Tabu w literaturze dziecięcej, czyli zabrania się zabraniać!
Taboo in literature for children, it is forbidden to forbid!

Summary/Abstract: This article presents some themes in literature for children considered to be taboo, especially those within the areas of the sacred and the profane. The article draws attention to differences between traditional literature (including the magic fairy tale) and contemporary books in the treatment of subjects such as death, transience, and sexuality. It doing this it can be seen that these subjects have become more and more open to the child, something which is expressed in the acceptance of the child’s right to interpret even the most „difficult” concepts and the right to show her/his feelings. Modernity brings with it a tendency to cross barriers of taboo in almost every area, and the slogan „it is forbidden to forbid!” also applies to publications addressed to the youngest of children. This does not mean, however, that the child has unlimited access to all subjects, as s/he is limited by the barriers imposed by the person who serves as an intermediary in the reception of the work. Treating, or not treating, some spheres of reality as taboo for children depends on the chosen ideological options adopted by educators. breaking taboos in recent literature for children occurs in areas where educational discourses conflict, particularly when books touch upon the profane. It is worth noting that works within the themes of the sacred and the profane are equally important because they show the „completeness” of the reality in which children’s reflections on life and their sense of humor are complementary to each other.

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