Death in Children's Literature

Abstract

This thesis deals with death in children's literature. The first part is devoted to the theoretical background. Firstly, the history of children's literature is discussed. The introduction of the format of a picturebook follows, discussing its position within the genre of children's literature, its specifics, and its contemporary form. Next, the controversial issue of authorial egocentrism is addressed. Then, the changing approach to death in children's literature is mapped. Bibliotherapy and its possible use are briefly covered in the next chapter, alongside the expert perspectives on children's understanding of death. Finally, concepts of death, including the definition of mature conceptualization of death, and the concept of grief, including theories of grief, are presented as a core background for the analysis. The second part of the thesis analyzes selected contemporary picturebooks and is followed by an evaluation.