Survival Themes in Fiction for Children and Young People

Children in today's world face the complexities of surviving in their local environment, while being required to grow up with an understanding of global cultures and problems. Believing that books of fiction can provide awareness of the world for the youngest child, and information and vicarious experiences for older children, Wilkin has designed Survival Themes for those studying literature for children and young adults and for librarians, teachers, parents, and other adult intervenors in the child's life. This second edition examines over 300 books published in the last decade that deal with issues of human existence and survival. Titles are categorized under the following themes: The individual-aloneness and loneliness, feelings, images of self and others, and sexuality; pairings and groupings-friendship, peer pressures, social interaction, and families; and world views-people and the environment, religion and politics, war and peace, and celebration of life and death. Annotated with social and psychological commentary, the books reviewed cover a wide range of materials written for children from preschool to young adult. Programming ideas, including lists of related films, appear after each major section.