Adapting Canonical Texts in Children's Literature

‘Featuring an impressive set of renowned international scholars, this collection combines rigorous theory with fascinating reader-friendly analysis of individual texts, that goes far beyond case studies. Positioned within the rapidly expanding field of adaptation theory, it targets a wide audience and punctures common misconceptions about children’s literature and its role in society and education. A timely and welcome volume.’ —Maria Nikolajeva, Professor of Education, University of Cambridge, UK

‘Adapting Canonical Texts in Children’s Literature is a benchmark contribution that challenges the reader to reconsider the status of canonicity and adaptation within the realm of children’s literature. Covering a huge historical range and addressing key topics in research and criticism, such as genre-crossing, intermediality, and intercultural studies, the essays combine illuminative close readings with a broad theoretical astuteness.’ —Bettina Kummerling-Meibauer, Professor of German Literature, Eberhard Karls University Tubingen, Germany

‘The topic of this book, edited by Anja Müller, concerns adaptations for children and young adult readers of adult canonical texts (‘The Merchant of Venice’, ‘Hamlet’, ‘The Tempest’, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘Julius Caesar’, ‘Macbeth’, but also ‘Beowulf’ and ‘Le Morte d’Arthur’), of children’s classics (‘Winnie-the-Pooh’),and of novels (‘Oliver Twist’, ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘The Nutcracker’) that can be regarded as canonical both for adult and child readers. It shows how adaptations can question the very notion of canons and classics of children’s literature and it presents us with a variety of positions with regard to the approach to adaptation. It certainly gives food for thought.’ —Elena Paruolo, Lecturer in English Literature, University of Salerno, Italy