Picture-Book Professors: Academia and Children's Literature (Elements in Publishing and Book Culture)
Cambridge University Press, 10/4/2018
EAN 9781108438452, ISBN10: 1108438458
Paperback, 222 pages, 17.8 x 12.7 x 1.3 cm
Language: English
How is academia portrayed in children's literature? This Element ambitiously surveys fictional professors in texts marketed towards children. Professors are overwhelmingly white and male, tending to be elderly scientists who fall into three stereotypes: the vehicle to explain scientific facts, the baffled genius, and the evil madman. By the late twentieth century, the stereotype of the male, mad, muddlehead, called Professor SomethingDumb, is formed in humorous yet pejorative fashion. This Element provides a publishing history of the role of academics in children's literature, questioning the book culture which promotes the enforcement of stereotypes regarding intellectual expertise in children's media. The Element is also available, with additional material, as Open Access.
1. Introduction
2. Related research
representation, vocation, and higher education
3. Research methodology
4. An analysis of academics in children's illustrated literature
5. Pedagogical, baffled, or mad
the stereotype of academics as plaything
6. Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendix A. Children's books included in the analysis
Appendix B. Academics identified in children's literature, listed chronologically
Appendix C. Potential books identified (but unavailable).