Children’s Literature

1. Children’s Literature By: Paige Turpin TR 11:00-12:30

2. Biography • Different Types of Biographies: • Biography • Autobiography • Memoirs • Biographies can be: • Individual • Partial • Complete • Collective • Fictionalized • Authentic • Contemporary • Interpretive • Biography in the Classroom: • Helps readers develop their concepts of historical time • Can see their lives in relation to those in the past • Also supports studies in other content areas • Can enliven social studies curriculum in conjunction with historical fiction & nonfiction

3. Biography Cont.

4. Contemporary Realistic • Popular Formats of Realistic Fiction: • Chapter Books in a series • Novels in verse • Graphic Novels • Picturebooks, Short Stories, & Novels • Distinctive Types of Realistic Fiction: • Adventure & Survival Stories • Animal Stories • Mysteries & Thrillers • Sports Stories • Humorous Stories • Themes in Realistic Fiction: • Coming of Age • Peer & Family Relationships • Current Issues

5. Contemporary Realistic Cont. • Contemporary Realistic Fiction Provides: • An opportunity to connect to children’s lives • Opens new paths of communication between students and teachers • Informs children with other cultures and communities

6. Fantasy/Science Fiction • What is Fantasy/Science Fiction? • Imaginative narratives that explores alternate realities; set in worlds that do not correspond to present realities. • Writers of fantasy & science fictions often write about issues & ideas that are difficult to explore in realistic fiction for children. Such as the consequences of war, cruelty, enslavement, or greed. There are so many topics that can be explored. • Science fiction differs from fantasy in that the future realities are based from science principles. • Value of Fantasy & Science Fiction: • Opens doors to imagination • Opens doors to other types of literature • Science Fiction is a vehicle for change • Types of Fantasy: • Animal Fantasy • Miniature Worlds or Other Worlds

7. Fantasy/ScienceFiction Cont. • Time Slips & magic • Literary Lore • Quest Tales or Hero’s Quest • Types of Science Fiction: • Mind Control • Life in the Future • Survival of Science • Physical Survival • Survival of Science • Struggle of cultures • Struggle of physical & emotional survival • Fantasy/Science Fiction in the classroom: • Provides flexibility & expansion of the imagination • Pushes readers to consider thought-provoking issues

8. Folklore/Traditional Literature • Patterns of Folklore: • Conventions • Motifs • Recurring obvious element • Magical objects, spells, curses, or wishes as the center of the plot • Trickery or outwitting someone else • Themes • Types of Folklore: • Mother Goose & Nursery Rhymes • Folktales • Types of Folktales: • Cumulative Tales • Pourquoi • Talking Animals • Noodlehead Tales • Fairy Tales • Tall Tales

9. Folklore/Traditional Literature • Trickster Tales • Variants of Folktales • Fables • Mythology • Hero Tales; Epics & Legends • Folk Songs • Fractured Fairy Tales & Literary Folklore

10. Historical Fiction • What is Historical Fiction? • Tells a story … imaginative stories grounded in facts from our past. • Does not focus on facts, but uses them to re-create a time & place. • Facts are thrown into a fictional story. • Value of Historical Fiction: • Helps children discover their own place in the history of their family. • Helps them to discover their own place in history of their world. • Can give them a sense of historical importance of their own lives. • Make the past alive, real, and meaningful. • Gives children a sense of today’s issues: freedom, prejudice, self-knowledge, or social justice. • Strengthens their understanding of history. • History can be studied in different ways: • As a genre or by theme • Chronological period • According to topics in a social studies curriculum

11. Nonfiction/Informational • Nonfiction describes books of information & fact. • Informational books that are nonfiction present current knowledge and things, people, or events in our universe. • How do you determine if a book is nonfiction? • Does the book have an illustrator or photographer? • Are acknowledgments included? • Does the book have the words juvenile literature on the front? • These types of books usually have a negative responses. Why? • Not used for pleasure reading • Children find this section in the library unrewarding • Reputation of being boring

12. Nonfiction/Informational Cont. • These books are used across the curriculum. • Science • Social Studies • Math • Language • Art • OrbisPictus Award is given to outstanding nonfiction children’s books. • The award is based on 4 different criteria: • Accuracy • Organization • Design • Style

13. Poetry • Poetry can: • Make us smile • Create images • Express feelings • Stir emotions • Promotes learning • Uses only a few words to say a great deal • It sings as it says • Contains rhythm and repetition • Has layers of meaning • The natural language of childhood • Categories of Poetry Books: • Generalized • Individualized • Specialized • Picture Book Poem Children like poetry they can understand easily!

14. Poetry cont. • Forms of Poetry: • Narrative • Ballads • Verse Novels • Lyrical Poetry • Form Poetry: • Shape Poetry • Haiku • Free Verse • Elements of Poetry: • Alliteration • Assonance • Onomatopoeia • Consonance • Rhyme • Rhythm • Personification • Figurative Language • Simile • Metaphor

15. References • Children’s Literature Notes: Dr. Murphy • Textbook: Literature and the Child by Lee Galda/Bernice E. Cullinan/Lawrence R. Sipe