SHAPING THE CHILDREN’S LITERATURE CANON: AN ANALYSIS OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HORN BOOK MAGAZINE, 1924-2009 by Kathryn Jean Weisman B.A., The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1972 M. L. S. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1974 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Children’s Literature) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) March 2012 © Kathryn Jean Weisman, 2012 Abstract This study analyzes The Horn Book Magazine editorials, published between 1924 and 2009, to ascertain the editors’ promotion of the library canon of children’s literature. The editorials concerned with Horn Book’s communities of readers are considered using Benedict Anderson’s critical lens of imagined communities; the review- and critically-themed editorials are examined using the theories of K. T. Horning, Deborah Stevenson, and Lillian H. Smith; the editorials related to the image of childhood are investigated utilizing the frameworks of childhood outlined by Andrew Stables; and the editorials involving social and political themes are explored using the critical assumptions of Gail Schmunk Murray. The analysis concludes, overall, that the Horn Book editors celebrate creators and promoters of canonical children’s literature; esteem high literary quality over popularity or pedagogical utility; view the image of childhood from a mostly Romantic perspective; and have shifted perspectives over time regarding comments about social and political events from a mostly neutral, non-committal stance to one of increasingly open views, especially with regard to censorship, multiculturalism, and current events. ii Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ vii Glossary ................................................................................................................................ viii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. x Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Origins of Interest ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2 A Brief History of The Horn Book Magazine .............................................................. 2 1.3 Children’s Literature Canons in the United States ...................................................... 7 1.4 Rationale for Primary Works ..................................................................................... 13 1.5 Statement of the Problem and Research Questions ................................................... 13 1.6 Outline of Chapters .................................................................................................... 14 Chapter 2: Existing Literature ........................................................................................... 16 2.1 The Horn Book Magazine History ............................................................................. 16 2.2 Women, Publishing and Professional Networks ........................................................ 20 2.3 Theories of Imagined Communities and Readers ...................................................... 26 2.4 Theories of Reviewing, Literary Criticism and the Children’s Literature Canon ..... 28 2.5 Theories of Childhood ............................................................................................... 34 2.6 Socio-Political Theories and Children’s Literature ................................................... 40 2.7 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 43 Chapter 3: Methodology...................................................................................................... 44 iii 3.1 Primary Text Selection and Analysis ......................................................................... 45 3.1.1 Phase One............................................................................................................ 46 3.1.2 Phase Two ........................................................................................................... 48 3.1.3 Phase Three ......................................................................................................... 52 3.1.4 Phase Four ........................................................................................................... 56 3.1.5 Phase Five ........................................................................................................... 59 3.2 Critical Lenses ........................................................................................................... 60 3.2.1 Imagined Communities of Readers in Horn Book Editorials ............................. 60 3.2.2 Reviewing and Literary Criticism in Horn Book Editorials ............................... 61 3.2.3 The Changing Image of Childhood in Horn Book Editorials ............................. 63 3.2.4 Reflections of Socio-Political Events in Horn Book Editorials .......................... 64 3.3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 65 Chapter 4: Imagined Communities of Readers in Horn Book Editorials ....................... 67 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 67 4.2 Individual Tributes ..................................................................................................... 68 4.2.1 Tributes—1924-1967 .......................................................................................... 69 4.2.2 Tributes—1968-2009 .......................................................................................... 76 4.3 Obituaries ................................................................................................................... 81 4.4 Horn Book Celebrations ............................................................................................. 86 4.5 Tributes to Groups Connected With Children’s and Young Adult Literature ........... 95 4.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 100 Chapter 5: Reviewing- and Critically-Themed Horn Book Editorials ......................... 106 5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 106 iv 5.2 Reviewing ................................................................................................................ 108 5.2.1 Editorial Reviews .............................................................................................. 109 5.2.2 Editorials About the Reviewing Process ........................................................... 119 5.3 Critical Themes ........................................................................................................ 123 5.3.1 Editorials About Criticism ................................................................................ 124 5.3.2 Editorials About Trends in Publishing .............................................................. 130 5.3.3 Editorials About Book Awards and Canon ....................................................... 137 5.3.4 Editorials About Literary Criteria ..................................................................... 141 5.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 145 Chapter 6: The Changing Image of Childhood in Horn Book Editorials ..................... 150 6.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 150 6.2 Aristotelian Images of Childhood in Horn Book Editorials..................................... 151 6.3 Puritanical Images of Childhood in Horn Book Editorials ...................................... 154 6.4 Liberal/Enlightenment Images of Childhood in Horn Book Editorials ................... 156 6.5 Romantic Images of Childhood in Horn Book Editorials ........................................ 159 6.6 Postmodern Images of Childhood in Horn Book Editorials .................................... 166 6.7 Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 170 Chapter 7: Socio-Political Themes in Horn Book Editorials ......................................... 174 7.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 174 7.2 Editorials About Citizenship and Patriotism............................................................ 176 7.3 Editorials About Censorship .................................................................................... 178 7.4 Editorials About International Books for Children .................................................. 183 7.5 Editorials About Education .....................................................................................