Mysteries of Life in Children's Literature

by Mitchell Kalpakgian

<!--[if gte mso 9]> 800x600 <![endif]--> The wonders found in fairy tales and myths have enriched childhoods for centuries. In between "Once upon a time" and "happily ever after" we embark on adventures that seem an eternity away from our everyday lives, and yet through these adventures we are brought back to the innocence and beauty of the truth. In The Mysteries of Children's Literature , journey through a treasury of well-known fables and folk tales, as well as others not so well known, and discover the wisdom hiding within them. In an age that rejects the moral absolutes and repudiates the whole idea of intrinsic evils, children's literature restores the meaning of good and evil, beautiful and ugly, and normal and abnormal. "Fairy tales clear the way for sanctity. They are the child's first morality play, clear-cut, no-nonsense black and white, good and evil, life and death - with a bit of fun thrown in to alleviate the pain." -Ethel Pochocki

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Books About Books, Parenting, Christian

200 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the introduction was brilliant. The subsequent chapters, however, are pedestrian. I appreciate what the author is trying to do. He's trying to highlight various virtues in children's literature. I just didn't find anything new or insightful in his chapters. Further, the writing is subpar. The run-on sentences are confusing and unnecessarily laborious for the reader.

I plan to keep this book as a reference. If ever I need to find specific stories which teach a particular virtue, this would be a great place to look up those stories. But as a resource for personal scholarship, not so much.

[Carlos Montijo]

Recommended by Pudewa

[Stef · Rating 4 out of 5]

anyone who's interested in raising and educating pro life kids in a pro death world needs to read this

[Prince Cad Ali Cad · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. Good, but repetitious and (at times) not well organized. It analyzes a host of themes in children's literature, from the intervening hand of Divine Providence to the importance of play. Illustrations (from various children's classics) are included, which are great.
Makes me want to read The Wind in the Willows.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children’s classics remind us that human happiness is a mysterious quest in the performance of noble deeds, not self gratification; they teach that happiness comes from goodness.
This was a good read and a fine defense of children’s literature. I thought the intro was fabulous. I only wish he had covered more titles

[Lisa Beth Hutchins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking. Not on my short list of recommended reading, but he makes some good points.

[Matthew Robison · Rating 4 out of 5]

It gets a bit repetitive and could be shortened, but its a great survey of children's literature and why it's so damaging when we try to subvert it.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our world (at least mine as mom to four young kids) is filled with images of fairies, princesses, magic kingdoms, and happily ever afters. We can thank Walt Disney for bringing these stories to life for our generation, but fairy tales and mythology have existed for centuries, informing the imaginations and values of children and adults alike. By definition, these stories are simple tales, yet they contain deep insight into all that is good and beautiful and true. In The Mysteries of Life in Children’s Literature, a professor of English literature walks alongside readers as we explore the mysteries hidden in familiar (and some not-so-familiar) fables and folk tales. Each chapter examines two or three stories that illustrate the truths within a specific category, from wishes and goodness and beauty to children, play, and even divine providence.

This book unites my love of children’s literature and fairy tales with a passion for literary analysis, and I appreciate Kalpakgian’s insights that help teachers, parents, and all other adult readers of children’s stories to understand the complexity of these simple tales. This book not only highlights specific lessons, it also sets readers up to view ALL works of literature through a similar lens as we ask stories what they have to teach us about universal truths.

Despite its valuable premise and some brilliant takeaways, I found this to be a tedious read with too much retelling of the original stories and a lot of repetition. It’s very academic and would score high marks as a term paper, but ranks low on reader friendliness. I did a lot of skimming, and while the concept will stick with me, the specifics won’t. For those interested in further exploring fairy tales, I do recommend this but as a reference guide rather than a pleasure read.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars (Rounded to 4 Stars on Goodreads) // Book Format: Kindle

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this - so much to go back through and ponder, particularly once I read several of the classic children's stories he discusses that I have not read yet. Each chapter is basically an essay on a topic within the overall topic (mysteries of life) Here are a few things that particularly hit me as I read through:

From the chapter The Mystery of Wishes: "True wishes are answered as a result of good deeds. Their realization often comes as a consequence of effort, suffering, and sacrifice."

From the chapter The Mystery of Goodness: "Goodness consists in performing small, humble, unnoticed gestures of good will that escape public attention but which bear great fruit like tiny seeds that must first be buried before producing abundance."

From the chapter the Mystery of Beauty: "Tolerance for banality and mediocrity increase the desire for trinkets and gadgets and dull the heart's longing for lasting joys, timeless truths, and enduring beauty."

From the chapter The Loss of Mystery and Loss of Childhood: "The themes in children's literature - the home and family, friendship, and play - speak to all peoples...In short, children's classics are pro-life, pro-family, and pro-God. All life is sacred, magical, and mysterious, and every aspect of the world is full of poetry, adventure, and romance. Goodness, truth, and beauty abound in infinite supply."

This book will be a classic for me, as I see myself coming back to it frequently in the future as I dive into more children's literature.

[Unabridged_Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book on children's literature and how it nurtures the growth of children and families. The worldview is from a Christian standpoint which I could appreciate greatly. I found myself dog-earring page after page to go back and take notes, adding book after book to my children's reading and read-aloud list. This book is overflowing with commentaries about many pieces of children's literature. A great resource for any children's library! One thing to note... you may find the final chapter of the book to contain bits and pieces that you don't agree with personally (eg. that contraception is evil). However, I think you'll still find many truths in the closing of this book no matter what your beliefs are. At the very least, give it a try and skip the last chapter.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful both literally (loved the design and illustrations) and figuratively. Revisits some wonderful stories while explaining how "children's literature portrays a sacramental view of the world in which natural events and ordinary things signify supernatural realities."

[Jan Greer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book examining themes in fairy tales. It didn't cover as many titles as I expected, but I have added a few must reads to my list. I'm also revisiting these stories with my three youngest children.