“La parola ai bambini”: voci d’infanzia dall’archivio storico dell’Internationale Jugendbibliothek (IJB)

Abstract

This work aims at bringing back to light children’s testimonies on the reading education experience held at the International Youth Library in Munich in the 1950s, which are now kept in its historical archive. It is believed that an accurate analysis of such sources may indeed broaden the research outlook moving from an adult critical evaluation on the literary production for youth and children, to an appreciation of contemporary young readers’ critical thinking and the shaping processes of such critical reflection. Furthermore, the dialogue these texts may establish with the Public History of Education represents a unique occasion to put forward a narration of educational practices in the Twentieth century to the teaching community today, in youth libraries or in the school environment. Moreover, it might help to revisit children’s testimonies of the past more effectively, by shedding light on the identity, the interests and reading taste of young readers in the second half of the Twentieth century, opening new research avenues.