The Rise of American Girls' Literature

This Element looks at the publishing history of the genre girls'' literature in the United States spanning 18501940. The genre is set in context beginning with an examination of the early American women''s literature that preceded girls'' literature. Then the Element explores several sub-genres of girls'' literature the family story orphan story school story as well as African American girls'' literature. Underpinning each of these stories is the bildungsroman which overwhelmingly ends with girls ''growing down'' to marry and raise children following the ideals outlined in the cult of domesticity.