a "forgotten" story

I set out looking for other interpretations of the dialogue between children, the devil, and Christ. I found an interesting web page, which addresses how children's books have changed from dealing exclusively with Biblical matters to sometimes nonsense. What initially interested me was the first illustration shown, "The Devil and the Disobedient Child."
I researched this relationship because I find the relationship between children and religion especially interesting. The Bible puts such a fear of the Devil into children's hearts, and many fairy tales aim to further this fear. Children are taught that the devil is present in almost all situations and to always be alert. I found the reading especially interesting because the child engages in conversation with the devil, which could be construed as a sin within itself.
I would like to contrast this to the reading for today. Although there are no illustrations in the reading, it seems that the child knows with whom he is talking to. Both the devil and Christ seem to be forthcoming with their identities. In the illustration that I found, the devil seems to be a shadowed figure who perhaps could assume any form. Also, I think it is of note that the disobedient child is a female, which we'll cover more in depth as the semester continues.
I also found it interesting that "The Devil and the Disobedient Child" is considered a forgotten book of the American Nursery. Although the plot may be lost, the general lesson is very much remembered and present in current children's literature. It can easily be seen in Little Red Riding Hood, as we discussed in class.
I think it is also important to discuss the fact that in children's literature the devil is often portrayed as a man. This could be related to the fact that early children's literature was based in biblical texts, and the Bible refers to the devil as a male figure. I could also see the devil as a male, especially in Little Red Riding Hood, when looking at Perrault's version as a cautionary tale perhaps related to male pedophiles.
I think when reading a text, it can prove insightful to look at different illustrations that relate to the text. This can help visual learners and can also showcase different interpretations of a relationship, as shown in this case.
I was trying to figure out which interpretation strategy religion would fit into, and perhaps it could be rooted in political criticism. And perhaps even further distilled into Christian Criticism. This also led me to look at the other reading in relation to the dialogue between Christ, the child, and the devil. In the "Casualties of the Rod" reading, children's bodies are viewed as places where God's disappointment materializes. Does this mean that children are closer to God/Christ than adults are?