This online exhibition was first published in 2012 by Cornell University Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections. It accompanied and featured content from a physical exhibition of rare materials displayed in Cornell University’s Carl A. Kroch Library from November 7, 2012 to March 22, 2013. Cornell University Library archived the original version of the online exhibition in 2024 to preserve its earlier design. This version maintains access to the original images and text within an updated website.
In recent years literature for children has seen a tremendous surge in the public consciousness, and many concerned adults have spoken out against what they perceive as a growing trend towards “darkness” in children’s books. Sex, drinking, drugs, violence, death and even magic are often cited as dangerous themes from which young readers should be protected. However, if one looks at the history of writing for children, it becomes clear that those elements have been present from the very beginning. This exhibition will explore the vast wonderland of children’s literature, shedding new light on the shadows lurking in the rabbit holes.