Children's literature

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the academic journal, see Children's Literature (journal).
"Children's book" redirects here. For the A. S. Byatt novel, see The Children's
Book.
"Children's story" redirects here. For the song, see Children's Story.

A mother reads to her children, depicted by Jessie Willcox Smith in a cover

illustration of a volume of fairy tales written in the mid to late 19th century.

The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883) is one of the best-selling books ever

published.[1]

The Little Prince (1943) is one of the best-selling books ever published.
Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines,
and poems that are enjoyed by children. Modern children's literature is
classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader.

Children's literature can be traced to stories and songs, part of a wider oral
tradition, that adults shared with children before publishing existed. The
development of early children's literature, before printing was invented, is
difficult to trace. Even after printing became widespread, many classic
"children's" tales were originally created for adults and later adapted for a
younger audience. Since the 15th century, a large quantity of literature, often
with a moral or religious message, has been aimed specifically at children.
The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries became known as the
"Golden Age of Children's Literature" as this period included the publication
of many books acknowledged today as classics.
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 interests to 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
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.