Children and Adolescent Literature

EL 111

Introduction to the World Children’s Literature

Learning Objectives:
demonstrate their understanding of the importance of studying children and adolescent
literature, its concepts and its meaning;
demonstrate their understanding of the different genres through the types of literature
contributed by writers around the world;
discuss the different elements related to children and young adult literature.

Why do we need to study literature?

Literature is filled with ideas that need to be explored.

Literature helps us to see our world in new ways. it brings us to a deeper understanding
of life.

Good Story
A good story is about something the audience decides is interesting or important. A great
story often does both by using storytelling to make important news interesting.
A good story should alter you in some way. it should change your thinking, your feeling,
your psyche, or the way you look at things. A story is an abstract experience; it's rather
like venturing through a maze. When you come out of it, you should feel slightly changed
(Allen Say).
A good story, however, does more than inform or amplify. It adds value to the topic

Why reads children’s classic?

Some people mistakenly believed, that something written for children is necessarily
inferior, could not be a serious work of art. (Jill Paton Walsh)
Great children's stories are powerful, imaginative, and memorable; they resonate with
readers of all ages and have a lasting and profound impact. This site will examine a
selection of classic children’s novels as distinguished works of art. It will look at what
makes these novels notable and why they have such universal appeal. (Joseph Conrad)

Why should you care about children's literature?

Children who are read to, not only more articulate, but also have higher reasoning skills,
a more effective writing style, superior reading comprehension, and more advanced
critical thinking skills.
Stories teach children how to cope with life's challenges. They provide a trial run of life's
possibilities. They also transmit the accumulated wisdom and values of our culture.
Children learn through models and heroes
DEFINITION OF CHILDREN LITERATURE
Children’s literature is a term generally used to cover all literature for children and
adolescents, including oral literature, such as fairy tales and nursery rhymes, graphic
narratives and young adult literature” (Bland, 2013)
Children’s literature is a body of written works and accompanying illustrations produced
in order to entertain or instruct young people. The genre encompasses a wide range of
works, including acknowledged classics of world literature, picture books and easy-to-
read stories written exclusively for children, and fairy tales, lullabies, fables, folk songs,
and other primarily orally transmitted materials.
Children's literature includes books, poems, and plays meant for children. Even though
the genre is defined by its audience, children and adults alike enjoy stories intended for
children.
Children’s literature is a good-quality written work with the purpose of entertainment and
information intended primarily for children from birth to adolescence, covering topics of
relevance and interests to children that appropriately reflect the experiences and the
realms of childhood, through prose and poetry, fiction and nonfiction

IMPORTANCE OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

1. It allows the students to respond to literature
2. It teaches the student about their own heritage as well as that of others.
3. It nurtures emotional intelligence and creativity in students.
4. It fosters the growth and development of a student’s personality and social skills
5. It passes down important literature and themes from one generation to another.

Personal Value of Children’s Literature:

1. Enjoyment
2. Imagination and inspiration
3. Knowledge and insight
4. Understanding and empathy
5. Heritage and cultural identity
6. Moral Reasoning
7. Literary and artistic preference

ACADEMIC VALUE
1. It provides students the opportunity to respond to literature and develop their own
opinions about the topic.
2. It strengthens the cognitive development domain as it encourages deeper thoughts
about literature.
a) Instill a sense of love for literature
b) Aesthetic value (dramatization and arts)
c) Literary success
d) Improvement in social development
 3. Students learn to evaluate and analyze literature, as well as summarize and hypothesize
about the topic.
4. It helps students develop emotional intelligence.

Key themes and concerns in children's literature:

1. Home
2. School
3. Parents
4. Siblings
5. Godparents
6. Friendship
7. Toys, dolls
8. Pets and animals
9. Birthdays
10. Holidays
11. Magic and imagination