ABSTRACT
This introduction presents the book in relation to the questions about the role of children’s fiction in shaping ethical repertoires. The Borders of Empathy in Children’s Fiction explores the subject in relation to difficult subjects like death, violence, and social exclusion, questioning what is deemed appropriate for young readers. Drawing on examples of challenging picturebooks, the book considers how children’s literature navigates complex emotions, often reflecting adult anxieties and hopes for the future. Inspired by posthumanist philosophy, the book interrogates how literature may foster emotional engagements that are entangled with other social and political agencies.
