Readers in Wonderland ranges from William Steig’s small picture books to J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic series; from utopias like L. Frank Baum’s Oz to dystopias like Virginia Hamilton’s Dustland; from less known works like Patricia Wrightson’s to the phenomenon that is J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter.
FREE Two-Day Shipping for students on millions of items. Learn more |
| |||||||||||||||
Book Description
Special Offers and Product Promotions
- Buy $50 in qualifying physical textbooks, get $5 in Amazon MP3 Credit. Here's how (restrictions apply)
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Deborah O’Keefe, like any good, sensible muse of fantasy, takes us on a journey wearing solid birkenstocks and carrying a snake stick with which she points out both the good stuff and the scary stuff. Hurrah!” —Jane Yolen, author of How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, Sword of the Rightful King, Briar Rose
(The Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts )
(The Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts )
(, )
(, )
"While Readers in Wonderland is a fantasy survey of fantastic children's literature in the West summarizing some of the best books ever written in the last century in a very personable way, it is not one to delve deeply into any single work. Scholars would no come to this book looking for deep inter-textual analysis because that's not its intent; however, this book is an excellent way to discover new books and rediscover old favorites. It would be especially useful for parents and teachers look for books for their children, students needing a solid foundation of the body of literature available to them, and professors looking to teach introductory classes in either children's literature or the fantastic; and it makes a great quick resource for any library on these topics.
O'Keefe possesses a stunning breadth of knowledge of the books she cites. She looks at over 80 authors and usually looks at more than one work by each author. What is fun about O'Keefe's commentary is that she invites the reader to take a second look at many of the books she covers. She includes a strong Secondary Works Cited bibliography focused on the standard scholarship of both children's literature and the literary criticism one would expect in a resource of this type, thereby providing an excellent bibliography for a new scholar.
Scholars, teachers, and parents will find this to be a very valuable read. Overall, it's a quick synopsis of the books children are reading and provides valuable ideas for further reading. But this discussion isn't just geared towards the books that children could be reading; it's also great for nostalgic adults who would like to find more books like the ones already loved. O'Keefe is quick to remind the reader throughout that these books are great not just because they teach children what we'd like them to know, but also because they are enjoyable for adults and children alike."—Crystal Black, Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts
". . . this is a very useful survey of children's fantasy for those working in that field, pointing scholars to works that may be of interest to their own research areas."—Christine Mains, Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts
"While Readers in Wonderland is a fantasy survey of fantastic children's literature in the West summarizing some of the best books ever written in the last century in a very personable way, it is not one to delve deeply into any single work. Scholars would no come to this book looking for deep inter-textual analysis because that's not its intent; however, this book is an excellent way to discover new books and rediscover old favorites. It would be especially useful for parents and teachers look for books for their children, students needing a solid foundation of the body of literature available to them, and professors looking to teach introductory classes in either children's literature or the fantastic; and it makes a great quick resource for any library on these topics.
O'Keefe possesses a stunning breadth of knowledge of the books she cites. She looks at over 80 authors and usually looks at more than one work by each author. What is fun about O'Keefe's commentary is that she invites the reader to take a second look at many of the books she covers. She includes a strong Secondary Works Cited bibliography focused on the standard scholarship of both children's literature and the literary criticism one would expect in a resource of this type, thereby providing an excellent bibliography for a new scholar.
Scholars, teachers, and parents will find this to be a very valuable read. Overall, it's a quick synopsis of the books children are reading and provides valuable ideas for further reading. But this discussion isn't just geared towards the books that children could be reading; it’s also great for nostalgic adults who would like to find more books like the ones already loved. O'Keefe is quick to remind the reader throughout that these books are great not just because they teach children what we'd like them to know, but also because they are enjoyable for adults and children alike."—Crystal Black, Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts
“. . . this is a very useful survey of children’s fantasy for those working in that field, pointing scholars to works that may be of interest to their own research areas.”—Christine Mains, Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts
From the Publisher
"At first glance Deborah O'Keefe's professed goal, "to introduce specific admirable works--with glimpses of plot, character, texture, and theme--and to discuss ideas about individual books, types of books, and the whole field of fantasy literature", may seem wildly ambitious. Yet, almost from the first page, O'Keefe establishes that she is more than capable of doing just this and doing it in a manner that makes clear both her wide reading of fantasy literature for all ages and her ability to frame that literature in a variety of psychological and cultural contexts that bring new insights to these texts. . . . [S]he contends that, in a world that is increasingly complicated, even grim, fantasy shows children of all ages "[h]ow to deal with the weird and complicated world outside" the self. . . . This book is highly recommended for all levels of readers interested in fantasy literature. O'Keefe infuses her study with wit and a luminous intelligence."-Science Fiction Studies, vol. 31, 2004
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantasy : a way of learning, not just escaping,
By Sisty (Johnstown, PA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Readers In Wonderland: The Liberating Worlds of Fantasy Fiction (Hardcover)
Deborah O'Keefe's READERS IN WONDERLAND: THE LIBERATING WORLDS OF FANTASY FICTION FROM DOROTHY TO HARRY POTTER helps us understand "the power and delight that lie in children's fantasy fiction" to "expand the mind and heart" of those who explore its worlds. Her book ranges across more than eighty works, most published since 1950. Many of these fantasies, such as Rowling's and Tolkien's, can be enjoyed by adults as much as by children, though at a deeper level. O'Keefe uses insights from psychologists and social historians to illuminate why we love to read fantasy, how different types of fantasy meet the changing concerns and interests of children as they mature, and what we can learn through fantasy about ourselves and our ability to make sense of and act responsibly in a confusing world.Parents will find READERS IN WONDERLAND useful in choosing books for their children. The brief plot summaries given to illustrate points about plot, character, and theme make one want to read these stories for sheer pleasure rather than for the widening of perspective and exercise of imagination they offer. O'Keefe knows her material well, yet she wears her learning lightly as she persuades us that good fantasy, far from being simple escapism, poses questions more often than it gives simple comforting answers. We come away from this book aware that fantasy, which is "moral but not moralizing," opens our eyes to a world where joy and wonder are possible, even though courage and wit and steadfastness are required. READERS IN WONDERLAND is a very good place to begin reading and thinking about fantasy.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
