Telling Children's Stories

This essential collection bridges children's literature and narrative theory through a series of groundbreaking essays from international scholars, offering one of the most accessible entry points into the sophisticated narrative mechanics of stories written for young people. The book is systematically organized into four critical sections that dissect everything from genre templates and picture book construction to the complex roles of narrators and the manipulation of narrative time, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding how children's stories are built.

What distinguishes this work is its dual appeal to both academic readers and serious students of children's literature, delivering scholarly depth without sacrificing clarity or engagement. The essays collectively reveal how children's narratives employ distinctive storytelling strategies that both reflect and shape young readers' understanding of literary form and meaning. Anyone seeking to move beyond surface-level analysis of children's books will find this volume transforms how they read, teach, and think about the architecture of stories written for the young.