In Canada, at the University of New Brunswick, for example, several courses on
children’s literature were offered in the Faculty of Education: children’s literature (a
general course), the literature of early childhood, the junior novel, young adult
literature, children’s literature in the classroom and a graduate course called children’s
literature and literary theory (Paul 1989:43). Graduate courses in Children’s Literature
at Master’s and Doctoral level, also developed in, for example, the English departments
of the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary, the University of Western Ontario
and the University of Guelph; and the School of Library, Archival and Information
Studies of the University of British Columbia (Children’s Literature Association 1992:39–
41).
Children’s literature courses at universities around the world—although their status is
still very frequently questioned—attract very large classes, and seem set to expand. As
their scholarly backing becomes more extensive, and as the divisions between
traditional subjects break down, so the essentially interdisciplinary nature of the
subject and its appeal to many groups of people should ensure its continued growth.
ReferencesBailey, J. and Hollindale, P. (1986) ‘Children’s books in teacher education at York University’,
Signal 51:156–171.
Bloom, S. and Mercier, C.M. (1992) ‘Center for the Study of Children’s Literature, Simmons
College’, in Sadler, G.E. (ed.) Teaching Children’s Literature: Issues, Pedagogy, Resources, New
York: Modern Language Association of America.
Butts, D. and Watkins, T. (1985) ‘Children’s books in teacher education at Bulmershe College of
Higher Education’, Signal 48:176–181.
Children’s Literature Association (1992) Directory of Graduate Studies in Children’s Literature,
Battle Creek, MI: Childrens Literature Association.
Cochrane, K. (1991) ‘Children’s literature in New Zealand: new initiatives in higher education’,
Signal 64:25–32.
Croxson, M. (1985) ‘Children’s books in teacher education at Worcester College of Higher
Education’, Signal 45:173–179.
Evans, E. (1984) ‘Children’s books in teacher education: the University of Birmingham’, Signal, 44 :
103–111.
Fox, G. (1985) ‘Children’s books in teacher education at the University of Exeter’, Signal 47:112–
119.
Griffith, J. and Frey, C. (1992) ‘On teaching the canon of children’s literature’, in Sadler, G.E. (ed.)
Teaching Children’s Literature: Issues, Pedagogy, Resources, New York: Modern Language
Association of America.
Hunt, P. (1990) ‘Examining Children’s Literature: Children’s Books at the University of Wales
College of Cardiff’, Signal 62:147–158.
——(1991) Criticism, Theory and Children’s Literature, Oxford: Blackwell.
Knoepflmacher, U.C. (1992) Introduction to Sadler, G.E. (ed.) Teaching Children’s Literature:
Issues, Pedagogy, Resources, New York: Modern Language Association of America.
Lonsdale, R. and Spink, J. (1987) ‘Children’s books in the education of librarians at the College of
Librarianship Wales, Aberystwyth’, Signal 54:203–209.
Meek, M.E. (1992) ‘Children’s literature: great books’, in Sadler, G.E. (ed.) Teaching Children’s
Literature: Issues, Pedagogy, Resources, New York: Modern Language Association of America.
606 TEACHING CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN HIGHER EDUCATION