ABSTRACT
Several generations of children have enjoyed the theme of The Velveteen Rabbit, Or How Toys Become Real. The theme of toys becoming real is prevalent in literature and electronic media. For children, what is real may not be something external to the child’s life, but something that is part of the internal development of that child. In her book Fake, Fact, and Fantasy, Davies (1997) said the important element is whether the story is authentic to the child:
If the story is useful in explaining how the world works, it is real. Davies grounded her research in children’s own definitions of reality. Her respect for children’s
perceptions is based on her view that because children do not conform to adult views, they hold hope for the development of the human race. Generation theory (see chapter 3) also supports the view that children’s innovations are critical for each generation of youth as they strive to continue to improve society.
