The Treatment of Death in Contemporary Children's Literature.

In order to evaluate the treatment of death in children's literature, and to compile a bibliography of books related to this theme, four areas of a child's relation to death were explored. The first area of investigation was of concepts of death evidenced at the child's various developmental stages, as documented in numerous psychological studies. The second area studied was the various reactions to death which a child might display. The third area discussed was the cultural attitudes of present day American society toward death, with special emphasis on how these attitudes influence the child's conception of death. Lastly, a review was made of American children's literature from colonial times to the present, noting the treatment of death as a reflection of the cultural values of each era. Twenty-two books of juvenile fiction, for children up to age 12, were evaluated in terms of their treatment of death as a major theme. Most of the books were found to be of outstanding value in acquainting the young child with wholesome death concepts, were psychologically valid, and complied with accepted social attitudes toward the subject. (Author/SL)