The Gothic Fairy Tale in Young Adult Literature
Subtitle
Essays on Stories from Grimm to Gaiman
Edited by Tanya Jones and Joseph Abbruscato
Rooted in the oral traditions of cultures worldwide, fairy tales have long played an integral part in children's upbringing. Filled with gothic and fantastical elements like monsters, dragons, evil step-parents and fairy godmothers, fairy tales remain important tools for teaching children about themselves, and the dangers and joys of the world around them.
In this collection of new essays, literary scholars examine gothic elements in more recent entries into the fairy tale genre — for instance, David Almond's "Skellig," Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book" and Coraline and Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" — exploring such themes as surviving incest, and the capture and consumption of children. Although children's literature has seen an increase in reality-based stories that allow children no room for escape from their everyday lives, these essays demonstrate the continuing importance of fairy tales in helping them live well-rounded lives.
Bio
Joseph Abbruscato earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in education (English education) in 2008 and a Master of Arts in English in 2010 — all at Arizona State University.
Praise for this book
Readers can explore a variety of fiction works for young readers and the layered and complex histories of gothic literature and fairy tales from multiple scholarly perspectives.
Kim Snowden Marvels & Tales: Journal of Fairy-Tale Studies
