This highly acclaimed work is an indispensible resource for anyone with a serious interest in children's literature. With over eighty substantial essays by the most respected figures in the field, the International Companion Encyclopedia of Children's Literature provides in-depth coverage of a vast range of themes and issues, from the fairy tale to bibliotherapy, from pony books and teenage fiction to censorship and children's literature in developing countries. The volume is organized into five thematic sections: Theory and Critical Approaches; Types and Genres; The Context of Children's Literature; Applications of Children's Literature and the World of Children's Literature--a special section with over 30 articles on individual countries and regions including Africa, Australia, China, the Netherlands and India.