Types of English Children's Literature: Fiction Story Books


Figure 1.--This illustration is from "Every Girls Story Book" which seems to have been published in the 1930s. It's a marvelous book with several nice illustrations. It is equivalent to 'Boys Own' annual, but only consists of stories. Nore that the illustrator is Thomas Henry, the same illustrator that chiefly did the pictures for Richmal Crompton's 'William'. Thomas Henry's illustrations with their distinctive facial expressions of mischief drawn with the minimum of lines has always been much admired.

British books including story books before World War II often had imperaialistic themes. Another especially popular theme was life at boarding schools, which interestingly reflected only a small portion of British boys. These were expensive private schools. Only a small portion of British boys went to these schools. Schools stories about children in state schools are almost non existent until after World War I. Boys' literature often dealt with experiences at schools--but almost always at these schools. Note the illustration from the private school pictured here (figure 1). The boy pictured is from an expensive private preparatory school. These school gave much more attention to sport than state schools. Few state primary schools had any kind of organized sports program. Another popular theme was mystery type adventures. There were also many stories with imperailistic thems. These included stories about explorers, soldiers, and children living in the colonies. The kind of stories addressing children's issues such as divorce, death in the family, race, ect. that can be found today were largely absent until the 1970s.

Themes

Normally story books have some unifying themes. Story books with fairy tales were popular for younger chilsren. British books including story books before World War II often had imperaialistic themes. Another especially popular theme was life at boarding schools, which interestingly reflected only a small portion of British boys. These were expensive private schools. Only a small portion of British boys went to these schools. Schools stories about children in state schools are almost non existent until after World War I. Boys' literature often dealt with experiences at schools--but almost always at these schools. Note the illustration from a pribate school here (figure 1). The boy pictured is from an expensive private school. These school gave much more attention to sport than state schools. Few state primary schools had any kind of organized sports program.

Adventures

Another popular theme was mystery type adventures. There were also many adventure stories with imperailistic thems. These included stories about explorers, soldiers, and children living in the colonies. Some adventures might be set at home, at school or on holiday. Many adventures were fantasy stories wher boys might encounter lions or tigers or Red Indians or many other challenges that British boys of course would never encounter.

Realistic Concerns

The kind of stories addressing children's issues such as divorce, death in the family, race, ect. that can be found today were largely absent until the 1970s. Ther were some exceptions some of the school stories dealt with issues like bullying.

Gender

Some of the story books were written specifically for boys and others for girls. Often they were written with material both boys and girls could enjoy. Some looked raher like the "Boys' or Girls' Own" papers and annuals, only they were only composed of stories and did not have the other material like games and activitie that were in these publications. Of course the boys' story books tended to be much heavoer on the adventure stories, that does not mean that there were also not adventure stories in the girl's story books as well.

Illustrators

They were normally richly illustrated, in some cases by some of the most acclaimed illustrators. Some story books were illustrated by the same illustrtor, others used illustrations from a variety of sources. Nitice the illustrations here by Henry Thomas--famed for his Just William drawings.

Publishers

These storybooks were published by most of the major publishing houses profucing children's books. We note a variety of other companies which also produced notable story books. The London department store Selfridges in 1927 began producing store-branded story books. Selfridges in 1927 Selfridge's produced a series of children's books, as far as we know the only department store ever to do so. There was Selfridge's Schoolgirl's Story Book. Presumably there was a comparable boys volume. The books seem to be annuals in the tradition of the "Boys' Own" papers and books.

Individual Books

There have been hundreds of children's story books published in England. They cover a wide variety of themes for different age groups. They were normally richly illustrated, in some cases by some of the most acclaimed illustrators. Normally a story book had an author or group of authors, even though some involved well-known fairy tales or other stories. We have just begun to collect some of these books. Over time these storybooks provide an interesting look the world of British childhhod in various years.






HBC







Navigate the HBC literary pages' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the main Main English non-fiction children's book type page]
[Return to the main Main children's literary page]
[Return to the main Main literary page]



Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Girls]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]




Created: March 5, 2003
Last updated: 1:02 AM 1/27/2011