Talking Tigers: Concepts of Representational Ethics Applied to Non-Human Characters in Writing Children’s Fiction

Mimi Thebo looks at the tradition of animal characters in children’s fiction and argues that the destruction of animal habitats and the reduction of non-human species intersect with colonial practice.

Abstract

This is a paper to open discussion about the representation of animals in children’s fiction. Arguing that the destruction of animal habitats and the reduction of non-human species intersect with colonial practice, the author looks at the tradition of animal characters in children’s fiction from a practitioner’s point of view. While appreciative of the emotional experiences animal characters provide, the author asks if ethical concepts of representation might be fruitfully applied to writing animals for young readers.