Ukraine’s Voices to the World: Fieldwork in Ukrainian Children’s Literature

Abstract

This review evaluates Fieldwork in Ukrainian Children’s Literature (Routledge, 2023), an innovative interdisciplinary collection edited by Mateusz Świetlicki and Anastasia Ulanovich. It offers the first full-scale English-language scholarly analysis of Ukrainian children’s literature, tracing its development from folkloric roots to contemporary poetry, prose, picture books, and literature for young adults. It emphasizes its role in shaping national identity and cultural resilience amid historical challenges and prolonged conflict.

The book is praised for its well-structured composition. It is formed by three thematic sections that explore the origins of Ukrainian children’s literature, its development during periods of repression and Soviet censorship, and its vibrant contemporary revival. The authors of the chapters consider folklore, classical adaptations, Soviet ideological control, diasporic literature, and the resurgence of new genres and themes following independence. Particular attention is given to the function of literature as a cultural and political instrument that reflects and shapes Ukrainian identity, memory, and resistance. The book rightly emphasizes the growing international significance of Ukrainian children’s literature, especially through picture books that serve as cultural ambassadors in the context of the ongoing war.

Fieldwork in Ukrainian Children’s Literature is recognized as a significant academic and cultural achievement that places Ukrainian children’s literature within the global literary discourse. It demonstrates how literature for young readers acts as a powerful tool for forming identity, historical memory, and hope, offering both Ukrainian and international audiences a fresh perspective on a rich and evolving literary tradition.