Author C. S. Lewis examines John Milton's "Paradise Lost" and the epic genre, discussing epic technique, subject matter, and style and the elements of Milton's story.

Reading Children’s Literature offers insights into the major discussions and debates currently animating the field of children’s literature. Informed by recent scholarship and interest in cultural studies and critical theory, it is a compact core text that introduces students to the historical contexts, genres, and issues of children’s literature. A beautifully designed and illustrated supplement to individual literary works assigned, it also provides apparatus that makes it a complete resource for working with children’s literature during and after the course. The second edition includes a new chapter on children’s literature and popular culture (including film, television, and merchandising) and has been updated throughout to reflect recent scholarship and new offerings in children’s media.

Appropriate for courses in college reading, this text is a four-genre anthology -- poetry, short stories, essays, and textbook chapters. New pieces from ethnically diverse authors have been added throughout the book, including writers such as Zora Neale Hurston, Eudora Welty, and Reginald McKnight. All of the exercises and pedagogy are found in the instructor's manual, not in the student text. The instructor's manual contains fully developed exercises on each piece in the book, an essay on teaching students to read textbook chapters, and transparency masters with examples of outlining. The instructor's manual also suggests ways of using the selections to improve reading skills and critical thinking. This facilitates flexible use in the classroom.