Microsoft Word final-current Developments at the Intersection of British Children-online-version doc

1.4.5
 
The intersection of contemporary British children’s literature and 
fantasy: An outline of the field
As we have seen, children’s literature is far from being as simple, clear-cut and easy-
going as it is generally thought to be. This realisation leads to the extensive, possibly long-
winded definitions or approximations of the terms involved. However, on account of the 
special nature and the fuzziness of the matter, definitions cannot be circumnavigated. So after 
the basics are more clarified, at least for the time being, we can now turn towards the main 
purpose of the study, i.e. the ambit standing at the intersection of contemporary British 
children’s literature and fantasy. 
With children’s literature and fantasy we are dealing with two large domains of 
literature, so a commensurately extensive intersection of the two can be expected. It is 
therefore not surprising that the intersection is just as varied as the two main genres involved. 
The area which it covers comprises a far larger range than the smaller sector we can examine 
here. Not only does its spectrum contain all the
principal genres of fantasy novels which have 
been presented in the last subchapter, but, just like children’s literature and fantasy 
themselves, it encompasses all kinds of texts. From novels over short stories, graphic novels, 

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poems, drama, fanfiction, comics including mangas to
magic cards, computer games or 
hypertexts on the internet, anything goes.
The specific feature of this intersection is that it unites within itself the characteristics 
of both children’s literature and fantasy, thus creating a hybrid category. This hybrid 
combines the respective guidelines for style and topics. On the one hand, some of the main 
characteristics of literature for children such as the intended target group of young readers, a 
term open to interpretation, or the essential component of young main characters and their 
development are adopted. On the other hand, fantasy provides subject matter, too. Generally, 
the setting is a fantastic secondary world in which magic is an integral part and against the 
background of which the plot is deployed. Furthermore, the genre of fantasy contributes many 
characters, including magical creatures. Through a pooling of characteristics, new 
combinations are introduced.
At the intersection of children’s literature and fantasy are those works which revolve 
around child or young protagonists in one or several fantastic secondary world(s) replete with 
magic, magical beings and/ or events, situations and circumstances that cannot be found as 
described in reality. Yet, not anything non-realistic is fantasy. For example, science fiction 
has high affinity with fantasy at first sight. However, as it explores technical possibilities of 
the future of humankind in this or other worlds, it provides rational and scientific explanations 
for seemingly magic events, machines and the like.
This study acknowledges and emphasises the complexity of the intermediate zone 
between children’s literature and fantasy. However, on grounds of clarity, feasibility and not 
least because of profoundness, restrictive measures have to be taken. Obviously, the selected 
detail of the intersection cannot possibly reflect the entire bandwidth including every genre. 
By contrast, we shall examine one aspect more closely on a smaller scale.