Publisher's Synopsis
How do young readers see themselves and "others" in texts they read? How are their sympathies recruited in tales of wars and conflicts? Where do their loyalties lie? How do they approach and intepret books in translation? How do writers in other European countries portray UK adults? How universal are fairly tales? Books for children and young adults are fairly deeply embedded in the culture and language of their origins. Although the multicultural nature of the UK is now more positively reflected in children's books and the fact that there are many "Englishes"is acknowledged, the Englishness of books is still strong. The questions of national identity and children's literature are considered by European writers from their own perspectives, so as to highlight what is often taken for granted about 'other' in relation to 'ourselves' and via versa.;Contributors to this book include Anthea Bell, Penni Cotton, Robert Dunbar, Carol Fox, Judith Graham, Anna Jaszo, Gillian Lathey, Francis Marcoin, Emer O'Sullivan, Carla Poesio, Morag Styles and Janet White.
