A Moment of Rebirth: Nathan Alterman’s Poetry for Children

The article discusses the reasons behind recent publications of Nathan Alterman’s poetry for children. Reviewing the main periods of his work in the area and placing this work in the context of Modern Hebrew children’s literature of the time and its development, I argue that with a few exceptions Alterman’s oeuvre had not been previously recognized as a part of this literature’s canon. The recent reawakening of interest toward his children’s poetry is consequently best explained by Alterman’s status as a cultural and political icon, defined mainly by his writings for adults.