3 Review(s)

The book is "amusing and instructive," just as the nineteenth-century children's books it discusses were advertised to be. It looks at the rise of children's literature as a cultural phenomenon, related to growing literacy rates, increased leisure time, and an understanding of the "infant mind" as truly different from that of the adult - worthy of communicating with in specialized ways. "Once Upon a Time" draws upon a collection of American books amassed by Arthur and Ellen Liman and explores this emergent medium, made possible by innovations in printing. Written for adults interested in childhood, literature and social history, the book touches upon diverse forms of reading material, from fairy tales to moveable books, in brief narrative chapter openers and in extended figure captions. Lavishly illustrated, it highlights the visual appeal of these fascinating artifacts in their day and suggests their historical importance in the present.