Mystery in Children's Literature

This critical examination of mystery in children's literature offers the first comprehensive scholarly assessment of how the genre has evolved from religious mysteries through detective stories to supernatural horror. Written by internationally recognized scholars, these thirteen original essays provide fresh perspectives on both classic and contemporary children's mysteries, tracing the genre's transformation from faith-based puzzles to rationally solved cases and ultimately to the unsettling ambiguities of modern supernatural tales.

The collection stands out for its academic rigor and innovative readings that will particularly benefit literature students, educators, and serious scholars of children's fiction. These essays don't just analyze individual works but map the entire developmental arc of mystery writing for young readers, making this an essential resource for understanding how children's literature has grappled with questions of knowledge, belief, and the unknown across different eras.