More Than Child’s Play: The Scaffolding Role of Toys, Games, and Play in Children’s Literature

ABSTRACT Scholars have explored the way books about toys inculcate consumer, racist, and sexist ideologies in the young, subversively controllinng their attitudes and behavior. Judging from the scholarship in this area, teachers, librarians, and parents may hesitate before recommending or purchasing toy-centered stories for children. Using insights from play theorists and psychology researchers, this article argues that toy fiction can empower children by both acknowledging their marginalized status and providing models of coping, learning, and agency.