Left Out: the forgotten tradition of radical publishing for children in Britain 1910-1949
KIMBERLEY REYNOLDS
Children’s literature up to 1945 was mostly written for middle-class children and their parents. Stories were set during long summer holidays enjoyed in the countryside, and boarding-school settings were the norm. Tales of adventure were also on hand, as often as not celebrating ruling the Empire.
There was, however, a minority literary movement offering a different picture to young readers. Professor Kimberley Reynolds, one of a number of American scholars who have energised the British children’s literature scene, has now brought these largely overlooked sources back into the light. Burrowing into remote archives, she has assembled an extraordinarily interesting assembly of contrary views. Hers is an academic study, with multiple sources cited on the page and footnotes galore. But she also writes for the general reader and includes some fascinating illustrations.
