A history of Western children’s literature begins with oral tradition in which spoken stories, commonly described as “folklore,” “folk literature,” or “mythology,” are spoken aloud. This oral tradition predates written history and prior to the 1700’s there was little evidence of a childhood culture. The stories of oral tradition shared during those times were told to both children and adults (Kiefer, 2010, p.65). These oral stories such as Beowulf, King Arthur, and other ballads were often told by minstrels, adjusted to suit the audience (Kiefer, 2010, p.66). Some early books, such as Elucidarium, were written to provide children with general knowledge. Many children adopted fanciful tales and books for entertainment, such as Gulliver’s Travels and The Arabian Nights, but as these stories were written for adults, they contained adult content beyond the understanding of children readers (Kiefer, 2010, p.67). In 1744, John Newberry, an English publisher, printed Little Pretty Pocket-Book, which is recognized as the first book categorized as children’s literature. This book remains a stark contrast to the early folklore and tragic myths that have been told over the ages because it has easily read games and rhymes to help with the memorization of the alphabet (Kiefer, 2010, p.69).
The successful publishing of the first children’s literature brought about a new era of children’s books during the time of Colonial America. These early writings were inspired by John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and David Hume who all suggested that education can be improved by letting children read for pleasure. Some of these books used rhymes to help children memorize the alphabet, while others contained general information to help instruct the youth and grow their understanding of the world. Fairy tales and nursery rhymes served to entertain and teach morals. As printing and