Story Time Essays on the Betsy Beinecke Shirley Collection of American Children's Literature Edited by Timothy Young

Betsy Beinecke Shirley disappeared on September 4, 2004 at Bernardsville New Jersey. Her peculiarity? She was an avid collector of children's books. First editions, manuscripts, everything about children's literature.
Everything.
And she wasn't the only one in the family. Her brother was a big collector of J.M.Barrie and Peter Pan.
For celebrating such beautiful, tender passion, Yale Press published recently a book edited by Timothy Young with contributions of other fourteen thinkers and the same Young.

Story Time Essays on the Betsy Beinecke Shirley Collection of American Children's Literature is a trip.
A social, political, exotic, custom-trip in the society of the USA of 200 years ago thanks to the various children's books taken in consideration.

This magical trip will bring us in the desert island of Robinson Crusoe, seen also under political aspects you will see, but also in the house of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March, the Little Women created by Louisa May Alcott and the various and diversified illustrations appeared during the time in the book by Alcott, taken in consideration in particular the character of Jo, the writer of the sisters March.

We will discover what read Gregory Maguire once he was a kid.  The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Mary Poppins some of his favorite books.

Contributors will analyze the relationship between people and animals and how they interacted together in the various children's books.

Another chapter will involve Norwegian children's literature brought in the USA thanks to The D'Aulaires.
Another chapter will be all dedicated at the importance of penmanship with many stories and anecdotes directly from Boston, Massachusetts at that time the place with most prominent, important schools.

The cover of this book is the back cover of By Land and Water published in 1888 by Louglin's Brothers. Besty  Beinecke Shirley bought these beautifully illustrated children's books in the 1990s.
The story of the illustrator of By Land and Water is fascinating!

I love this book starting from its cover and then I love it because it's strong resistant. Resistant and immortal like a children's book is.

When you open it, you are transported in another world and time while the imaginative dimension created by many children's books writers and illustrators starts to bloom analyzed with punctuality and profundity by various contributors.

This book is great for everyone in love for children's books with the desire and curiosity of exploring much more of this world.
Because, there is to say something: undoubtedly a children's book is much more than just... a book for children. 
 Encapsulated into it there is the reality the children are living in and where, in this case the children of two centuries ago lived in. 
It's a time-travel in the imagination, in the dream.
A jump in the past that you will love.
The book is plenty of great informations, and this book is the best resource also for students in search of material for a thesis on the topic.


I thank Yale University Press for the beautiful physical copy of this book!



Anna Maria Polidori