This article argues that two significant recent influential historical novels about the Holocaust, "Hitler's Daughter" (1999) and "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" (2006), reprise the genre traits of the "Bildungsroman" or novel of development and can be regarded as remarkably effective in engaging an active reader.…

This paper reads the U.K. Government's "fundamental British values" project alongside two children's Gothic novels, "Coram Boy" (2000) by Jamila Gavin and "City of Ghosts" (2009) by Bali Rai. In 2011 the U.K. Government outlined what it described as "fundamental British values" (FBV), making it a requirement…

The article is a comparative analysis of three films focusing on anti-religious and religious propaganda (targeting both Orthodoxy and sectarianism) and featuring children among the main characters: "The Miracle Worker" (1960), "Armageddon" (1962) and "Serafima's Extraordinary Journey" (2015). The three films feature…

This article analyses plays written for child performers in the early twentieth century. The plays chosen are classified as "instructional" and aimed at developing pupils' knowledge of the curriculum. The focus is on understanding why these plays were useful for Froebelian educators in the period. Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852) was a…

This article discusses the representation of Roma-Sinti ("gypsy") characters in young adult literature about the Holocaust. It analyzes three primary texts: Jerry Spinelli's "Milkweed" (2003), Erich Hackl's "Farewell Sidonia" (1991), and Alexander Ramati's "And the Violins Stopped Playing"…

In this article, the author explores the richly layered double text of Kushner and Sendak's picturebook, "Brundibar" (2003)--the historical context of "Brundibar" as a Holocaust-era children's operetta by Hans Krasa and Adolf Hoffmeister, and the present day manifestation of "Brundibar" as a children's picturebook. In…

Argues that historical fiction for young people about Ireland presents concerns of the past as intimately connected with controversies of the present and often explores the possibility of friendship between characters from different traditions in Ireland. (SRT)

Explains the continuing popularity of the Reverend W. Awdry's "Railway Series" featuring Thomas the Tank Engine. Argues that though the settings are anachronistic, the ideology expressed through Thomas the Tank Engine is congruent with that of the New Right. (SRT)

This article reviews a number of works of fiction about the Holocaust intended for children and young adult readers and discusses the strategies used by their authors to educate their readers without overwhelming them with highly emotional information. Several popular and effective strategies are highlighted, along with examples of works of…

Discusses how the author decided to become a writer of historical novels based in Great Britain during the Middle Ages, with an audience of adolescents in mind. Reveals the kinds of decisions authors must make to present historical material and tell a good story simultaneously. (SKC)

Provides a thematic presentation of poems written for young readers during the First World War. Draws heavily upon the poems and articles that appeared in "The Boy's Own Paper," a British popular magazine of the period. (HOD)