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Nursery Realms: Children in the Worlds of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
Child characters are surprisingly common in horror, fantasy, and science fiction literature and films. Children represent innocence and virtue and symbolize the classic question of fantastic What is the future of the human race, and how will science and society improve or impair that future? This collection of essays explores the roles of children in the literature and film of the fantastic. The works vary in critical approach from textual analyses to psychological, historical, and gender- and ethnicity-based interpretations and draw their subject matter from contemporary and classic literary and film pieces.
"The Triumph of Teen Terminator II and the End of History" is a playful discussion of teen propaganda movies and social issues. "E.T. as Fairy Tale" examines how Stephen Spielberg's combination of science fiction, fantasy, and fairy tale elements blends logic and childhood magic. Howard M. Lenhoff connects mythical creatures with biology in "A Real-World Source for the 'Little People': A Comparison of Fairies to Individuals with Williams Syndrome." The literary selection ranges from Alida Allison's study of childhood in Isaac Bashevis Singer's writings to Bud Foote's interpretation of childhood roles in the characters of selected Stephen King works. Other essays consider Henry James's The Turn of the Screw , Anne Rice's The Witching Hour , and the childhood classic Peter Pan .
"The Triumph of Teen Terminator II and the End of History" is a playful discussion of teen propaganda movies and social issues. "E.T. as Fairy Tale" examines how Stephen Spielberg's combination of science fiction, fantasy, and fairy tale elements blends logic and childhood magic. Howard M. Lenhoff connects mythical creatures with biology in "A Real-World Source for the 'Little People': A Comparison of Fairies to Individuals with Williams Syndrome." The literary selection ranges from Alida Allison's study of childhood in Isaac Bashevis Singer's writings to Bud Foote's interpretation of childhood roles in the characters of selected Stephen King works. Other essays consider Henry James's The Turn of the Screw , Anne Rice's The Witching Hour , and the childhood classic Peter Pan .
240 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1999
1 person is currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Gary Westfahl
46 books4 followersVoluminous, contrarian, methodical and learned, Gary Westfahl is a central figure in SF criticism.
His numerous articles and reviews have appeared in Science Fiction Studies, Extrapolation, Science Fiction Eye, SFRA Newsletter, Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, and Monad: Essays on Science Fiction, among others.
In the late 1990s, Westfahl became a regular columnist for Interzone, producing 36 columns. In 2001, he began to contribute film reviews and essays to the website Locus Online.
Recent books include The Other Side of the Sky: An Annotated Bibliography of Space Stations in Science Fiction, 1869-1993 (2009), The Spacesuit Film: A History, 1918-1969 (2012), and the author study William Gibson (2013).
Westfahl received the Pilgrim Award in 2003 for lifetime contributions to SF and fantasy scholarship.
His numerous articles and reviews have appeared in Science Fiction Studies, Extrapolation, Science Fiction Eye, SFRA Newsletter, Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, and Monad: Essays on Science Fiction, among others.
In the late 1990s, Westfahl became a regular columnist for Interzone, producing 36 columns. In 2001, he began to contribute film reviews and essays to the website Locus Online.
Recent books include The Other Side of the Sky: An Annotated Bibliography of Space Stations in Science Fiction, 1869-1993 (2009), The Spacesuit Film: A History, 1918-1969 (2012), and the author study William Gibson (2013).
Westfahl received the Pilgrim Award in 2003 for lifetime contributions to SF and fantasy scholarship.
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August 16, 2022
Nursery Realms: Children in the Worlds of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror by Gary Westfahl is a book that explores the worlds of science fiction, fantasy, and horror for children. Westfahl provides a detailed guide that is full of interesting facts about these genres and how they can be used to help children learn about different aspects of the world around them.
The book is intended for children ages 4-8 but can be used by older readers as well. It provides information on the history of these genres and how they have changed over time so that it's easier for kids to understand. There are also fun activities that allow children to explore these concepts on their own time!
The plot is engaging and kept my attention through out all five chapters. I enjoyed reading about the characters because they were interesting and had different personalities. The author uses language well throughout his writing which makes it easy for children to understand what he means when he writes about something specific such as a character having red hair or blue eyes. The illustrations are bright colors that are easy on the eyes making them appealing for children who may not be able to read yet but still want something fun to look at while reading this book (especially if they have siblings who like looking at pictures).
I would recommend this book because I think it will be useful in helping kids understand what's going on around them while they're reading or playing games on their electronic devices.
This book would be appealing to young readers because it is filled with interesting facts about nursery rhymes and fairy tales that they may not know about which could lead them to explore other books by this author or other works of his in the future. It would also be helpful for teachers who are teaching about these topics because it provides an easy-to-read overview that can be easily incorporated into lesson plans or discussions around classroom activities such as comparing myths and stories from different cultures around the world."
The book is intended for children ages 4-8 but can be used by older readers as well. It provides information on the history of these genres and how they have changed over time so that it's easier for kids to understand. There are also fun activities that allow children to explore these concepts on their own time!
The plot is engaging and kept my attention through out all five chapters. I enjoyed reading about the characters because they were interesting and had different personalities. The author uses language well throughout his writing which makes it easy for children to understand what he means when he writes about something specific such as a character having red hair or blue eyes. The illustrations are bright colors that are easy on the eyes making them appealing for children who may not be able to read yet but still want something fun to look at while reading this book (especially if they have siblings who like looking at pictures).
I would recommend this book because I think it will be useful in helping kids understand what's going on around them while they're reading or playing games on their electronic devices.
This book would be appealing to young readers because it is filled with interesting facts about nursery rhymes and fairy tales that they may not know about which could lead them to explore other books by this author or other works of his in the future. It would also be helpful for teachers who are teaching about these topics because it provides an easy-to-read overview that can be easily incorporated into lesson plans or discussions around classroom activities such as comparing myths and stories from different cultures around the world."
Displaying 1 of 1 review