There is much in the history of children's books in English with a South African connection that remains to be explored. To begin with, not all writing for children set in South Africa has been identified. Information about many of the authors is scarce. To the best of my knowledge, no advanced research into any author's papers and correspondence has been undertaken. Little is known about the readership of the literature and its reception, both popular and critical, while its publishing history is only now beginning to be researched. Studies that integrate English-language children's literature into the broader literary history of South Africa are needed.

In what follows I indicate some significant sources that I am aware of or have found useful in my own research (for example, Jenkins 1993, 2002, 2006) and give specific suggestions for areas of research and the relevant sources. The first part gives published sources chronologically according to when the literature was published. After that, I discuss libraries, their catalogues and holdings separately.

Nineteenth-century literature in English

Information about children's literature published in the nineteenth century that features South Africa can be found in bibliographies, catalogues, critical studies, historical and reference books, and academic journals.

General critical and historical studies of the literature of the period, particularly ones about South Africa by academics who are not really interested in children's literature (for example M. van Wyk Smith 1990 and Chapman 1996) or books on topics such as colonial literature (for example Brantlinger 1988) mention only a few children's books with a South African connection, and the authors are not particularly careful about what they write. They are inclined to get titles and dates wrong, and repeat inaccurate information and opinions obtained at second hand. (Allan Quatermain must be the most misspelt character's name in English literature, even though it was a genuine surname that Rider Haggard borrowed from a neighbour.)

International studies of nineteenth-century children's books in English are a good source, as some of the prolific adventure writers and women writers for children that they discuss, such as G.A. Henty, L.T. Meade and Bessie Marchant, set some of their stories in South Africa.