From Beatrix Potter to Harry Potter:
A Survey of British Children’s Literature

Summer 2008: late May (tentative dates)

Program Location

The trip will include a visit to the Lake District of England which served as home and inspiration to Beatrix Potter as she wrote and drew the famous Peter Rabbit stories. In Edinburgh, we will visit sites associated with Harry Potter and its author, J. K. Rowling. From London we will visit a variety of children’s literature sites including Oxford where both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien wrote and is now home to fantasy writer, Philip Pullman. Other day trips from London might include the Roald Dahl Museum (Great Missenden) Children’s Literature Museum (Newcastle).

Academic Program

This survey course of British Children’s Literature will start and end with Beatrix Potter and Harry Potter. American children’s literature comes directly from its British ancestors and this trip will allow us to explore that connection as we read a wide variety of literature from both sides of the Atlantic ocean.

Instructional methods include lectures, guided tours, and projects.

Tentative course offerings:
EDUC 401/501 From Beatrix Potter to Harry Potter: A Survey of British Children’s Literature, 3 credits

Accommodations

Students will reside in hotels and residence halls in Lake District, London and Oxford, England and Edinburgh, Scotland. Group meals will be provided.

Program Costs

For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.

Application

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

In addition to the Short-term Application, interested students should submit a faculty recommendation. A personal interview will also be required.

For More Information

For additional information about the From Beatrix Potter to Harry Potter: A Survey of British Children’s Literature program, please contact the program director:

Dr. Joan Kindig
Associate Professor
Early, Elementary and Reading Education
Tel: 540-568-2933
E-mail: kindigjs@jmu.edu