distance' of homes (scrubby bushes and hedges, disused buildings). There are now two academic journals devoted to this area, the Journal of Children's Geographies and Play & Folklore. It has occasionally been central to feature films, such as the Our Gang ("Little Rascals") series, Ealing's Hue and Cry (1947) and some Children's Film Foundation films such as Go Kart, Go! and Soap Box Derby. Since the advent of distractions such as video games, Internet, and television, concerns have been expressed about the vitality or survival of children's street culture. The effects of the automobile on society have also been blamed for the decline in children's street culture, due to the safety concerns of children playing outside; between 1922 and 1933, over 12,000 children in England and Wales were killed in accidents involving motor vehicles. Children's urban legends Many informal groups of small children will develop some level of superstitious beliefs about their local area. For instance, they may believe that there are certain places that are "unlucky" to step on (e.g.: certain large cracks in a sidewalk) or touch (e.g.: gateposts of a certain color) or pass beyond (such as the end of the sidewalk, beyond which is another dimension inhabited by the bogeyman), or that an old woman is a "witch", or that an abandoned house is "haunted". But in some extreme circumstances, a consistent myth may emerge among young children, and across a large area. One example dates from 1997; the Miami New Times published Lynda Edwards' report "Myths Over Miami", which describes a huge consistent mythology spreading among young homeless children in the American South. The story has been picked up and reprinted many times on internet blogs and websites. There is no known verification or confirmation that the mythology she describes actually exists, but these "secret stories" are clearly based on known elements of street culture, such as labeling certain places "haunted" or recycling legends of dangerous spirits such as Bloody Mary. The article was the basis for Mercedes Lackey's novel Mad Maudlin, co-written with Rosemary Edghill. See also References Works cited Ervin Beck. "Children's Guy Fawkes Customs in Sheffield", Folklore, 95 (1984), 191-203. David Sobel. Children's Special Places: Exploring the Role of Forts, Dens, and Bush Houses in Middle Childhood (2001). Further reading Non-fiction Simon Bronner. American Children's Folklore (1988). Robin C. Moore. Childhood's Domain: Play and Place (1986). (In-depth advanced study of three small