Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association

This essay begins by calling for postcolonial ecocritical attention to canonical and classic children’s books, many of which were produced between the Victorian period and the mid-twentieth century, a period characterized by the peak of British imperialism, incredible global environmental change, and the development of imperial conservation practices and environmental ideas that remain with us today. It argues that reading such texts through a postcolonial ecocritical lens will help us decolonize “green” children’s literature and provide key insights for scholars working on issues of empire, nature, and the environment. Then, to develop a model for this kind of criticism and demonstrate its value, the essay explicates the imperial politics of C.S. Lewis’ representation of nonhuman nature and environmental stewardship in The Chronicles of Narnia. While the series does express a deep reverence for nature and condemns its exploitation, the essay complicates readings that have claimed it as a tool to teach children to appreciate and protect nature by showing how its environmental vision is rooted in imperial ideology.