In 1958 the Women’s Literary Company was founded, representing the start of a new
epoch for children’s books. Since then, the Company gives annual Panhellenic awards
for children’s books ‘within the context of Greek reality’. Other factors which affected the
evolution of children’s literature have been political and social events such the rise of
the Centre Union Party, the educational reform of 1964, the migrations to Western
Europe, the dictatorship of 1967 and others. The most important genres have been
books with historical, social, religious and naturalistic content, and stories and
biographies of prominent men of history and of science. There was also a revival in the
novel.
Children’s books have continued to blossom since then. The Circle of the Greek
Children’s Book was founded in 1969, as part of IBBY (International Board on Books for
Young People) and contributes to the promotion of children’s books (announces awards,
establishes libraries, inaugurates seminars for children’s literature and so on).
Contemporary children’s literature is free from instruction, is more realistic, and deals
with social and political events of recent history and contemporary universal problems,
such as technology, space, natural environment, drugs, divorce and so on. Short stories
tend to outsell novels. In poetry, there are traditionalists, expressionists and
modernists, and numerous poetic children’s song, stories anthologies circulate. The
theatre now offers entertainment to children, rather than satisfying educational needs.
In Athens alone there are over seventy children’s stages in operation and the authors are
numerous.
In general, the appearance of books has improved, and a considerable number of
artists are occupied with illustration, with impressive results. Criticism of children’s
books first appeared in the 1970s, and since 1980 systematic studies have been made.
The journal Diadromes [Routes] to Literature for Children and Young Adults has, since
1986, offered quarterly updates to parents, educationists and students and traces the
circulation of children’s books in Greece and abroad. Annual guides such as Review of
Children’s Literature (from 1987) are also being published. Children’s literature is also
being taught in universities as an autonomous academic subject.
Broadly speaking, children’s literature in Greece today has matured and does not
address only Greek children but all the children of the world.
Further ReadingAnagnostopoulos, V.D. (1991) Greek Children’s Literature during the Postwar Period (1945– 1985),
Athens: Kastaniotis.
Giakos, D. (1990) History of Greek Children’s Literature from XIX Century until Today, Athens:
Kastaniotis.
Petrovitch-Androutsopoulou, L. (1990) Children’s Literature in Our Times, Athens: Kastaniotis.
Stavropulos, A. (ed.) (1991) Wegweiser dürch die Internationale, Kinder und Jugendliteratur 2:
Griechenland und Zypern, Munich: International Youth Library.
756 THE WORLD OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE