Review by Choice Review
At some 1,800 pages, this is an ambitious endeavor. Although focused on English-language children's literature, it has a greater international scope and overall breadth than titles such as The Cambridge Guide to Children's Books in English, ed. by V. Watson (CH, Feb'02, 39-3123) or The Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, ed. by B. E. Cullinan and D. G. Person (CH, Mar'04, 41-3776). In that respect, a closer comparison may be The International Companion Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, ed. by P. Hunt (CH, Apr'05, 42-4365), but that work, with its longer scholarly essays, has a very different function. The Oxford Encyclopedia's roughly 3,600 entries range in length from a paragraph to a couple of pages, and many include short bibliographies. Some young adult literature titles and authors are included, but coverage is much stronger for children's literature. (The Continuum Encyclopedia of Young Adult Literature, ed. by B. E. Cullinan, B. L. Kunzel, and D. A. Wooten, CH, Jul'06, 43-6233, would probably be a better choice for the former.) This new Oxford Encyclopedia includes an index and topical outline of entries, and lists of international children's book awards and research collections. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. All libraries, especially those at colleges and universities with children's literature coursework; all levels. J. Stevens George Mason University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature0 "endeavours to account for all the most significant . . . works that have played a role in the history of children's literature in the world." That said, it does have a stated focus on the Anglo-American tradition, with the inclusion of entries on English-language authors from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and African countries as well as those from other countries whose works have been translated to English. The scope of the set is impressive and ambitious, as shown by the topical outline in the last volume: it covers 39 countries and regions (for example, Arab world; China; South America0 , Spanish-speaking0 ); 105 "Special Subjects and Terms" ( Critical approaches to children's literature0 , Mad magazine0 , Publishers and publishing0 , Witches0 );\b \b0 106 genres or types of literature ( Crossover books, Graphic novels, Horse and pony stories0 , Television and children0 ); more than 150 individual titles and characters ( Cinderella; Hardy Boys series; Nutcracker, The; Paul Bunyan0 ; Ring-a-ring-a-rosy0 ); and more than 2,700 entries on authors, illustrators, librarians, and other important people ( Arbuthnot, May Hill; Blackman, Malorie; Hoffmann, Heinrich0 ; Opie, Iona0 , and Peter Opie0 ; Peet, Bill0 ; Rowling, J. K.0 ). The chronological span encompasses medieval times through the present. A brief, readable introduction provides background for the mutable concept of "children's literature." Editor Zipes (a highly regarded author of works on folktales and fairy tales, for whom there should have been an entry!) touts the "breadth and depth" of content, and these are indeed what set this publication apart as a must-have for any library with reference works on literature in English. Signed entries from more than 800 international scholars range in length from a paragraph or two to essays of one or more pages, with a brief bibliography (for example, Germany0 ; Multicul0 turalism; Tolkien, J. R. R.0 ). Articles are written in a clear and consistent style. Biographies highlight the subject's unique contribution or approach: Oodgeroo Noonuccal's work in the early 1970s was an impetus for "increasing production for children by Aboriginal authors and artists," Arthur C. Clarke's work balances "science and a sense of wonder," and Robert Sabuda's pop-ups have "raised the profile . . and expanded the age range" for this art form. Longer entries on countries and other topics are often nicely divided into sections on historical periods, influential factors, or types of literature, such as "The Old Stories" and "Bridges between Two Worlds" in Asian American literature0 . Black-and-white graphics, such as examples of illustrations or author photos, occasionally punctuate the attractive page design. The last volume includes additional resources: a selected bibliography; lists of winners for 25 major awards from the U.S., UK, Canada, and other countries; a directory of major world collections of children's literature with contact data and Web sites; the topical outline; a directory of contributors, their affiliations, and entries; and an excellent, detailed index that seems to cover each and every person or title mentioned in the text. Some typographical errors were noted in passing, such as "Oliver B. Miller" in Watty Piper;0 "Eeyore's tale" in Milne, A. A.;\b0 \b0 and the mutation of the final letter diacritic to a "2" on several entries in the index (for example, Filopovic2, Zlata0 ), though not the entry text. The impossibility of being an all-inclusive reference is admitted in the preface and evident in the omission of entries for Olive Beaupre Miller, who started a publishing company in Chicago and produced the very successful and beloved My Book House multivolume collection of children's stories for most of the twentieth century; Meg Cabot, American author of The Princess Diaries0 and its follow-ups, popular in both Britain and the U.S.; and Horn Book Magazine.0 There is a good deal of unique biographical and topical content remaining in other Oxford reference books on children's literature, as well as in many other titles found in larger collections, among them\b \b0 The Cambridge Guide to Children's Books in English 0 (2001) and Gale's Something About the Author series (with access to more than 10,000 author biobibliographies). Still, librarians and users will head for the authoritative volumes of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature0 more often than not as an excellent starting point for queries. Recommended for most libraries. --Deborah Rollins Copyright 2006 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Zipes (German & comparative literature, Univ. of Minnesota), a prolific scholar in children's literature, serves as editor in chief of this new scholarly encyclopedia of children's literature, touted as the most comprehensive such encyclopedia in English ever published and for a good reason. Zipes heads a team of some 800 largely American academic contributors and 30 editors whose signed articles cover children's literature from its beginnings in the medieval period through the 18th century (when it first became a distinct genre) and forward to the present day. Though it is international in scope and exhaustive in coverage, the book admittedly emphasizes materials of interest primarily to speakers of English in the United States and the United Kingdom. The set includes brief biographies as well as essays on genres, individual works, trends and themes, and traditions. Its 3000-plus articles are typically about 200-300 words long, though many are half that length while others, such as the one on Mark Twain, run well over 1000 words. Illustrations and bibliographies abound, and appendixes include a selected bibliography, a list of awards, a list of institutions that specialize in collections of children's literature, a topical outline of the entries, and a very detailed index. Bottom Line The book's superior breadth and depth distinguish it from such excellent reference books as the Oxford Companion to Children's Literature and The Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature. Slated to become a part of Oxford's Digital Reference Shelf, it is an expensive set whose excellence makes it an essential purchase by any library that supports the study of children's literature. Peter Dollard, Mt. Pleasant, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-The 3200 signed articles in this set include brief discussions of the work of major writers, important trends, genres, characters, organizations, and noteworthy publications and people in the field. All of the alphabetical articles are clearly written and most include cross-references. Many of them, particularly those on genres, trends, countries, or regions, also include a bibliography. Interspersed throughout are appropriately placed black-and-white illustrations (more than 400, according to the introduction). The first volume begins with a list of all of the entries. Volume four ends with a selected bibliography, lists of many (but not all) of the major children's literature awards and the books and authors who have won them, a topical outline of the entries, a comprehensive index, and more. While thorough, the encyclopedia is by no means exhaustive. There are omissions both in the entries and within the discussions. However, there is no comparable single work that brings together all aspects of the topic, making this a valuable resource.-Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York City (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
The international scope of the four-volume Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature is ambitious, expanding the Anglo-American tradition to include countries ""in which English has played a formative role."" The 3,200 signed entries provide brief discussions of the writers, illustrators, and major trends in children's literature from the middle ages to the present. An extensive list of topics include countries and regions (Iran; Australia; Southeast Asia); special subject terms (gay and lesbian literature for children, Sesame Street); genres/types (evangelical writing, horror, Robinsonnades); titles/characters (""The Frog Prince,"" Goody Two-Shoes, The Simpsons); and individuals who have significantly contributed to the field (Bertha Mahony Miller, Ursula Nordstrom). Biographic articles range in length from a paragraph to several pages; some contain information only current through 2001. The articles are nicely augmented by nearly four hundred black-and-white illustrations, but a number are blurry and poorly reproduced. Much of the last volume is devoted to supplemental resources: a bibliography of scholarly works, a list of international awards, important children's literature collections, and a topical outline; a useful, detailed index is included, though it is marred by inconsistencies in cross-referencing. Omissions both in the entries and within the discussions, along with occasional typos and factual errors, undermine an otherwise impressive work. But Zipes and company have created a comprehensive reference book that illuminates the ""diverse and complex"" world of children's literature. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Review by Horn Book Review
