(4) JOHN CLUTE & JOHN GRANT –
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FANTASY (1997)

 

As children’s fantasy is such a substantial part of fantasy (and a substantial part of literature for children), it’s not surprising that my special mention for the Encyclopedia of Fantasy carries over from fantasy in general to children’s fantasy as well.

Indeed, its entry “Children’s Fantasy” alone pays the price of admission to special mention here – from the origins and establishment of children’s fantasy as a distinctive sub-genre of fantasy to the predominant modes of children’s fantasy as worlds in miniature, secret gardens, time fantasies, otherworlds, wish fulfilment, and animal stories.

Of course, it also has entries for individual creators and works of children’s fantasy, although sadly not updated from its online publication.

 

RATING: 5 STARS*****
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