ISL WEEK 1 LGA 3101

Definition of Children's Literature

(*This part is based on Lynch-Brown, C. & Tomlinson, C. (2005). Essentials of Childrens

Literature, 5th edition. Chapter 1. Learning about children and their literature.)

Definition: Childrens literature is good quality trade books for children from birth to adolescence, covering topics of relevance and intereststo children of those ages, through prose and poetry, fiction and nonfiction. (p. 3)
*Note: A trade book, by design and content, is primarily for the purpose of entertainment and information. Trade books are often referred to as library books and story books. They are different from textbooks, which are for the purpose of instruction.

A) Content

Topic: 1) experiences of childhood set in the past, present, or future (e.g., enjoying birthday parties, anticipating adulthood, getting a new pet, enduring siblings, and dealing with family situations); 2) things that are of interest to children (e.g., dinosaurs, Egyptian mummies, world records)

Manner: 1) stories are told in a forthright, humorous, or suspenseful manner (stories that are told in nostalgic or overly sentimental terms are inappropriate); 2) stories should emphasize the hope for a better future rather than the hopelessness and utter despair of the moment.

B) Quality The best childrens books offer readers enjoyment as well as memorable characters and situations and valuable insights into the human condition. (p. 4) Quality of writing:

originality and importance of ideas

ISL WEEK 1 LGA 3101

imaginative use of language beauty of literary and artistic style

*Note: Children usually enjoy reading fast-moving, adventure-filled, and easily predictable stories. These works have won no literary prizes, but they encourage children to read independently and read more.

Values of Literature to Children

(*This part is based on Lynch-Brown, C. & Tomlinson, C. (2005). Essentials of Childrens

Literature, 5th edition. Chapter 1. Learning about children and their literature.)

A) The Personal Value - enjoyment - Imagination and inspiration - vicarious experience - understanding and empathy - cultural heritage - moral reasoning - literary and artistic preferences B) The Academic Value - improving reading skills - developing writing voice and style - learning content-area knowledge - promoting art appreciation

ISL WEEK 1 LGA 3101

Children's Literature and Child Development

(*This part is based on 1) Lynch-Brown, C. & Tomlinson, C. (2005). Essentials of Childrens

Literature (5th edition). Chapter 1. Learning about children and their literature; and 2) Russell,
D. L. (2009). Literature for children: a short introduction (6th edition). Chapter 2. The study of childhood)

See a chart of children's developmental stages

Ages 0-2
sensorimotor period

- nursery rhymes for reading aloud - brief, plotless, concept books with brightly colored pictures - interactive books (e.g. touching and opening little doors) - often in the form of heavy, nontoxic cardboard or cloth books

Ages 2-4
pre-conceptual stage

- simple-plot picture storybooks and folktales for reading aloud - nursery rhymes for them to memorize - concept books including numbers, letters, and more complex concepts like opposites (e.g. counting books, word books, and illustrated dictionaries)

Ages 4-7 Beginning readers

intuitive stage

- easy-to-read picture storybooks, folktales, and rhymes for reading aloud, storytelling, and play-reading - informational books for beginning readers that help children find out about the world and how it works - they begin to understand the notion of stories, letter-sound relationship, left-to-right and top-to-bottom progression of print on the page, and a slight vocabulary

Ages 7-9 Transitional readers

period of concrete operations (7-11 years)

- longer picture books and short chapter books with simple, straightforward plots and writing styles - their interest in folktales begin to fall off by age 8; they show more interest in realistic stories and adventures of young characters

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Ages 9-12 Competent readers - sophisticated picture storybooks and novels (chapter books) with more complicated plots, including realistic fiction (survival stories, peer stories, animal stories, mysteries, and romances), historical fiction, and science fiction - series books containing similar topics, recurring characters, and formulaic patterns of plots

http://www2.nkfust.edu.tw/~emchen/CLit/Intro_def.htm