Here Comes the Bogeyman ─ Exploring Contemporary Issues in Writing for Children

Here Comes the Bogeyman is an essential text focussing on critical and contemporary issues surrounding writing for children. Containing a critically creative and a creatively critical investigation of the cult and culture of the child and childhood in fiction and non-fictional writing, it also contains a wealth of ideas and critical advice to be shared with writers, students of children’s writing and students of writing. With scores of published children’s fiction books and films to his name, Andrew Melrose shares his extensive critical, teaching, writing and research experience to provide:



a critical and creative investigation of writing and reading for children in the early, middle and pre-teen years


an accessible and critically important challenge to the latest international academic research and debates in the field of children’s literature and creative writing.


an evaluation of what it means to write for a generation of media-savvy children


encouragement for critics, writers and students to develop their own critical, creative and writing skills in a stimulating and supportive manner


guidance on writing non-fiction and poetry


creative writing craftwork ideas which could be used as seminar topics or as individual reflections


This ‘one-stop’ critical and creative text will be an indispensable resource for critics, writers and students interested in the cult and culture of writing for children; on Creative Writing BA and MA programmes; Children's Literature BA and MA programmes; English BA and MA programmes; Teacher Training, PGCE students and for those studying at Doctoral and Post-Doctoral level who are interested in writing for children.

Andrew Melrose is Professor of Writing for Children at the University of Winchester. He has also written Write for Children and Monsters Under the Bed available from Routledge.

Part 1 1.Here comes the bogeyman… 2. A cultural, critical and creative context 3. Bridging the gap between child reader and adult author 4. The (im)possibility of writing for children… 5. Elements of storytelling for children 6. Engaging with Icarus Part 2 7. Considering the bogeyman… 8. Story Structure 9. Early Readers 10. Social realism, narrative non-fiction and The Tiger Who Came to Tea 11. Poetry for Children