The Girl's Own Book

Nonsense Literature

Nonsense literature is often children’s literature — silly and lighthearted,
evoking wonder and the imagination as much as any fairy tale. Absurd
situations are presented as if they were ordinary, and nonsense words used
as if one could understand them. Playful illustrations increase the reader’s
enjoyment and sometimes, as with Tenniel’s illustration of the Jabberwock, provide an
essential clue as to the author’s intent.