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Media Relations
Kansas State University
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-6415
media@k-state.edu

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

Source: Philip Nel, 755-532-2165, philnel@k-state.edu
http://www.k-state.edu/media/mediaguide/bios/nelbio.html
News release prepared by: Katie Mayes, 785-532-6415, kmayes@k-state.edu

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008

REBELLIOUS CHILDREN'S LITERATURE THE TOPIC OF K-STATE PROFESSOR'S LATEST BOOK

MANHATTAN -- At first pass, children's literature might seem innocent enough. But according to a recent book published by Phil Nel, professor of English at Kansas State University, it can be downright political.

"In the 17th century, the alphabet in the 'New England Primer' had 'A -- In Adam's Fall/We Sinned All.' And next to an image of a Bible, for B, 'Thy life to mend/This book attend.' Children's literature is political because children are the future. In educating children, grown-ups can shape the future," Nel said. "Even literature supporting the status quo is political because it normalizes that status quo -- it says things should stay as they are."

"Tales for Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children's Literature" was published in November by New York University Press. The book, co-edited by Nel and Julia L. Mickenberg, is a collection of 43 stories, poems, comic strips and other pieces of literature that encourage children to question those in authority. The book includes both familiar and unfamiliar authors, and a variety of political messages reflecting the concerns of 20th-century leftist movements like peace, civil rights and gender equality.

"Radical children's literature encourages children to question the authority of those in power. It asks them to take collective action to effect change, to trust their own instincts, or to explore alternative social arrangements," Nel said.

For instance, Nel said, in the 1973 book "Girls Can Be Anything" -- which is featured in "Tales for Little Rebels" -- protagonist Marina learns that she can be anything: doctor, pilot, or even president of the United States, regardless of what her misinformed friend Adam tells her.

At K-State, Nel also teaches a course on radical children's literature and says that students are often surprised how much political influence is reflected in children's literature.

"I think that students are interested when they encounter a book they've read before and then examine it in the political context," Nel said. "For example, most people know Munro Leaf's 'The Story of Ferdinand,' which tells of a bull who refused to fight. Far fewer people are aware that, published just after the Spanish Civil War began, the book became famous. People debated about whether it was pacifist or anti-pacifist, communist or anti-communist, fascist or anti-fascist."

Nel said that given today's political climate, children and adults alike should be encouraged to question authority.

"This is a good time for us to ask why -- as the little boy does in the 1925 story 'Why?' He wants to know why the poor don't get enough to eat, why the elderly don't get adequate care. These are questions we might be asking right now," Nel said.

Nel received a Big 12 Faculty Fellowship, which allowed him to travel to Texas to work with Mickenberg on the book. Mickenberg is a professor of American studies at the University of Texas at Austin and author of "Learning from the Left: Children's Literature, the Cold War and Radical Politics in the United States," the text used in Nel's class on radical children's literature.

Nel is director of K-State's graduate program in children's literature. He has published several books, including some on the works of Dr. Seuss and J.K. Rowling.

More information on "Tales for Little Rebels" is available at:
http://www.nyupress.org/books/Tales_for_Little_Rebels-products_id-7933.html