Growing Up with the Undead: Vampires in the 20th- and 21st-Century Literature, Films and Television for Young Children

The following CFP had been released on the subject of vampires in children’s literature:

‘Since Bram Stoker’s seminal vampire novel, Dracula, published in 1897, the figure of the vampire has been a persistent presence in Western popular culture. Though largely the remit of adult audiences since the 1970s, the vampire has become increasingly present in narratives (books/films/television) for younger children. In fact, in the 21^st century, one might even venture to say it is a staple of the genre. During this time the meaning of the vampire itself has drastically changed from a symbol of otherness and potential danger to one that accepts difference and offers agency to all young readers. This shift within young children’s narratives is largely a reflection of the changing positioning of the undead within adult and young adult narratives that have seen an increasing romanticization of the vampire, which constructs it as both inspirational and aspirational within, or indeed outside of, an increasingly consumerist and globalized world. This volume will examine the continuing presence of vampires within children’s literary and visual narratives in relation to contemporaneous representations in popular narratives and the social environment that creates them.

Abstracts/proposals are invited for chapters that look at narratives featuring vampire characters, as either main protagonist or incidental role, in books, film, television, comics, toys, games, etc. aimed at children of 12 years old or younger (not YA). Chapters can be either an overview of a particular medium or focus on a few titles that example certain themes or topics.

Possible subjects include but are not limited to:

• Child vampires, male/female vampires, animal vampires, non-human vampires
• Scary vampires, stranger danger, warnings against non-normative behaviour
• Queer vampires, individual identity positions, role models
• Historical precedents from folk/fairy tales or classic children’s literature
• Franchises that cover many media that feature vampires, Monster High, Mona the Vampire, Disney (characters such as Maleficent/Ursula etc)
• Vampires in games, Lego, activity books, pop-up books etc
• Vampires in children’s advertising/products such as Count Chocula, Oreo adverts, Kinder adverts etc.
• Children’s vampires in relation to their YA and adult contemporaries
• Any of the above in relation to gender, sexualities, minorities, ethnicity, class etc.
• Non-bloodsucking vampires: veggie vamps and those that drink washing liquid, or energy etc.
• Vampires that are not vampires, i.e. Scooby Doo, Araminta Spook etc.

Abstract of no more than 350 words with “Growing up with the Vampire” in the subject line,  should arrive by 31^st May, 2016.

Final manuscripts of 5,000-8,000 will be expected by 28^th August, 2016, manuscripts to be formatted MLA-style with a separate works cited page section, for publication by Universitas Press in Montreal (www.universitaspress.com) by the end of 2016/start 2017.

Abstracts and enquiries should be sent to Simon Bacon at: baconetti@googlemail.com‘.