Books in the Life of a Child: Bridges to Literature and Learning FROM THE PUBLISHER
Books in the Life of a Child explores the value of books and reading in the stimulation of children's imagination and their fundamental importance in the development of language and true literacy. It examines not only the vast range of children's books available but also how to introduce young people to the joys of reading in the home, the school and in the community. The book has been written as a resource for all adults, especially teachers, student teachers, librarians and parents, and those who care about the value of literature for children. It is a comprehensive and critical guide, with chapters on the history of children's literature and an analysis of its many forms and genres, from poetry, fairytale, myth, legend and fantasy, through realistic and historical fiction, to humour, pulp fiction and information books.
FROM THE CRITICS
School Library Journal
Every few years, someone writes a book about the importance of literature in the development of children's behavior and attitudes. Some titles, such as Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment (Knopf, 1976) and Sheila Egoff's Thursday's Child (ALA, 1981; o.p.), have come to be thought of as standards. Saxby's explorations come up with little that has not been said before. However, the author has created a thorough study of the history and development of children's literature in Australia, a national literature that has largely been overlooked by current scholars. He takes readers through the growth of the country's children's literature from Charlotte Barton's A Mother's Offering to Her Children to the present, touching on modern classics like Ruth Park's Playing Beatie Bow and the oeuvre of Margaret Mahy. This special focus makes the book worth consideration.-Marlyn K. Roberts, Codman Square Library, Dorchester, MA
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