The well-known, much-loved publishing label Père Castor has played a major role in the history of French children's book publishing for about 100 years. This book series, a hallmark of the 1930s revival of picture books which includes many classics that are still being reissued, began to attract the interest of specialists in children's publishing and historians of children's literature and culture in the 1990s. 25 years after the start of this research, we would like to highlight the trends, approaches and subjects that run through the multidisciplinary and international explorations of this object of children's literary and visual heritage.

This issue is based on a partnership between the Association Française de Recherche sur les Livres et les Objets Culturels de l'Enfance (Afreloce) and the Père Castor Archives.

In 1931, the first Albums du Père Castor were published by Flammarion in a handy format, with highly legible typography allowing for different levels of reading. Among the first titles were activity books such as Je fais mes masques [Making my masks], Je découpe [Paper cut-outs], Masques de la jungle [Jungle masks] by Nathalie Parain (1897-1958) and Je fais mes jouets avec des plantes [Making my toys with plants] by Ruda (Jarušek Rudolf Václav, (1902-1983)). Different book series soon appeared, whose identities were based on the age of the target readers, themes such as discovering nature or the peoples of the world, diverse book formats or approaches. The "Roman des bêtes" was launched in 1934, followed by "Le Montreur d'images" in 1947 (the series was discontinued in 1958) and "Enfants de la Terre" in 1948, while the first Imagier [Picture dictionary] was published in 1952. The 1980s saw the development of four series, each associated with a particular age group, under the Castor poche label. Since 1989, Père Castor has also offered audio support for its books. And the stories were adapted into cartoons in 1993. This publishing history goes hand in hand with educational experiments carried out in the aftermath of the Second World War. The Centre de recherche biblio-pédagogique de l'atelier du Père Castor opened in 1946, followed by an experimental school the following year.

This issue provides an opportunity to bring together research that can offer a fresh look at the many aspects of Père Castor's publishing, educational and archival activities. Since the conference organised in Pougues-les-eaux in 1998, a number of studies have looked at the role of Père Castor in the revival of picture books, or at the publishing policies of the series and the contribution of Russian illustrators. They have also helped to showcase Paul Faucher, his activities as a publisher, his links with the Education nouvelle movement and his educational thinking. This issue focuses more closely on the contextualisation of the series within the different time periods through which it has passed, within the history of children's publishing, which is now better known, the network of contributors who have been active since its creation and throughout its history, and the ideological debates that have run through the twentieth century in the fields of education, ecology, colonial policies, etc. It may include case studies or broader perspectives.

Priority will be given to articles based on the consulting of collections and archives that have not yet been enhanced, or even looked at. These include the Père Castor Archives (Meuzac), recently inscribed on the Memory of the World International Register. Please refer to the detailed presentation of this collection by Anaïs Charles, the person currently in charge of its conservation, which was pre-published in Le Magasin des enfants.

The articles may address (but are not limited to):

1- The editorial policies of the various periods marked in particular by the creation of the different series and by the successive series editors: Paul Faucher (1931-1967), François Faucher (1967-1996), Hélène Wadowski (1996-2019), Céline Dehaine (since 2019); the evolution of the activity in particular periods such as the Second World War or the emergence of a mass market in the 1960s; the Association des amis du Père Castor, founded by François Faucher in 1996, and its republishing campaigns; the organisation and activities of L'École du Père Castor.

2- Paul Faucher's involvement in various networks and the importance of collective work in designing complementary teaching activities and educational projects. This could involve an in-depth examination of Paul Faucher's links with different movements (Education nouvelle, Scouting), institutions (Musée de l'homme and Museum d'histoire naturelle), individuals (authors, illustrators or other collaborators such as Jean Baucomont), etc.

3- Cultural and artistic transfers and circulation, which can be explored in articles devoted to translations, their evolution over time and, more broadly, the way in which the picture books are perceived as educational and publishing projects abroad. The contributions of foreign illustrators may also be considered.

4- The use of complementary teaching activities in nursery, pre-school and primary schools, from a diachronic perspective, for example in the field of reading didactics. The history of reading aloud and drawing initiation projects could be another focal point.

5- The editors will also take into consideration cross-cutting thematic analyses (family, nature, etc.), approaches to the book series from contemporary critical perspectives (gender studies, post-colonial studies, eco-criticism, etc.) or studies devoted to certain types of books, such as picture dictionaries, which are still rarely considered.

Proposals (approximately one page in length) should be sent by 25 September 2023 to strenae@revues.org. Final articles will be due on 3 February 2024.

The following bibliography is indicative; the issue will include a detailed bibliography.

Presentation of the Père Castor archives and inventory of available holdings: https://maisonduperecastor.fr/pere-castor

We offer here an indicative bibliography; the issue will include a detailed bibliography.

Presentation of the Père Castor archives and inventoyr of available collections : https://maisonduperecastor.fr/pere-castor