Childrens Story Books Provide Education And Entertainment

It wasn’t until the invention of the printing press in the mid 15th century. Up to this time, most stories were related in an oral tradition, many the familiar nursery rhymes still known today. Yet, even when books started to become printed and popularized, there were few children’s story books to be had. Medieval times dictated short childhoods. Furthermore, education, specifically reading, was not commonplace but a luxury experienced by but the wealthy few.

The emergence of a middle class through the rapid development of trade routes and new land discoveries that provided a merchant class in society, led to the necessity for reading to become more widespread. Reading took on greater value in the form of directions, instructions, accounting procedures and many more activities necessary in day-to-day life. Education took on greater importance and children were exposed to reading and the subsequent benefits associated with the ability to “know words.”

Whereas the first printed literature for children mirrored that available to adults such as juvenile versions of classic tales like Beowulf, Tales of Robin Hood, Song of Roland and El Cid. A great deal of emerging childhood literature became retold – and usually highly exaggerated – tales from medieval Crusades.

The furor about religious freedom that spawned a European exodus to the new worlds also created a need for children to learn to read the “Word of God.” Along with an increased desire on the part of parents to provide moral instruction through reading the bible and other religious tracts, came a growth in secular publications aimed at children.

The 18th century saw a rise in publication of folktales, long an oral tradition in every culture on earth where children were told of tales to help mold behavior and character, aids to comfort or compel activity or for pure enjoyment. Many of these familiar tales were anthologized in the 18th century becoming the first children’s story books like the 1729 publication, The Tales of Mother Goose, where the traditional oral story telling of classics like Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty were now revealed in print.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that original childrens story books became popularized, especially by a German team of writers who penned takes on folk tales called Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales. The brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm, took the often violent and horrific tales, softening them up adding a moral to the story that soon attracted worldwide appeal as popular children’s storybooks. The 19th century also spawned a variety of what have become standard children’s story books on both sides of the Atlantic.

Fantasy fiction took hold in childrens story books with the publishing in 1863 of The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley, 1865 – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and in 1872, The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald.

Adventure stories became particularly popular, especially with boys, as evident through the works of American author Mark Twain – The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884). A popular children’s story book of the 19th century was British author Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (1883).

Children’s story books published today continue this tradition providing imaginative and informative tales that are not only entertaining, but educational as well.

 

 

 

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