Brian Sutton-Smith 
Children’s Folklore [PDF ebook] 
A Source Book

A collection of orginal essays by scholars from a variety of fields— includng American studies, folklore, anthropology, pyschology, sociology, and education—Children’s Folklore: A Source Book moves beyond traditional social-science views of child development. It reveals the complexity and artistry of interactions among children, challenging stereotypes of simple childhood innocence and conventional explanations of development that privilege sober and sensible adult outcomes. Instead, the play and lore of children is shown to be often disruptive, wayward, and irrational.