Children's Literature and National Identity

This is a collection of views on children's literature and national identity answering question such as: how do young readers see themselves and "others" in the texts they are encouraged to read or find on their own?; How are their sympathies recruited in tales of war and conflict? Where do their loyalties lie? How do they approach and interpret books in translation? How do writers in other European countries portray UK adults and how universal are fairy tales? Books for children and young adults are embedded in the culture and language of their origins. Although the multicultural nature of the UK is now more positively reflected in children's books , the Englishness of English books is still strong. The questions of national identity and children's literature are considered by European writers from their own perspectives, so highlighting what is often taken for granted about |"others" in relation to "ourselves" and vice versa.