Author(s): Stella Lees

Literature/Quotations

From nursery rhymes to epic fantasy, from picture books to challenging novels for adolescents, reading is a crucial activity in the cultural and psychological formation of children. In The Oxford Companion to Australian Children's Literature, Stella Lees and Pamela Macintyre examine the legacy and contemporary achievement of Australian children's writers. This encyclopaedic reference work covers the earliest writings from the nineteenth century to the remarkable growth in publishing that followed the Second World War. The Companion encompasses the most notable and influential nursery rhymes, illustrations, picture books, novels and Aboriginal stories. Arranged alphabetically, 1600 entries cover authors, publishers, illustrators, famous characters, events, institutions, and awards - from Ned Kelly and the Eureka Stockade to Australian Comics and the work of Evelyn Goode. Longer, essay-length articles examine the nature and importance of key features of Australian children's literature - annuals, animal stories, the Bush, literary criticism, and fairy tales. 'An indispensable work of reference which is also a pleasure to read'. Brenda Niall