Literature & Media Posts

By Dr Supriya Baijal Introduction Growing up in India, I never stumbled upon enchanted wardrobes or magical portals in the books I read. Instead, I found lively fables, moral lessons, and clever folk tales—often featuring talking animals, wily tricksters, or noble kings. Stories like those from the Panchatantra or Tinkle charmed me with vivid illustrations… Continue reading Why We Don’t Dream Like That: Rethinking Childhood and Fantasy in India

“We read real books, right from the age of four up to 17. We also read history books. But it always seemed to me that history books were written by people who were trying to explain some enormous mess that we’d all got into but were never going to be able to explain. Whereas novelists… Continue reading Remembering Jennifer Johnston: A Voice That Bridged Generations

Upcoming: Leabhar Gaeilge and some books from/about Ireland and childhood in the museum’s collections will be display at BOI, Dúnlaoghaire in March 2026 Irish Language Children’s Books for Ages 0-18years Ages 0-3 Ages 3-6 Ages 6-9 Ages 9-12 Ages 12-15 Ages 15-18 Resources for Finding Irish language Books Many of these books are available through… Continue reading Leabhar

Rockfield NS showing the original two rooms of the school. These are now a small section of a much enlarged school. On reading in primary school, and with a special mention of the Famous Five, Enid Blyton series Books were scarce in rural Sligo in the 1950s and early 1960s when I attended our small… Continue reading Michael Farry on Reading in Childhood

Rediscovering Timeless Tales: The Enduring Magic of Joan Aiken, Mollie Hunter, and Violet Needham Introduction: An Invitation to Revisit Forgotten Classics I often return to books from my childhood—the kind of stories that offered wonder, excitement, and a hint of danger. It’s like reconnecting with an old friend: comforting, familiar, but always full of surprises. Recently,… Continue reading Rediscover Timeless Tales

I was born an avid reader. For as long as I can remember, my mom used to take me to the library, and we would borrow handfuls of books. Therefore, I always had the impression that I was on the pulse of children’s literature. Not only did I read and know the new releases, but… Continue reading A Foreigner in the Land of Jacqueline Wilson

By Allycia Susanti, Museum of Childhood Ireland In recent years, the topic of mental health has received more attention because it’s gotten more recognition as a crucial part of human well-being and productivity, not only for adults but also for children. After all, adults are not the only ones who would benefit from having the… Continue reading Learning About Mental Health Issues and How to Deal With Them Through Children’s Literature

A Handsome Devil retrospective While the summer is always huge for sport in Ireland, this week alone saw Dublin host the Europa League final, congratulations to Italian club Atlanta, and the Champions Cup rugby final will see Irish side Leinster attempt to tie the record for most wins in that competition. Sport and its relationship… Continue reading Rugby Ain’t for everyone, but Coming of Age is retrospective

By Allycia Susanti and Sukma Kirani Agna Throughout the years, there has been no shortage of literature or story books written for children. Although there are considerably fewer children’s books that feature queer characters or talk about what life is like for people who are part of the LGBTQ community, more and more LGBTQ-centric children’s… Continue reading Queer Representations in Children’s Literature: A Brief Look at Recent Decades

Helen Beatrix Potter (28th of July 1866 to 22nd of December 1943 )was an English writer, illustrator, scientist, and conservationist. She is best known for the delightful series of children’s books which she wrote and illustrated. The books feature animals. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was her first commercially published work in 1902. Her books, including… Continue reading Philippa Craven’s Beatrix Potter Books

A new way to discover children’s books Stepping into literature If you’ve ever wished to step into the fascinating world of your most beloved books, we have good news for you. A revolutionary wave in museum design is now transforming this dream into a reality so you can become a character in your favourite fictional… Continue reading Literary museums

Children’s Books and Authors During the month of May, an exciting celebration of literature is happening in Merrion Square, which showcases the works of authors from all over the world. This will be the festival’s twenty-seventh year and the biggest to date, with over 230 events revolving around various literary subjects. The most exciting news,… Continue reading International Literature Festival Dublin

I love YADSMOOLB – BLOOMSDAY at Bloomfields! Artwork by Chloe, age 6 Join the Museum of Childhood Irelands’s Literature team on the 16th of June 2024 to celebrate James Joyce and Bloomsday! This will be a family event with readings from the museum’s collection of Joyce’s children’s books, and Bloomsday art with Museum of Childhood… Continue reading Bloomsday at Bloomfields

Project began in 2023, and continues over a 5 year period until 2027 To celebrate both Dante Day or Dantedi and Bloomsday we’ve developed another first, a lovely Irish-Italian collaborative project on Dante Alighieri and James Joyce for young children in both countries. The project is a collaborative concept and initiative of the Museum of… Continue reading Dante to Joyce

Transformers Fall of Cybertron The recent delisting of Spec Ops: the Line (Yager 2012) has brought renewed attention to the need for archival in video games. What I would like to add to the conversation is to shed light on some examples of the current issues regarding game preservation and access as these challenges are… Continue reading Challenge – Archival. Difficulty – Hard.

Children’s literature has the incredible power to transport young readers to far-off lands, spark their imaginations, and foster a love for storytelling. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the world of Irish children’s literature, focusing on recently published picture books and graphic novels that offer a glimpse into the magic and wonder of Ireland. These works, whether produced by Irish publishing houses or created by Irish authors and illustrators, provide captivating tales that capture the spirit of the Emerald Isle.

rish literature, with its rich tapestry of myths, legends, and tales, plays a pivotal role in shaping the identity of Irish children. A nation’s literature is a mirror reflecting its history, values, and cultural identity. For the children of Ireland, literature serves as a powerful tool that not only entertains and educates but also helps construct their sense of self within the broader context of their heritage. In this blog post, we delve into the historical events that have shaped Irish literature and explore the sociological theories underpinning childhood identity development to understand the profound importance of Irish literature in nurturing a strong sense of identity among Irish children.

Siobhan Dowd, an Irish writer with a profound passion for storytelling, left an indelible mark on the world of children’s literature. Through her captivating narratives and thought-provoking themes, Dowd managed to capture the hearts and minds of readers young and old. In this exploration, we delve into the life, works, and legacy of Siobhan Dowd, tracing the impact she has had on Irish children’s literature.

Short and Sweet: A Selection of Short Animated Films suitable for Intergenerational Audiences. “The following film reviews and lesson plans were prepared by some of the students attending the course on International Children’s Film, taught by Dr. Justyna Deszcz-Tryhubczak (Institute of English Studies, University of Wrocław, Poland and a member of the Children’s Literature team… Continue reading Animated Films

ˇ We are delighted to announce that our research project, #Collecting Childhood is now LIVE! In collaboration with (School of English, TCD/ Museum of Childhood Ireland) and funded by the Irish Research Council, Collecting Childhood brings together children, academic researchers, museum staff, curators, librarians, creative practitioners and community stakeholders in order to generate new insights… Continue reading Collecting Childhood

by Edgar Debel Books are influential, no matter what age we read them at. They help us to learn new skills, teach us knowledge previously undiscovered and enable us to dive into hidden literary worlds. Depending on our age and experiences, the same book can have a completely different effect on us. Maybe we discover… Continue reading International Children’s Authors: Literature Lessons from Around the World 

A selection of Ukrainian language Children’s books courtesy of the Museum of Childhood Ireland are now available to borrow at the Robert Emmet CDP, Dublin and the Lexicon Library, Dún Laoghaire.

As the festive season is upon us once again, we face the reality of having to brave the cold Irish winter to buy our loved ones their Christmas gifts. Considering this, I have put together a list of 12 Irish Children’s Literature authors to guide you in your book-buying frenzy this year. Though many of… Continue reading 12 Irish Children’s Literature Authors

UPDATE MAY 10TH 2022. EXHIBITION NOW ON AT BANK OF IRELAND, DÚNLAOGHAIRE. Our Nancy Drew at 90 Exhibition was scheduled for our small pop-up space in Dún Laoghaire, courtesy of Bank of Ireland, from today, World Book and Copyright Day, 23rd April 2020. However with Covid-19 restrictions in place we’re launching online instead. #worldbookday2020 #worldbookandcopyrightday… Continue reading Nancy Drew at 90

An Interview with Tony Flynn Tony Flynn is a Ph.D. candidate researching marginalia and inscriptions left by early 20th Century child readers in the Pollard Collection of Children’s Books at Trinity College Dublin. He has previously written articles and reviews for Books Ireland and Inis Magazine, among others. He works as Facilities Coordinator at MoLI.… Continue reading Marginalia & The Pollard Collection of Children’s Books

Blog December 2021: Children’s literature is usually associated with texts written for and about children by adults. Yet a number of scholars studying children’s literature are beginning to explore theoretical and practical possibilities of recognizing and respecting children as creators of children’s culture, including abundant texts created by them. This appreciation is especially timely as… Continue reading Children’s Literature by Children?

Heritage and Education: Learning from our Heritage “Engaging with our shared heritage – in Ireland and across Europe – presents a rich source for learning, and an opportunity to rediscover and reconnect with the knowledge, traditions and skills of our ancestors.” Exploring the role of literature, children, the passing on of knowledge, learning, and the… Continue reading Heritage Week-Childhood: What Books Taught Me