Overview

'Children appear to know the importance of storytelling as if by instinct. From a very early age their play takes the form of story; sometimes they term their story play "pretend." … They delight in using what comes to hand; they are small bricoleurs who make barbecues or bowls out of sticks of wood, or who fashion snowballs that make noise and need to be hushed, or who build tents or caves with a blanket… Mallan's book is an important contribution to our understanding of how story works and of how storytelling functions as a social, political, and educative activity.'

Professor Roderick McGillis, University of Calgary, Canada

'…an excellent thesis, written with critical aplomb and insight… '

Professor Richard Andrews, Middlesex University

'Mallan manages to work through difficult theory, methodology and text analysis in ways that are sophisticated, conceptually elegant, and above all, original.'

Associate Professor Nola Alloway, James Cook University

Table of Contents