Suffer the Little Children
Uses of the Past in Jewish and African American Children's Literature
By Jodi Eichler-Levine | Publisher: NYU Press
About the book
Examines classic and contemporary Jewish and African American children’s literature
Through close readings of selected titles published since 1945, Jodi Eichler-Levine analyzes what is at stake in portraying religious history for young people, particularly when the histories in question are traumatic ones. In the wake of the Holocaust and lynchings, of the Middle Passage and flight from Eastern Europe's pogroms, children’s literature provides diverse and complicated responses to the challenge of representing difficult
collective pasts.
In reading the work of various prominent authors, including Maurice Sendak, Julius Lester, Jane Yolen, Sydney Taylor, and Virginia Hamilton, Eichler-Levine changes our understanding of North American religions. She illuminates how narratives of both suffering and nostalgia graft future citizens into ideals of American liberal democracy, and into religious communities that can be understood according to recognizable notions of reading, domestic respectability, and national sacrifice.
If children are the idealized recipients of the past, what does it mean to tell tales of suffering to children, and can we imagine modes of memory that move past utopian notions of children as our future? Suffer the Little Children asks readers to alter their worldviews about children’s literature as an “innocent” enterprise, revisiting the genre in a darker and more unsettled light.
Editions of Suffer the Little Children
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780814722992
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781479822294
Read an Excerpt
Examines classic and contemporary Jewish and African American children’s literature
Through close readings of selected titles published since 1945, Jodi Eichler-Levine analyzes what is at stake in portraying religious history for young people, particularly when the histories in question are traumatic ones. In the wake of the Holocaust and lynchings, of the Middle Passage and flight from Eastern Europe's pogroms, children’s literature provides diverse and complicated responses to the challenge of representing difficult
collective pasts.
In reading the work of various prominent authors, including Maurice Sendak, Julius Lester, Jane Yolen, Sydney Taylor, and Virginia Hamilton, Eichler-Levine changes our understanding of North American religions. She illuminates how narratives of both suffering and nostalgia graft future citizens into ideals of American liberal democracy, and into religious communities that can be understood according to recognizable notions of reading, domestic respectability, and national sacrifice.
If children are the idealized recipients of the past, what does it mean to tell tales of suffering to children, and can we imagine modes of memory that move past utopian notions of children as our future? Suffer the Little Children asks readers to alter their worldviews about children’s literature as an “innocent” enterprise, revisiting the genre in a darker and more unsettled light.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Suffer the Little Children about?
Examines classic and contemporary Jewish and African American children’s literature
Through close readings of selected titles published since 1945, Jodi Eichler-Levine analyzes what is at stake in portraying religious history for young people, particularly when the histories in question are traumatic ones. In the wake of the Holocaust and lynchings, of the Middle Passage and flight from Eastern Europe's pogroms, children’s literature provides diverse and complicated responses to the challenge of representing difficult
collective pasts.
In reading the work of various prominent authors, including Maurice Sendak, Julius Lester, Jane Yolen, Sydney Taylor, and Virginia Hamilton, Eichler-Levine changes our understanding of North American religions. She illuminates how narratives of both suffering and nostalgia graft future citizens into ideals of American liberal democracy, and into religious communities that can be understood according to recognizable notions of reading, domestic respectability, and national sacrifice.
If children are the idealized recipients of the past, what does it mean to tell tales of suffering to children, and can we imagine modes of memory that move past utopian notions of children as our future? Suffer the Little Children asks readers to alter their worldviews about children’s literature as an “innocent” enterprise, revisiting the genre in a darker and more unsettled light.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Suffer the Little Children?
Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Social groups: religious groups and communities
Where can I read a sample of Suffer the Little Children?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780814722992
How long is Suffer the Little Children and how many pages does it have?
Suffer the Little Children has 253 page(s)
Is Suffer the Little Children part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series North American Religions
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Suffer the Little Children?
Jodi Eichler-Levine
Who is the Publisher of the book Suffer the Little Children?
NYU Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Suffer the Little Children is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780814722992) and paperback(ISBN 9781479822294)
Where can I buy Suffer the Little Children online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Suffer the Little Children from below
Where can I buy Suffer the Little Children?