
Edited by Timothy Young, curator of modern books and manuscripts at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
(Yale University Press)
The history of children’s literature is a growing area of study; this group of essays brings together scholarly voices to explore the tales behind many beloved books. The publication mines the Betsy Beinecke Shirley Collection of American Children’s Literature, one of the world’s richest sources for original books, manuscripts, and artwork. The essays, commissioned for this volume, examine little-known backstories of 300 years of classic children’s literature, from Louisa May Alcott to Langston Hughes to Mo Willems.