Dangers, strangers and uncertainties are often discussed in children's books. Literature helps express common fears faced in childhood, such as darkness of a room, the stress of change or sounds in the night. In Maurice Sendak's illustrated story, "Where the Wild Things Are," the main character runs away and ends up in a land of scary-looking creatures. He soon discovers that there is no place like home. Don Freeman writes about a bear's search for love during a dark night in his classic tale, "Corduroy."
Fairy tales are types of narratives that feature folkloric characters such as giants, trolls and fairies. The stories take place a long time ago rather than in present time. Folkloric themes found in children's books are intended to provide a lesson. Ichabod Crane becomes the center of a ghost story in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." One of the most famous Grimm's fairy tales is "Hansel and Gretel." The siblings save their lives by outwitting a cannibalistic witch. Jack grows a beanstalk that reaches the sky in another classic fairy tale.
The fantasy genre uses magic and supernatural phenomena as the main element of the plot. Readers are transported to far away, fictional worlds. Animals can speak and children can become key figures in such magical places. The "Chronicles of Narnia" series by C.S. Lewis is set in a fictional world where magic is common and good battles evil. The town of Chewandswallow rains food in Judi Barrett's "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs."
Children's books with themes focused on cultural diversity present perspectives about the lives and contributions of another group or class. Readers learn to appreciate others whose families, gender roles and disabilities do not reflect their own lifestyles. Karen Katz' "The Colors of Us" illustrates the many shades of brown seen walking through a neighborhood. "Too Many Tamales" by Gary Soto introduces readers to Maria, a young Mexican girl who helps her mother make Christmas corn tamales for the first time.