Imaginary Geography of Children’s Books: Adding One More Dimension
Imaginary Geography of Children’s Books: Adding One More Dimension

Summary/Abstract: This review paper explores the 2022 collection Storybook Worlds Made Real: Essayson the Places Inspired by Children’s Narratives, edited by Kathy Merlock Jacksonand Mark I. West. The 18 chapters of the collection cover a range of theme parksand literary playgrounds related to children’s literature, spanning Europe, Amer-ica, and, to a lesser extent, Asia. The chapters combine historical and theoreticalapproaches with detailed descriptions of the parks and engaging first-person travelnarratives. Inspired by diverse book characters – from German fairy-tale gnomesthrough Peter Rabbit and Alice to Pippi Longstocking, Moomins, and ubiquitousHarry Potter – numerous theme parks became a fertile ground for discussing manyimportant topics, including children’s imagination, reading encouragement, au-thenticity, simulation, commercialisation, Americanisation, Disneyfication, andPottermania.

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