Editors' Introduction

The eight essays on children's literature and culture in this issue of The Lion and the Unicorn examine a broader range of topics and texts than did those in the previous two special topic issues, whichfocused on Australian Children's Literature (guest edited by John Stephens) and the Jewish Presence in Children's Literature (guest edited by Suzanne Rahn and Naomi Sokoloff). The Lion and the Unicorn remains committed to the publication of appropriately selected special topic issues. For example, the next issue will be dealing with Science Fiction, guest edited by Janice M. Bogstad and Michael Levy. The journal has also scheduled a special focus section exploring Handmade Literacies, guest edited by Michael Scott Joseph, and another special issue based on a selection of the presentations given at the Children's Literature International Summer School and Symposium, to be guest edited by Kimberley Reynolds.

The Editors, however, do not want the publication of special topic issues of the journal to overpower the importance and regular publication of general issues. While we still plan to offer special issues devoted to a single broad topic or focus features (which will cluster three or four essays around a single topic or theme within a volume of the journal), we will also publish general issues, which will feature a wide range of essays dealing with various topics in the field of children's literature and culture. We encourage submissions to the special topic issues, but are also seeking submissions of scholarly essays for the general issues of the journal. The Lion and the Unicorn publishes three times a year; we plan to offer two general issues and one special issue each year.

Manuscripts intended for specific special topic issues or focus features should be submitted to the Guest Editors, whose addresses will be listed in the paper calls section of the journal, while manuscripts intended for the general issues should be submitted to the journal's address, featured on the copyright page. Manuscripts are reviewed by the Editors and are also submitted to outside readers for peer evaluation, which takes anywhere from four to six months. We also encourage readers to have their publishers submit review copies of their books dealing with children's literature and culture to the Book Review Editors, whose address is also located on the copyright page.

With this issue, the Editors would like to announce and welcome the new members of the Editorial Board of The Lion and the Unicorn. Many of them have been acting as outside readers, guest editors, or serving in other capacities related to the journal for several issues prior to this one. We want to acknowledge them and thank them as well as the many other individuals who have willingly served as outside readers and book reviewers for the journal. We also want to acknowledge and thank the previous members of the Editorial Board as well as the previous Editors, all of whom have worked diligently to evolve The Lion and the Unicorn into the significant children's literature journal it has become. If you are not already a subscriber, we encourage you, or your library, to become one.