Literature, Children's

The past 30 years have seen a tremendous outpouring of books aimed at children and adolescents. Never before in human history have so many good juvenile [Page 263]books been so widely available. Many of these books address spiritual questions relevant to young people: Is there a supernatural world? If so, what is it like? Does God exist? What happens when we die? How can I live a good life? How should humans relate to God and each other? Why is there so much suffering and evil in the world? In addressing enduring human questions, such books prepare children to make formative decisions about their futures. They can also foster imagination, a sense of roots, understanding of other cultures, and the ability to overcome obstacles. As such, literary works can often serve as a both a subtle and very significant trigger of religious and/or spiritual growth. All the books mentioned below are as valuable for adults as they are for children.

The vast quantity of spiritual literature can be divided into two overarching types: religious and what can be called “secular spiritual.” Both types can stimulate thought and discussion about religious questions. This entry provides an overview of the types (and subcategories within each), suggest ways to locate such books, and provide examples of each—at least one suitable for reading aloud to younger children (age 10 and younger) and one for children over age 10 to read themselves. All the books mentioned for younger children have enough depth to appeal also to older children and adults. (A to Zoo is an invaluable reference tool that indexes children's books by theme.) While many of the literary works described are written in English, the categorization system applies as well to books written in all languages and from all cultures.