Bloody Murder: The Homicide Tradition in Children's Literature

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov once wrote, ‘‘You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style’’ (9). This book examines a variety of homicide-themed narratives that possess, if not a ‘‘fancy prose style,’’ then certainly gripping plots and interesting characters. Accordingly, it seems appropriate to begin by thanking the individuals whose support, encouragement, and assistance have influenced me along with these pages. First, I am greatly indebted to Hollins University librarian Joan Ruelle and her incredible sta√: Luke Vilelle, Maryke Barber, Katy Baum, Jonathan Overturf , Erin Gordon, Josephine Collins, Lee Rose, Lilla Thompson, and Beth Harris. Their skillful, speedy, and truly tireless e√orts in tracking down references that were not only obscure but often grisly were nothing short of astounding. I am equally grateful for their cheerful camaraderie that made my work on even the most thematically dark and intellectually di≈cult sections of this book bearable. I would like to extend my thanks to several colleagues who provided valuable assistance: Pauline Kaldas and T. J. Anderson, whose personal and professional friendship has been an asset in every way; Nancy Gray, Jeanine Stewart, and Hollins University for several travel and research grants that helped o√set the costs of research materials; Philip Nel, Kenneth B. Kidd, and Roberta Seelinger Trites for their sage advice during a crucial turning point in the project; Rhonda Brock-Servais and Pauline Kaldas, whose sharp editorial eyes and equally astute critical comments greatly improved this manuscript; Matt McAdam, my wonderful editor at the Johns Hopkins University Press, MJ Devaneyforherfinecopyeditingwork,andtheanonymousoutsidereadersfor their encouragement and insight; and, finally, to the members of the Children ’s Literature Association, who formed the audience for conference paper versions of some of this material and o√ered many compelling comments. x Acknowledgments Likewise, many individuals outside of academia provided invaluable support that made both the experience of writing this book more enjoyable and its completion possible. I am especially grateful for the love, encouragement and understanding of my grandmother, Lorraine B. Hunt. This book focuses on issues involving death, but I have benefited enormously from her sage advice about life. I am also indebted to Joan Ruelle, Todd Ristau, Michelle Sheridan Bennett, Alice Burlinson, Jonathan Overturf, Beth Larkee Kumar, Max Bowman, Pauline Kaldas, and Emily Faye Jewett for their many kindnesses over the years and especially during a trying personal period as this manuscript neared completion. Your much needed help and equally needed good humor will not be forgotten. A version of chapter 1, titled ‘‘‘You Must Kill Her’: The Fact and Fantasy of Filicide in ‘Snow White,’’’ appeared in Marvels and Tales: Journal of Fairy-Tale Studies 26.2 (2012) (∫ 2012 Wayne State University Press, reprinted with the permission of Wayne State University Press). Likewise, a rendering of chapter 3, called ‘‘‘The Queen Had Only One Way of Settling All Di≈culties . . . O√ With His Head!’: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the Anti-Gallows Movement ,’’ was published in Papers: Explorations into Children’s Literature 21.1 (2011): 33–56. I would like to thank both the editors of these journals and their publishers for permission to reprint. Finally, I’d like to dedicate this book to C., a high school classmate whose tragic and brutal death unfortunately gave me my first personal experience with homicide. Sadly, it would not be my last—I was also walking through London’s West End the night of the 1996 bombing and riding the subway into lower Manhattan the morning of the September 11 terrorist attacks. This volume is in honor of the memory of C. and dedicated to the lives—and deaths—of murder victims everywhere. Bloody Murder This page intentionally left blank ...