Reconstructing Childhood: Children’s Literature in the New Millennium

Abstract

Children's literature is an important educational tool that enables children to learn important skills. It exposes children to new information about many challenging situations, enhances their vocabulary, gives emotional support, and improves their communication skills. Traditional children's literature exposes children to situations they may encounter, such as morality, education, ethics, and other practical situations. The present study, however, indicates a dramatic shift in children's literature in the new century. As a result, changes in social conditions and attitudes, technical improvements, and globalization have all contributed to the transition. The emphasis on daring ideas brought through fantasy novels, realistic fiction, and classic stories exemplifies the effective improvements in children's literature in this new millennium. This study discusses how new-century children's literature introduces new revolutionary themes that lay a strong emphasis on subjects such as gender equality, sex education and even transgender education. Hence, this work is crucial because it assesses the literature on global and GCC (The Gulf Cooperation Council) levels. Children's literature provides recommendations for further research in the Arab context. It highlights the importance of how children's literature in the new millennium should enable children to understand new social realities, promote moral values and tie them to modern educational needs.