There are books that shape our childhood, and then there are books that quietly shape the way we see the world.
In this fascinating episode of Rearview Mirror Chronicles, Keith Hockton takes a fresh look at some of the most beloved children's classics ever written. From the tragic bedside story that gave the world Babar the Elephant, to the immigrant creators who invented France's greatest comic hero, Asterix, this is a journey through history, culture and the hidden messages tucked between the pages of our favourite bedtime stories.
Why did a gentle elephant in a green suit become the centre of fierce debates about colonialism? How did two outsiders create the most patriotic French comic of the twentieth century? And what should we do when cherished childhood books contain ideas that modern readers find deeply uncomfortable?
Warm, thought-provoking and often surprising, this episode explores the remarkable lives of the authors behind these timeless stories while asking a bigger question: are children's books ever really just for children?
You'll never look at your childhood bookshelf in quite the same way again.
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