Peter Conlon

January 14, 2016

Childrens Lit notes
An Incomplete History of Childrens Literature
Alefrics colloquy (1000 AD)
Intended to communicate with children
Printed conversation between students and teacher
John Newbery (1713-1767) widely regarded as the first person to publish
books designed to give children pleasure as well as instruction; didnt invent
childrens books but made them a kind of book to be taken seriously by the
book trade.
Tommy Thumbs Pretty Song Book 1744
The earliest collection of nursey rhymes, a sort of amusement
generally not considered theretofore worthy of publication
Perrault wrote Histories, ou contes du temps Passe. 1667 in France, First
English edition, 1729.
Thomas Bewick (1753-1828)
Finest of English Wood engravers, created inillustrations that were as
skillful and as important as a good text.
Puritans and Childrens literature0 a serious business. Many childrens books
were intended to promote a strong and inflexible sense of the importance of
Christian principles.
Edward Lear wrote the first nonsense picture book for children in 1846.
Walter Crane (1845-1915) excellently designed books for a low price.