International Appeal of British Children’s Literature

Essay

British Cultures

ii
Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations …………………………………………………………….……... iii

The international appeal of classic British children’s literature .…………………….. 1

List of References ………………………………………………………….…………….. 5

iii
List of Abbreviations

GBP………………………………………………………….…………. Great British Pound

iv
The international appeal of classic British children’s literature
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, a famous German writer and poet, once stated that “good
children's literature appeals not only to the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child”
(Bauer, 2014). This quote clearly emphasizes a crucial aspect of successful children’s
literature books, namely that the audience of these works can be both children as well as
adults. The British children’s literature market is one of the largest in the world, thus it is no
surprise that the total sales revenue from children's books in the United Kingdom amounted
to 368 million GBP in 2018 (Watson, 2022). In the same year, export sales of British
children’s literature were up 7% to 116 million GBP (PA Publishing yearbook 2018, 2019).
These statistics undermine the popularity of British children’s literature for British and
especially non-British people and indicate an upwards trend regarding sales in foreign
countries. The international appeal of classic British children’s literature can be explained
by many factors, which will be outlined in the following essay and illustrated by using
examples of Milne’s and Potter’s famous works.

One obvious reason that explains the popularity of these British books and stories is the
language in which they are written, as English is one of the most spoken languages in the
world. There is a huge amount of people who grew up speaking English or learned the
language during their early school years, thus they can understand British children’s
literature. Some children might even use these novels to improve their English skills.
However, this does not fully explain the international appeal of classic British children’s
literature as there are American novels that are not as popular as British ones. Moreover, a
lot of stories have been translated and sold in the local language rather than in English.

The worldwide appeal of Potter’s and Milne’s works can be explained by the extensive use
of illustrations throughout their stories. Different examples can be found in Potter’s novel
“The Tale of Peter Rabbit”, in which she uses pictures to illustrate crucial moments.
Therefore, the author makes it easier for readers, especially children, to understand the story.
At the beginning of the book, Potter uses a picture that depicts the whole family looking
directly at the reader apart from Peter whose upper body is not visible at all (Potter, 2019, p.
4). The intention behind this drawing is to make the reader aware that Peter is different than
his siblings. Further examples can be found in Milne’s book “House at the Pooh corner”
which is one of the most famous children’s books in the world. Particular noteworthy are the
illustrations regarding moments that are difficult to imagine for children, like in chapter nine

1
where Milne portrays how the animals used a rope to pull things out of Owl’s old house
(Milne, 2009, p. 114). These images are important as children might not be able to imagine
such a scenario themselves and thus might not fully understand the story. In fact, these
illustrations are very essential for children as they make it easier for them to keep up with
the story. Research suggests that children experience pleasure and motivation by looking at
pictures or “reading” Picturebooks (Arizpe & Styles, 2003). Therefore, it makes sense that
children around the world find Milne’s and Potter’s stories so appealing. The majority of
classic British children’s literature shares the characteristic of using illustrations throughout
their stories. Hence, it can be concluded that this aspect is a strong reason why British
children’s books appeal to an international audience.

Another aspect that explains the international popularity of British children’s literature is its
underlying themes. Most of these classic stories are part of the fantasy or fiction category
with only a few exemptions. Looking at Peter the Rabbit it is obvious that the novel is set in
a fantasy world because animals are able to talk, are wearing human clothes, and can even
use cooking tools to prepare their meals (Potter, 2019, p. 24). Furthermore, Milne’s story
also involves lots of different talking animals and interactions between these characters and
a young boy called Christopher Robin. Thus, it can be stated that fantasy plays a big role in
classic British children’s literature. Cornelia Funke, a famous German author for children’s
books, stated that “[f]antasy can teach children to notice things and deepen their
interpretation of what they see” (Funke, 2016). This indicates that fiction and fantasy themes
used in British children’s literature can benefit children in understanding complex narratives
and suggests that they have positive cognitive effects. Hence, it clearly offers one
explanation of why lots of children around the world read classic British children’s literature.

If one compares British to American children’s literature books, it is evident that the latter
focus more on realistic depictions of day-to-day life and rarely include fantasy or fiction
themes. However, the few American fantasy children’s books differ compared to British
ones as they also have their focus on realistic narratives. According to Professor Jerry
Griswold, who is specialized in children’s literature, “American stories are rooted in realism
[and] even [their] fantasies are rooted in realism” (Gillard, 2016). This characteristic of
American children’s books is crucial if comparing their popularity with classic British
children’s literature and shows that the underlying theme of fantasy plays an essential role
in the international appeal of Milne’s and Potter’s works.

2
Another aspect that contributes to this appeal is the fact that a lot of British children’s books
can be read by both children and adults. It might seem like adults and children have different
interests and preferences, however, some parts of the works of Milne and Potter are also
directed at adults. Throughout the story of “Peter the Rabbit”, Beatrix Potter includes a
special kind of “dark humor”, which is rather addressed to adults than children. This can be
seen on page 5, where Mother Rabbit tells his sons that their father “[…] had an accident
there [and] was put in a pie Mrs. McGregor” (Potter, 2019). This sentence can be seen as sad
because the mother tells her rabbits about the way their father died. However, it has also a
humorous side to it as the mother describes this situation as just being an accident and the
father has been put in a pie, which has been eaten by Mr. and Mrs. McGregor. By using this
style of writing the author intends to keep the reader engaged and interested in the story, in
particular, this scene is more appealing to adults than children as the latter one might not be
able to understand this kind of humor.
Another reason why classic British children’s literature is also appealing to adults, and thus
to a large international audience, is the childhood nostalgia represented in these works. In
Milne’s “House at Pooh Corner” the main characters, Christopher Robin and Pooh, play a
crucial role in creating a sense of nostalgia because they are very relatable characters.
Further, it is important to look at the historical background at the time the book was
published, namely in 1928. From this fact, the nostalgia of the story can be explained as a
way to escape post-war reality and a way to go back in time in order to “relive” one’s
childhood (Johnson LaBarbera, 2016). The reason behind this thinking is that a lot of adults
living in the post-war world had negative experiences during the first world war and are
searching for an escape from these experiences. Moreover, the story of Christopher Robin
reflects the story of growing up as a child and going on adventures with your friends, in this
case with your animal friends. Therefore, this evokes memories among adult readers who
experienced similar situations when they were young. From the above-mentioned
arguments, it is evident that childhood nostalgia plays a crucial role in the international
appeal of classic British children’s literature.

There are many different reasons why British children’s literature is appealing not only to a
British audience but also to an international one. The most important ones, namely the use
of illustrations, the fantasy themes, and the appeal to both children and adults, have been
outlined in this essay. Yet, it is essential to bear in mind that there is not one clear
explanation, for why these books also became popular in other countries. It is rather an

3
interplay of many different characteristics that have led to this international success. In
conclusion, it is evident that classic British children’s literature, such as the works from A.
A. Milne and Beatrix Potter, is appealing to a large international audience.

4
List of References

Arizpe, E., & Styles, M. (2003). Children reading pictures: Interpreting visual texts.
RoutledgeFalmer.

Bauer, M. D. (2014, July 15). The child in the adult, the adult in the child. Marion Dane
Bauer. Retrieved November 21, 2022, from https://www.mariondanebauer.com/just-
thinking/2014/07/the-child-in-the-adult-the-adult-in-the-child

Funke, C. (2016, September 27). Through fantasy, children face their fears and become
braver. The Guardian. Retrieved November 28, 2022, from
https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/sep/27/through-fantasy-
children-face-their-fears-and-become-braver#comments

Gillard, C. (2016, April 21). Why the British tell Better Children's stories. The Atlantic.
Retrieved November 29, 2022, from
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/01/why-the-british-tell-
better-childrens-stories/422859/

Johnson LaBarbera, S. (2016). "The Shadow of the War: PostWar Destabilization,

Nostalgia, and Fragile Truth in the Works of A. A. Milne". Masters Essays. 38.
Retrieved November 29, 2022, from http://collected.jcu.edu/mastersessays/38

Milne, A. A. (2009). The House at Pooh Corner. Dutton Children's Books.

PA Publishing yearbook 2018. The Publishers Association. (2019, June 26). Retrieved
November 21, 2022, from https://www.publishers.org.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2020/03/PA-Publishing-Yearbook-2018.pdf

Potter, B. (2019). The tale of peter rabbit. Mitzo Enterprises, Inc..

Watson, A. (2022, May 11). Book sales revenue: Children's books in the UK 2021.
Statista. Retrieved November 21, 2022, from
https://www.statista.com/statistics/305663/book-sales-revenue-from-children-s-
books-in-the-uk/