Die baie lewens van Balkie: tegnologie, kinderliteratuur, grense, hibriditeit

Abstract

The electronic era brought along fundamental changes in society, including changes in literature and children's literature. Digital media, such as the Internet, influence writing strategies and children's literature, which result in literary changes (content, theme, literary techniques and forms), functional changes, and change in status. In the process, borders are influenced in various ways that also contribute to the process of hybridisation of texts. The Afrikaans author Martie Preller's work reflects characteristics which are associated with a changing society, digital technology and postmodernist techniques. Focusing on Preller's Balkie texts which were produced over a period of thirteen years, the article discusses relevant tendencies in recent children's literature.