How the Reader Matters. Autobiographies of Childhood for Young Readers

Abstract

In the 1990s, autobiographies of childhood were one of the most importantpublishing trends. These autobiographies challenge the Romantic notionof childhood, thus contributing to the contemporary societal debate aboutchildren and childhood in crisis. Taking into consideration that ideas aboutchildren and childhood are at the heart of children’s literature, it is remarkable that autobiographies of childhood for young readers go unnoticed in the discussion.