years. I suppose I should say this is one man's opinion of the best in literature because exchanging this title for that one could be the subject of many hours of discussion.

About many of the stories included, 'Peter Pan' for instance or Dr Seuss stories, I think there would be little argument. About others, I would like this one, you would like that one. Remember though, we're limited to stories for which we can get rights or which are in the public domain, and to only a couple of thousand pages.

All in all, here's a summertime of reading. Some 40 longer works, hundreds of shorter stories. 400+ illstrations including a color section. Highly recommended.

I've found NACL an outstanding reference book for specialists and students. I had never come across such complete collection of samples often hard, if not many times impossible, to find in my country. An uncommon added feature is the after purchase support offered by Norton and Norton which can be accessed via internet. Most helpful and useful for planning classes.
Maria C. Thomson
Argentina

The contents of this book continue to be unsurpassed. However, the massive book is printed with a paper cover and very thin pages making it almost unreadable. It's easy to see, once it's in one's hands, why it has to be in a slipcase. This version would be better split into 2 or 3 slimmer volumes within the slipcase.

Although impressed with the breadth and quality of this anthology, as a children's librarian I was shocked to discover that any mention of Margaret Wise Brown is entirely missing. She is a seminal author in Anglo-American children's literature, so much so that even Yale University devoted an entire afternoon's lecture to her at a children's literature conference in 1999. Other, more recent and therefore much less classic or influential authors are included in this anthology; therefore, surely there is room for Wise Brown as well. Other than this rather gaping hole, this is a fine representation of the body of children's literature through the centuries with well-written historical remarks.

Fat +/-2,500 page book with very, very thin pages a few which might be too large and need trimming and a few pages may be crinkled and wrinkled...but still a good source to use if you are teaching children's literature in spite of The Missing Piece(s). I am curious and wonder the reasons why I didn't find any mention of the Rey's and their monkey, George, and especially surprised that there is NO mention of Shel Silverstein and his many classics which have sold in the millions. What 'kid' doesn't know Where The Sidewalk Ends, Light in the Attic, The Giving Tree, Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back...and the extra special posthumously published and cleverly illustrated Runny Babbit (that ought to receive the Caldecott Medal!) Some other missing pieces that would have been very helpful would be a list of the Caldecott and Newbery Medal winners and runners-up.

Jack Zipes is one of the most respected scholars in Children's Literature today. I recommend the book to all readers: teachers, scholars, and grandchildren!

This book came in the condition that was stated. It also came before the time that it said it was supposed to be arriving. Probably will use this seller again.

Any Norton's Anthology of Literature is wonderfully extensive, and this Children's Literature edition is no exception. The book ranges from early Puritan literature to modern stories that are great for children. I would recommend this book for parents who wish to pass a tradition of reading to their kids.


(The reviewer was compensated for posting this review. However, the opinion stated in the review is that of the reviewer and the reviewer alone. Further, the reviewer independently selected this product to review and has no affiliation with the product maker/distributor, Amazon or the review requester.)

This is a great book for someone wanting a more complex addition of Children's Literature. This book is FULL of stories, unlike others I've read, these stories are not the childish ones you have been read in the past. The detail is great. I would not recommend you read these stories to young children, the stories are full of so much detail, it does make them quite long.