Worlds of Wonder: Celebrating the Great Classics of Children’s Literature

Translator and editor Hahn (The Oxford Companion to Children’s Literature) delivers a rich anthology of reflections from scholars and writers on 80 works of children’s literature. These historical summaries of notable works, from 1834’s The Little Mermaid to 2012’s Wonder, include endearing trivia, such as the anecdote that Robert Louis Stevenson was inspired to write Treasure Island after painting a map of an island to entertain his stepson on a rainy day, and candid details, like the fact that Pinocchio was borne out of Carlo Collodi’s need to “provide income for his gambling and alcohol addictions.” The quality of the entries varies; an essay on Dick King-Smith’s The Sheep-Pig lacks the clarity of stronger analyses, like one on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. A major highlight is the artwork. Entries are accompanied by the stories’ original illustrations, including the ligne claire drawings of Hergé’s The Adventures of Tintin series and E.H. Shepard’s delicate, muted illustrations in Winnie-the-Pooh. The omissions (Little House on the Prairie, Harriet the Spy) may stoke debate, but this expertly arranged collection will evoke nostalgia in readers everywhere. (Sept.)