For over a century British authors have been writing about the Antarctic for child readers, yet this body of literature has never been explored in detail. Antarctica in British Children's Literature examines this field for the first time, identifying the dominant genres and recurrent themes and tropes while interrogating how this landscape has been constructed as a wilderness within British literature for children.

The text is divided into two sections. Part I focuses on the stories of early-twentieth-century explorers such as Robert F. Scott and Ernest Shackleton. Antarctica in British Children's Literature highlights the impact of children's literature on the expedition writings of Robert Scott, including the influence of Scott's close friend, author J.M. Barrie. The text also reveals the important role of children's literature in the contemporary resurgence of interest in Scott's long-term rival Ernest Shackleton. Part II focuses on fictional narratives set in the Antarctic, including early-twentieth-century whaling literature, adventure and fantasy texts, contemporary animal stories and environmental texts for children. Together these two sections provide an insight into how depictions of this unique continent have changed over the past century, reflecting transformations in attitudes towards wilderness and wild landscapes.

About the Author

Sinead Moriarty received her MA and PhD in Children's Literature from the National Centre for Research in Children's Literature at the University of Roehampton. She is currently working as a Teaching Fellow in Children's Literature in the School of English at Trinity College Dublin. Sinead has published on topics including the use of maps in contemporary Antarctic literature for children, as well as twentieth-century Robinsonades for child readers.

Book Information
ISBN 9780367493257
Author Sinead Moriarty
Format Hardback
Page Count 214
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 439g