Notes that diverse characters in children's literature have been used for many years to introduce children to a variety of cultures. Explains that using characters in literature is also a strategy that is available to introduce children in a classroom to their peers who have disabilities. Explores how such books can be analyzed and what educators…

Contends that attention to Louisa May Alcott's portrayal of domesticity has meant that her representation of working women has received little consideration. Proposes that Alcott's image of domesticity is underpinned by her experience as a working woman. Examines the foundations of Alcott's domestic ideal by focusing on the experiences of Alcott's…

Argues that the story's two themes--a celebration of artistic creativity and a ringing denunciation of prejudice--are closely related through their reliance on the importance of imagination, both artistic and moral. Employs recent work in moral theory to analyze the way in which the resolution of Estes's story turns on the characters' growth in…

Suggests that "The Shoe Bird" uses animal characters to explore women's authorship. Locates in Gloria, one of the main characters, evidence of the creativity and fortitude required to write as a woman in cultures where written language has conventionally been seen as the domain of men. (SG)

Shows how Sachar adapts some of the characteristics of fairy tale, such as magic objects and formulae, stereotypical roles and repeated motifs, within a story set in a desert penal establishment for young offenders. Notes that because of the blend between fantasy and realism, a number of otherwise unbelievable coincidences does not overtax the…

Presents a critique of Mildred D. Taylor's "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" with regard to its positioning of the child subject. Proposes that the novel contrasts classic works of children's fiction by following a trajectory of child agency, which is enabled through the novel's racial specificity. Discusses the role of historical understanding and…

Demonstrates how Donna Jo Napoli changes generic conventions and reworks discursive formations in order to retell tradition tales. Discusses the narrative strategies she uses in telling her stories, her representation of male and female characters in regard to gender and gendered relationships, and the way she renegotiates ideologies and value…

Focuses on the figure of "the Indian gentleman," a friend of Sara's late father, and who later becomes her surrogate one, to clarify what this most Orientalised Englishman embodies. Notes how examining the plot development from his perspective will make it possible to interpret the "happy" ending as the resolution of racial, cultural, and gender…

Examines the character of Pippi Longstocking, created in the 1940s by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Argues that Pippi is a kind of clown-magician, courageous, exuberant, and unflappable. Shows how, by living life on her own terms, Pippi's comedy both subverts the trappings of adult society and affirms the possibility of a better world. (SR)

Discusses Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland considering how both characters have acquired a mythic status as iconic images of individualism in childhood. Discusses how they can be termed pivotal since they embodied an abrupt detachment from a long-established tradition in writing for children and a dramatic departure in a radical new direction…

Examines some of the hegemonic forces at work in the complex social dynamics of the traditionally feminized elementary school setting. Demonstrates how the dominant culture manipulates the character of Ramona, who, if not silenced or entirely subdued by the end of the series, is at least much more civilized according to the norms of the classroom.…

Identifies and analyzes the elements of the informational book "Linnea in Monet's Garden" that have made it so successful. Notes (1) its use of the device of a fictional journey; (2) a character so real and engaging; and (3) the information presented which parallels the actual growth of Linnea's interest in Monet. (RS)

Discusses Jean Fritz's book "Homesick" as a work of art on the borderline between biography and fiction. Suggests young readers should be provided accurate historical knowledge in order to (1) understand the characters' emotions and experiences, and (2) prevent traditional misconceptions from being perpetuated. (NH)

Looks at the changes made in different versions of "Sara Crewe" (better known as "A Little Princess") over the past 110 years. Finds that in all versions that have been adapted in the intervening century, including the most recent film, Sara is different from Frances Burnett's original conceptions--and different in disturbing ways. (PA)

Argues that, in "Island of the Blue Dolphins," Scott O'Dell offers a skeleton main character (Karana). Contends that O'Dell has sketched Karana as a stereotype and that readers complete her characterization, filling out the skeleton by perpetuating the stereotypes. Points out this trading of stereotype for true character development in his other…