ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

TOPIC 1 - INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Children’s literature, the body of written works and accompanying illustrations produced in order
to entertain or instruct young people.

The following are some of the purpose and value of children’s literature and its studies
for the child development and education.

1. Children’s literature provides encounters with the world that shape the meaning children
make of the world (Kiefer, Hepler, Hickman, Huck, 2007).
2. Having a vicarious or “lived through” experience with literature, builds readers’ aesthetic
responses and perceptions (Rosenblatt, 1978).
3. Reading literature increases one’s sensitivity to the power of the written word (Sipe, 2008)
and contributes to visual expression (Brenner, 2011; Sipe, 2011).
4. it gives students appreciation about their own cultural heritage as well as those of
others;(Norton, 2010)
5. It helps students develop emotional intelligence. Stories have the power to promote
emotional and moral development. Children’s literature “contains numerous moments of
crisis, when characters make moral decisions and contemplate the reasons for their
decisions,” an important skill for children to see modeled (Norton, 2010)
6. Children’s literature is of value because it is a timeless tradition, one in which “books are
the major means of transmitting our literary heritage from one generation to the next”
(Norton, 2010,)

HISTORY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: CLASSICAL WORLD GREEK AND ROMAN 500

BCE TO 400 BCEZ

How did Children’s literature begin?

All literature began with the ancient art of storytelling. Our ancestors told stories to
entertain each other, to comfort each other, to instruct the young in the lessons of living, to pass
on their religious and cultural heritage. Storytelling is an integral part of every world culture.

Were all stories dedicated for children’s entertainment?

In early times, people did not distinguish between adult and children's literature. Children
heard and, presumably, enjoyed the same stories as their parents, whether they were the
adventurous tales of cultural heroes-as retold by Homer in 7le Iliad and 7le Odyssey-or the
wondrous tales of gods and demons and magic spells and talking animals-as are found
throughout the world.

How did Children’s literature flourish in the classical times?

5th Century BCE in GREECE – birthplace of Western Culture and it is where our story begins.

Children grew up with the stories of the;

 Trojan War (from Homer's Iliad) and of the travels of Odysseus (from Homer's Odyssey)
 Jason and the Golden Fleece and the adventures of Hercules.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

 They also knew of the now-famous fables attributed to the slave Aesop, believed to be a
teacher, writing to instruct his students in cultural and personal values.

1st Century CE in ROME

The children undoubtedly knew;

 Homer's tales
 Virgil's Aeneid
 Wildly imaginative tales of Ovid's Metamorphoses, the tales of the gods, goddesses,
heroes, and heroines of the classical world

How did these classical eras in literature affect and influence us until this day?
The power of these ancient stories remains with us, and modern writers and illustrators frequently
turn to the Greek and Roman myths for inspiration and retelling.

Our culture is filled with references to these Classical stories and these stories are both
exciting and an important part of our cultural heritage-they should not be missed.

 Achilles' heels  Galaxies and star clusters

 Herculean tasks  Days of the week
 The Midas touch  Months of the year
 Pandora's box  Automobile tires
 Sour grapes (a reference to one of  Tennis shoes-all bear names of
Aesop's fables). classical gods and heroes.
 Planets

Modern novels that live today and children continue to find them fascinating

 Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

 Disney’s Hercules(1997)

The following characteristics are depicted in the Classical World Greek and Roman
literature:

1. Characterized by oral storytelling

2. Composed of Greek and Roman myths and Epics
3. Children heard presumably, enjoyed the same stories as their parents, whether they were
the adventurous tales of cultural heroes.
4. Fables emerged during those times through Aesop. The theme and characters appeal to
children and the stories are often humorous and entertaining for kids of all ages. These
illustrate a particular moral and teach a lesson to children and kids.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

TOPIC 2 - HISTORY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: MIDDLE AGES 476 CE- 1400

Bede (also Saint Bede, or the Venerable Bede) (673–735)

 "The father of English history"

 He was a monk and an early historian of the Church in England.
 He was a member of the sister Northumbrian monasteries of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow.
 He is well known as an author and scholar, whose best-known work.

Middle ages were also called the Dark ages (c. 5th–15th century).

 Asserts that a demographic, cultural, and economic deterioration occurred in Western

Europe following the decline of the Roman Empire.
 The negative view of the so-called “Dark Ages” became popular largely because most of
the written records of the time had a strong Rome-centric bias.
 It is one of the most fascinating periods in history, popularised by Magna Carta, the Black
Death, and the Hundred Years' War.
 Poverty was widespread and life for the average person was very difficult-much harsher
than it had been in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds.
 Education was a luxury, and few people could read or write.
 Books were extremely rare and expensive, for they had to be hand copied on costly
parchment.

What stories did they recite?

Biblical stories were among the most popular-both Old and New Testament-and so were
the stories of the lives of saints of the church.

The lives of saints were used to set examples for young people. In addition to religious
tales, nonreligious-secular-stories were also popular.

The romantic tales that surely thrilled many children-and adults;

 Legendary ring Arthur

 Knights of the Round Table or of the great heroes Roland (from France)
 The Cid (from Spain)
 Beowulf (from the Norse)
What other literary works were from this period?

 Rosemary Sutcliff's Dragon Slayer (1976)

 The Light Beyond the Forest (1979)
 The Sword and the Circle (1981)
 The Road to Camlann (1981).

Arthurian stories transformed into modern picture books;

 Selma Hastings's - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1981)

ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

 Barbara Cooney's - Chanticletrand the Fox (1958) adapted from Chaucer

Our entire reading experience is enriched if we know the stories of;

 Adam and Eve

 Cain and Abel
 Noah and the flood
 Jonah and the whale
 Tower of Babel-side by side with those of King Arthur and Sir Launcelot and Queen
Guinevere
The following are characteristics depicted in children’s literature of the middle ages:
1. Religious tales/ Biblical stories
2. Set examples for children, for a didactic purpose
3. Created a mixture of realism and fantasy
4. Romantic Tales/ Legends

TOPIC 3 - HISTORY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: RENAISSANCE PERIOD 1400- 1700

Renaissance

 A new era began in Europe around 1400

 A term meaning “rebirth” because people saw it as a rebirth of the ideals of ancient Greece
and Rome-their art, literature, philosophy, and especially their respect for learning.
Hornbook

 A form of children’s primer common in both England and America from the late 16th to
the late 18th century.
 A sheet containing the letters of the alphabet was mounted on a wooden frame and
protected with thin, transparent plates of horn.
 The frame was shaped like a table-tennis paddle, had a handle, and was usually hung at
the child’s belt.
Important events happened during this time period:

 In 1450 - a German named Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable-type printing

press-said by many to be the most significant invention of the last thousand years. The
Chinese originally developed the technology, but the Europeans put it to practical use
 The printing press make multiple copies of books in a fraction of the time it took to hand
copy them.
 In just a few decades, books became plentiful.
Factors influenced books for children in this era;

 Most books specifically for children were textbooks or educational books.

 Sir Thomas Elyot's The Book Named the Governor (1531) and Roger Ascham's 7Pe
Scholemaster (1570) are two examples of "books of courtesy," giving lessons in proper
behavior for young gentlemen.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

 A religious period and during this time the hatred between the Roman Catholics and the
Protestants resulted in much bloodshed.
 John Foxe's Book of Martyrs (1563) - one of the most popular books among England's
schoolchildren which is an anti-Catholic work filled with grisly scenes of violent deaths for
religion's sake
 John Comenius's Orbis Sensttaliurn Pictus(1658) - first children's picture book and was
intended as a textbook for the teaching of Latin through pictures.
The following are characteristics depicted in children’s literature of the renaissance
period:
1. Rise of educational books
2. Promoted mass education
3. helped to keep interest in traditional tales
4. The printing press made it possible to make multiple copies of books
5. The emphasis was on spiritual and intellectual development
6. Emphasized giving lessons in proper behavior for boys
7. Emergence of Chapbooks (small ad cheaply made books containing fairy tale)
8. Books were too expensive to be used by children, so the hornbook was created for them
around 1550. It was the first permanent book.

TOPIC 4 - HISTORY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: THE 18TH AND EARLY 19TH

CENTURY
John Newbery (1713-1767)

 English publisher
 His publication A Little Pretty Pocket Book (1744) is one of the first published children's
books designed to entertain children as well as to teach them.
 In 1781 his firm published the first collection of nursery rhymes associated with Mother
Goose.
 He is commemorated by the Newbery Medal, awarded annually since 1922 by the
American Library Association for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature
in the United States.

How did people’s view of the child shift from the renaissance to the eighteenth century?

 Prior to the17th and 18th century - people from the English world did not think of childhood
as a separate stage of development. Instead, they looked at children simply as small
adults.
 17th – 18th centuries - adults began to look at their children differently.
 John Locke's theorized childhood as distinctly separate from adulthood, and such ideas
proliferated.
 18th century in particular - the English began to perceive children as imprintable individuals
who could be taught morals and conduct. To support this new thinking, authors began to
write literature for children with the intent of teaching them. The goal of children's literature
was didactic.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

What other new trends in children’s books emerged in these periods of time?
TABULA RASA – formulated by John Locke. It is notion that the minds of young children were
similar to blank slates waiting to be filled up.
Early 19th century - The didactic element in children's books persisted.
The Tales of Mother Goose, originally retold by the Frenchman Charles Perrault (1628-1703),
was first translated and published in English.
These retelling of old stories that soon became staples in English nurseries;

 Cinderella
 Little Red Riding Hood
 Sleeping Beauty in the Wood
In the middle of the 18th century Mme. de Beaumont a Frenchwoman retold numerous fairy
stories with a moral purpose including;

 Beauty and the Beast

 The Three Wishes
In about 1791 - John Newbery's successor, Elizabeth Newbery published the first children's
edition of the Middle Eastern Tales from the Arabian Nights, featuring Sinbad the Sailor, Aladdin
and his lamp, and others.
Beginning of the 19th century

 Two German brothers, Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) Grimm, collected a
great number of folktales and published them (once again not expressly for children), and
the Grimms' tales are still the most famous of all collections.
 The Grimms also inspired a flurry of folktale collecting throughout Europe, including Hans
Christian Andersen in Denmark and Asbjornsen and Moe in Norway.
By the end of the 19th century

 Folk rhyme collections were equally popular.

 The collectors Joseph Jacobs (English Fairy Tales) and Andrew Lang (The Blue Fairy
Book, The Red Fairy Book, and so on) were delighting children and adults alike.
The following are characteristics depicted in children’s literature of the 18th and early
19th Century:
1. Children's books are more common, many designed to instruct with little entertainment
value.
2. Stories proved that good children were always rewarded, sometimes just by a virtuous
death; bad children inevitably suffered and were punished
3. Dramatic changes happened in the book world in the 19th Century and many new
techniques were tested on the child market.
4. Illustration and color printing remake the book and the text based black and white
children's book of 1801 to multi-color, multi-image books in 1899. Such illustrated covers
made books more interesting to children and more saleable to parents.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

TOPIC 5 - HISTORY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: THE VICTORIAN ERA/GOLDEN ERA:

LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY
Queen Victoria (1819-1901)

 Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until 1901.
 The second longest reign of any other British monarch in history.
The period of Queen Victoria's reign (from 1837 until her death in 1901)

 Marked by sweeping progress and ingenuity.

 It was the time of the world's first Industrial Revolution, political reform and social change,
Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin, a railway boom and the first telephone and
telegraph.
 The Victorian Era also saw a demise of rural life as cities rapidly grew and expanded, long
and regimented factories.
How did these industrial and social changes affect the stories or children?

 Before children's literature could fully mature, it had to abandon the shackles of moral
didacticism that was more interested in the message than literary quality.
 These books tended to offer up what adults believed was good for children, not necessarily
what children themselves enjoyed. It was not until the later nineteenth century that talented
writers who were committed to writing entertaining stories for children-as opposed to
morality tales began to emerge.
 These quality writing in literature cased this period to be considered as the first "Golden
Age" of children's books during the reign of Britain's Queen Victoria-hence the Victorian
Period.

What are the notable books written for children at this time?

 British children's literature was dominated by the adventure or boys' stories (including the
so-called schoolstoy) and by fantasy stories.
 Robert Louis Stevenson - Treasure Island which has become the quintessential pirate
story
 R. M. Ballantyne - The Coral Island 1857, a Robinsonnade or survival story inspired by
Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.
 American boys of the nineteenth century enjoyed adventure stories, but the Americans
preferred stories set in their own country.
 Samuel L. Clemens better known as Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
(1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)
Aside from the adventure or boy’s stories, what other books for children became
prominent at this time?

 FANTASY STORIES - The glory of this first "Golden Age", and at the top of the list must
naturally be Lewis Carroll (the pseudonym for Charles Dodgson, a mathematics professor
at Oxford), whose Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) abandoned all the rules for
children.
 Sir John Tenniel's - This book and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass (1871/2)
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

 J. M. Barrie wrote Peter Pan (1904), originally a play and eventually a prose story entitled
Peter and Wendy (1911), is still popular today as ever it was.
 Kenneth Grahame - The Wind in the Willows (1908), one of the most enduring of animal
fantasies.
 L. Frank Baum's - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) - an American fantasy from this
early period bears.
What other notable changes in the world of children’s literature was brought by the
Victorian period?

 Louisa May Alcott’s - Little Women (1868), which is still popular today.
 Comic strips (which first cropped up in the Victorian era).
 Yellowbacks or yellow-back literature, sold for ten cents.
 Children's magazines.
 The popular Aunt Judy's Magazine in Britain appealed largely to girls, whereas Union Jack
and Pluck were quite clearly for boys.
 Youth’s Companion (1827 to 1929) - the first and longest lived of the American periodicals
The following are characteristics depicted in children’s literature of the Victorian period:
1. Rapidly developing technology that made possible still cheaper books along with high-
quality hll-color printing.
2. Talented writers started to write entertaining stories for children-as opposed to morality
tales began to emerge.
3. The slow, but inexorable, rise of the status of women (who have dominated children's
writing from the end of the eighteenth century)
4. The growth of widespread educational opportunities, including mandatory education
legislation in both the United States and Great Britain, creating more readers
5. The continued growth of the middle class, which further broadened the reading audience.
6. Comic Strips, Children’s magazines, Yellowbacks/ Yellow-back Literature, Domestic or
Girl’s stories.

TOPIC 6 - HISTORY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: WORLD WAR II TO PRESENT.

World War II

 also called Second World War

 conflict that involved virtually every part of the world during the years 1939–45.
 40,000,000–50,000,000 deaths incurred that make it the bloodiest conflict
 the largest war in history.
The principal belligerents were the Axis powers;
 Germany
 Italy
 Japan
The Allies
 France
 Great Britain
 United States
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

 The Soviet Union

 China.

What changed to the peoples' perception of the child in this period?

 Studies in child psychology, especially those by Jean Piaget.

 Advances in early childhood education by Maria Montessori that helped to refocus
concerns on the development of the child as an individual.
 In 1946 Dr. Benjamin Spock published The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care,
which revolutionized how society as a whole looked at children.
 Spock's influence was widespread and he used it to advocate for the personal needs of
the child over the requirements of society, which in turn nurtured such movements as the
empowerment of children in the classroom, the advocacy of children's rights in the legal
system, indeed, the entire "youth culture" that has dominated Western society for the last
half century.

How did this new view about the child influence children’s literature?

 In this atmosphere, children's literature began to flourish on a variety of fronts. The theme
running through all the literature of this period is the focus on children themselves their
likes, dislikes, triumphs, and tragedies.
 The didactic, adult tone of so much of early children's literature no longer succeeded in
this new child-centered environment-and, indeed, adults are often depicted in an
unflattering light in these new books, for they are portrayed as children often see them
(and undoubtedly as they sometimes are). Today's world of children's literature has proven
to be rich and exciting.

Who are some of the most popular authors of this time?

 C. S. Lewis's Narnia chronicles - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 1950, and
sequels
 Mary Norton's - The Borrowers (1952) and sequels
 Lucy Boston's - Green Knowe series (The Children Of Green Knowe, 1954), and sequels
 E. B. White's - Charlotte's Web (1952)
 Philippa Pearce's - Tom's Midnight Garden (1956),
 Natalie Babbitt's - Tuck Everlasting (1975)
 J. K. Rowling - Harry Potter series and the Sorcerer's Stone, 1998)
 Lois Lowry's - The Giver (1993)
The following are characteristics depicted in children’s literature after World War II:

1. Focus on real children (animal and toy characters, although still found, especially in books
for the very young, are relatively rare)
2. Modern fantasy does not have the romantic and escapist quality found in much of the
fantasy written between the two world wars.
3. Greater realism in children's books.
4. The family story has been perpetuated in a way that has given a less romanticized vision
of the family.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

5. The other notable trend in modern realism is what has come to be known as the new
realism, characterized by a franker and more open approach to subjects once thought
taboo in children's books: sexuality, violence, drugs, war, and so on.
6. To correct the cultural disparity that once prevailed in children's literature-through the
1950s, it was virtually impossible to find a children's book that included any but very white
children. The disparity is still apparent, but at least it is now possible to find books about
African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and a wide variety of world
cultures-all written for children.
7. In this new child-centered environment, adults are often depicted in an unflattering light in
these new books, for they are portrayed as children often see them.

TOPIC 7 - BOOK FORMATS FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

DIFFERENT BOOK FORMATS
1. Picture Books

 Norton (2010) explained that most children’s books are illustrated, but not all illustrated
children’s books are picture books.
 What makes a picture book distinctive is that it conveys its message through a series of
pictures with only a small amount of text (or none at all).
 The illustrations are as important as—or more important than—the text in conveying the
message. Books that have no text at all are called wordless or textless books.
2. Easy-to Read books

 Simple to recognize because they are read independently by children, the books are
smaller than regular picture books.
 The pages look very different.
 The illustrations are designed to give clues to the meanings of the words, but the pictures
are smaller and less profuse, allowing the text to take up a greater proportion of each
page.
 Restricted vocabulary. Usually fewer than 250 different words appear in a book, and these
are arranged in short simple sentences, often with word patterns, repeated text, and even
rhyming lines to make decoding new words easier.
 The difficulty of the vocabulary is also controlled, with the majority of the words having
only one syllable.
3. Illustrated books

 As children develop, books made for them have illustrations that convey part of the
message, but the text is needed for the complete story line (picture storybooks).
 The text itself could stand alone.
 Though the illustrations depict what is happening in the story, they do not provide new
information. The text is clearly more important than the illustrations.
4. Graphic novels

 It defined as novels whose stories are told through a combination of illustrations and text.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

 They are longer than picture books (about 64 to 128 pages), and instead of full-page
illustrations the story is most often presented in illustrated panels similar to comic books.
5. Chapter books

 As children approach adolescence, the books targeted for them become longer and have
even fewer illustrations.
 Sometimes the only illustration is the picture on the book jacket or cover. This format is
commonly referred to as the juvenile novel or junior novel.
 Lynch-Brown and Tomlinson (1999) describe the nonfiction chapter book as a format that
features a large amount of text organized into chapters.
 In nonfiction chapter book graphics and illustrations are common but are still less
important than the text. Almost all biographies, with the exception of picture book
biographies, appear in this format.
6. Hardcover Books

 The publisher’s hardcover editions are the highest-quality books.

 Covers are usually constructed of heavy-duty cardboard covered with quality glossy
paper.
 The pages of the book are sewn together, and they are held inside the cover by sturdy
endpapers that are glue to the inside of the front and back covers.
 Hardcover books are durable, and the high-quality paper ensures the best color
reproduction of illustrations.
 Hardcover books are expensive.
7. Paperback Books
Most books are first issued in hardcover and later are issued in paperback to reach a new market
of buyers looking for less costly books. Usually the pages of softcover books are made of
somewhat lower-quality paper. Instead of being sewn, the pages are glued together and then
glued to a stiff paper cover. Quality paperback books can be identified because they have a spine.
8. Merchandise books

 Merchandise books are found in drugstores and large discount chain stores.
 They are much less likely to be found in libraries or bookstores.
 The primary purpose is to sell something—movie tickets, dolls and toys, backpacks,
admission to theme parks, and countless other things.
9. Series books
Have you ever read a book that was so good you felt disappointed when you were finished
because you wanted to know what would happen next to the characters? That is why authors
write sequels. When a sequel to a sequel is written, it makes a trilogy. If the author writes a fourth
related book, it becomes a series. All the books in a series will have some unifying element, such
as characters or themes
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

10. eBooks
Newest on the scene are ebooks (electronic books). They can be downloaded from a variety of
sources such as Project Gutenberg and an Internet bookstore.
eBook readers have several advantages:

 They are small and lightweight

 Font size is changeable
 Have search functions. For example, if a character appears and you do not remember
who he or she is, just search from the front of the book for the name, and you will be taken
to the place where the character was first introduced.

TOPIC 8 - AWARDS FOR QUALITY CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

The following are award giving bodies for choosing deserving children’s books author. Some are
given for a specific book, and others are awarded to authors and illustrators for their complete
works.
1. Newbery Medal
In 1921 Frederick G. Melcher, editor of Publishers Weekly, proposed a way to honor distinguished
contributions to children’s literature. The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) of the
American Library Association agreed to judge and award a medal named after John Newbery,
the English publisher who first made books that were both instructional and entertaining available
to young people.
The Newbery Medal is the oldest of many book awards given today and therefore is the best
known and most prestigious in the United States. This award is given to the author of the most
distinguished contribution to literature for children published in the United States during the
preceding year. Additional guidelines stipulate that the author must be a citizen or permanent
resident of the United States.
2. Caldecott Medal
Sixteen years after the first Newbery Medal was awarded, Frederick G. Melcher established the
first award for book illustration. It was named after Randolph Caldecott, an English artist who was
one of the first to create color illustrations in children’s books. Like the Newbery, the Caldecott
Medal is awarded by the ALSC. The first gold Caldecott Medal was awarded in 1938 to Dorothy
Lathrop for her illustrations in Animals of the Bible (Fish).
The guidelines for the Caldecott winner also require that the book be published in the United
States in the preceding year and that the illustrator be a citizen or permanent resident of the
United States. However, the illustrator need not be the author of the book. Gold foil or printed
medallions also adorn the book jackets or covers of Caldecott winners, and silver medallions
indicate honor books. Look for the words “Caldecott Medal” to distinguish this award from the
Newbery Medal because the medallions are similar.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

3. Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal

In 1954 Laura Ingalls Wilder was the first recipient of the award that bears her name. Wilder
authored the series of books based on her life in the American frontier known as the Little House
books. This award is given to an author or illustrator who, like Wilder, has made a lasting
contribution to children’s literature through her or his body of work. The ALSC also sponsors this
award.
4. Han Christian Andersen Award
Perhaps the most prestigious award is the one international prize, the Hans Christian Andersen
Award, named after the Danish storyteller and author who is lauded as the father of modern
fantasy.
Like the Wilder Award, the Andersen Award is given in recognition of individuals whose complete
bodies of works have made an outstanding and lasting contribution to children’s literature. Since
1956 the Hans Christian Andersen Award has been given to a living author every two years by
the International Board on Books for Young People. Since 1966 an award has also been given to
a living illustrator. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is the patron of these biennial awards, but the
panel of five judges is composed of individuals from five different countries.
5. Children’s Choices and Teachers’ Choices
Some lists of outstanding books are selected by children. In 1975 the Children’s Choices list
became the first such recognition. The International Reading Association (IRA) and the Children’s
Book Council (CBC) cosponsor this project. Each year, publishers select the books to be
evaluated from their titles published in the previous year. The number of books selected can be
as many as 700. The books are grouped into five reading levels, and then all are sent to five
review teams of educators located in different regions of the United States. Each team is
responsible for getting the books to 2,000 children in elementary school classrooms; therefore,
throughout the school year, the books are read to or by approximately 10,000 children. These
children vote for their favorites, and the top 100 titles are announced at the IRA’s annual
conference. The list is also published each year in the October issue of The Reading Teacher.
Since 1989 the IRA’s Teachers’ Choices list has spotlighted outstanding books that teachers find
to be exceptionally useful in the curriculum.

TOPIC 9 - CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN AFRO ASIAN COUNTRIES

AFRICA

 The second largest continent (after Asia), covering about one-fifth of the total land surface
of Earth.
 African regions are treated under the titles Central Africa, eastern Africa, North Africa,
Southern Africa, and western Africa.
 It has the second-largest population in the world, with an estimated 1 billion inhabitants.
This constitutes almost 15% of the world’s population (2009 census).
 Between 1500-2000 languages are spoken in Africa.
 Africa is the source of the world’s longest river.
 Africa is home to the world's oldest university.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

 The world's largest hottest desert is in Africa.

 African culture is expressed in its arts and crafts, folklore and religion, clothing, cuisine,
music and languages.
ASIA

 Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern and Northern
Hemispheres.
 Many of the world's major religions have their origins in Asia, including the five most
practiced in the world (excluding irreligion), which are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism,
Chinese folk religion (classified as Confucianism and Taoism), and Buddhism
respectively.
 Asian mythology is complex and diverse.
 Singapore has a building inspired by a Star Wars robot.
 There are over 1,600 temples in Kyoto, Japan.
 Hong Kong means 'fragrant harbor'
 China produces 45 billion pairs of chopsticks each year.
 South Korea has a separate Valentine's Day for single people.
 There are more than 150 volcanoes in Indonesia.

AFRICAN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

 Accepting the importance of spirituality, equips children and young adults with the
appropriate knowledge and attitude toward creation.
 African peoples regard natural objects and phenomena as being inhabited by living
beings, or having a mystical life.
 In religious language we speak of these beings as divinities and spirits.
 Children's literature across the different parts of the continent celebrates the very gifted
animals that survive against all odds. Co‐existing in harmony with nature, these little
animals go through difficult times and terrains, and succeed in the face of hardships
ASIAN LITERATURE

 It refers to the literature that was written over a period of thousands of years, in a variety
of countries in Asia.
 Asian literature encompasses East Asian literature that includes Chinese, Japanese and
Korean literature; Central Asian literature comprising of Bengali, Indian, Pakistani and
Tamil literature; West Asian Literature that covers Arabic literature, Persian literature and
Turkish literature and South East Asian Literature that comprises literature of the
Philippines.
 The literary type of Asian writing was usually determined by the surrounding culture of the
time and often expresses the ideologies prevalent in the era.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

TOPIC 10 - CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN ENGLISH AND AMERICAS

ENGLISH LITERATURE is the body of written works produced in the English language by
inhabitants of the British Isles (including Ireland) from the 7th century to the present day.
The major literatures written in English outside the British Isles are treated separately under
American literature, Australian literature, Canadian literature, and New Zealand literature.
AMERICAN LITERATURE, on the other hand is the body of written works produced in the English
language in the United States.
The small island of Great Britain is an undisputed powerhouse of children’s bestsellers:
ALL ARE FANTASIES

 The Wind in the Willows  James and the Giant Peach

 Alice in Wonderland  Harry Potter
 Winnie-the-Pooh  The Lion
 Peter Pan,  The Witch
 The Hobbit  The Wardrobe
The United States, also a major player in the field of children’s classics, deals much less
in magic.

 Little House in the Big Woods

 The Call of the Wild
 Charlotte’s Web
 The Yearling
 Little Women
 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Note that in the first centuries of literary history, English literature was the predominant of the two,
for America was a former British colony.

Some of the Most Famous Children's

Books from United States Some of the Most Famous Children's
Books from United Kingdom
Bridge to Terabitha- Katherine Paterson
Where the Wild Things Are- Maurice Alice's Adventures in Wonderland-
Sendak Lewis Carroll
Charlotte’s Web- E. B. White The Jungle Book- Rudyard Kipling
Little Women- Louisa May Alcott The BFG- Roald Dahl
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz- L.Frank
The House at Pooh Corner- A.A.
Baum
A Wrinkle in Time- Madeleine d’Engle Milne
The Giving Tree- Shel Silverstein The Lion, The Witch and The
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer- Mark Wardrobe- C.S. Lewis
Twain Harry Potter and the Philosopher's
Coraline- Neil Gaiman Stone- J.K.Rowling
Stuart Little- E.B. White How to Train your Dragon- Cressida
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn- Cowell
Mark Twain
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

TOPIC 11 – CHILDREN’S LITERATURE OF THE PHILIPPINES

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE includes picture books, poems, short stories, plays, or novels written
for children. The development of other media such as film, comic books, radio, television, and
computer multi-media software and their popularity with children has expanded this original
definition. Today, children’s literature refers to anything written and produced to suit the particular
needs of a child audience.
CATEGORIES OF ADULT LITERATURE:

 Short story
 Novel
 Drama
 Poetry
The coming of the Spaniards and a formal educational system did little to change this. Reading
was taught through a syllabary, the caton, which also contained illustrated sentences, prayers
and catechism.
In a study of books for children in the Philippines from 1866-1945, Morton Netzorg concludes that
there is “little evidence that children in the Philippines had reading matter intended to amuse as
well as instruct.” (Netzorg 1985: p.5)
Most reading material for children was imported from Europe. One book popular then was entitled
El Amigo de Los Niños and contained the now famous fable of the moth and the flame that
Rizal’s mother told to him when he was a child.
Rizal himself retold stories for children between the years 1885-1890, while in Europe to study
medicine and while writing the Noli Me Tangere.
In October 1886, he completed the translation into Tagalog of five fairy tales by Hans Christian
Andersen.
In May 1889, “Specimens of Tagalog Folklore“ containing samples of Tagalog proverbs,
puzzles and verses in both Tagalog and English was published in Trubner’s Oriental Record, a
London journal.
In July 1889, a retelling of the folktale of the Monkey and the Tortoise, with illustrations by Rizal,
was published in the same journal. Rizal also retold the legend of Mariang Makiling, published in
the December 31 issue of La Solidaridad.
The textbooks used in the classroom, the Baldwin Readers, were brought in from America and
taught Filipinos that “A is for Apple.” It was replaced by the Insular Readers, written for Filipinos
with Filipino characters and settings, but used to transmit American values to Filipino children.
Pepe and Pilar (1930s) was a more successful attempt at “filipinizing” the content of beginning
reading textbooks.
Camilo Osias adapted stories from all over the world and collected them in The Philippine
Readers Series (1922-1934) with illustrations by Fernando Amorsolo. Like Pepe and Pilar, the
Osias Readers were popular in schools all over the country.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

Luckily, a break from this traditional conception occurred in the early part of the century, with a
series in a popular magazine called “Ang Mga Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang.”
On May 25, 1925, Severino Reyes published his first story for children in Liwayway magazine
under the pen name “Lola Basyang”. It was the first of about 400 stories written for each issue of
the magazine, many of them retelling folktales or classics from other parts of the world.
By 1980, the increase in volume of the Aklat Adarna books had prompted the establishment of
the Children’s Communication Center to act as a resource, development, and production center
for children’s materials.
The Children’s Communication Center has published over 150 titles targeted at an audience with
ages ranging from 3 to 10 years.
There are eight subseries:

 Aklat Ng Karanasan  Aklat Ng Kasaysayan

 Aklat Ng Tahanan  Aklat Ng Bayani
 Aklat Ng Aliw  Aklat Ng Karunungan
 Aklat Ng Lahi  Aklat Ng Salin

Crucial also to the development of Filipino children’s literature was the training and exposure
provided by Aklat Adarna to writers and illustrators who would later become notable personalities
in the field:

 Rene Villanueva
 Gloria Villaraza Guzman
 Jess Abrera Jr.,
 Ibarra Crisostomo
 Albert Gamos
In 1983 - Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) was established.

 It is to encourage the development and distribution of books for children, the development
of children’s libraries, and the training of those involved in children’s literature.
The founding members of Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) were:

 Carol L. Afan  Serafin Quiason

 Larry Alcala, Virgilio Almario  Gloria Rodriguez
 Angelica Cabañero, Lucrecia Kasilag  Alfrredo N. Salanga
 Cristina Lim-Yuson  Renato Villanueva.
 Linda Ma. Nietes

3rd Tuesday of July - National Children’s Book Day.

ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

Important activities of the PBBY

 The Illustrator’s Prize was first awarded in 1984, and the Writer’s Prize, later renamed the
Alfrredo Navarro Salanga Award, was first awarded in 1985.
BATIBOT and other children’s television shows might be credited with helping to develop an
audience (and therefore a market) for children’s literature in the country.
The Creative Writing Center at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, sponsored its first
summer workshop on writing for children in 1983. Another workshop was held in 1989.
In 1989 - the Palanca Foundation opened a new category in its highly prestigious annual literary
competition the Short Story for Children, in both English and Filipino.
Early winners of the Palanca Awards in this category include;

 Rene Villanueva
 Ramón Sunico
 Maria Elena Paterno
 Jaime An Lim
 Alfred Yuson
Publishers seem to agree that their success in the field is due to a combination of several
factors:
1. Their market centeredness, meaning, publishers produce books to suit the needs of a
market in terms of themes, concerns and price;
2. The development of a new generation of buyers who prefer locally-produced books over
imported ones; and
3. The growing awareness of the craft and the building of professionalism in the areas of
writing, illustrating, packaging, and marketing children’s books. To date, more and more
groups are venturing into this field.
This growth in children’s book publishing may be seen as part of a larger development in
Philippine publishing in general. Participants in this growth have been writers, illustrators, book
designers, publishers, teachers, and a new generation of parents and book buyers, all of whom
are more aware of the demands of nationalism and the importance of a child-centered children’s
literature.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

TOPIC 12 - ADOLESCENT LITERATURE

Adolescence, transitional phase of

growth and development between childhood
and adulthood. The World Health Organization
(WHO) defines an adolescent as any person
between ages 10 and 19. This age range falls
within WHO's definition of young people, which
refers to individuals between ages 10 and 24.

What is adolescent literature?

Young Adult literature is generally described as books written for an audience of 12-20 year olds.
It may also include books primarily written for adults but which have appeal to younger readers.
What is the difference between YA and adult literature?
One idea: in YA, characters are discovering and pushing boundaries to discover themselves, in
adult lit, characters tend to be constrained by those limits and are living within them.
Why is Young adult literature important?

 It comprises a variety of genres, ranging from fantasy to non-fiction, all aimed at a young
audience.
 This category, by virtue of being targeted towards 12-20 year-olds, differs greatly from
what most people imagine when they think of literature.
 Many believe these novels don’t contain the stark social critiques or the melodious writing
style that characterize most classics.
 Before our phones became our best friends, books served as an escape to another world.
One where we could not only explore fictional universes but also the interior of our minds
 The truth is, getting the enjoyment and entertainment that a book can offer takes more
effort and time than what most people are willing to dedicate. This threatens to reduce the
use of literature to academic assignments and airplane pastimes, where you are a mile
too high to get any internet connection.
 YA redirects youth to the enjoyment of literature
Characteristics of Young Adult Literature
1. Young Adult Authors Write from the Viewpoint of Young People.
2. The young adult protagonists solve problems for themselves without the help of their parents.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

Elderly relatives, mentors or friends may provide assistance to young adult protagonists.
3. Young Adult Literature is Fast Paced.
4. The Body of Work Includes Stories about characters from Many Different Ethnic and Cultural
Groups.
5. Young Adult Books Are Basically Optimistic, with Characters Making Worthy Accomplishments.
6. Successful Young Adult Novels Deal with Emotions That Are Important to Young Adults.
7. Young Adult Literature Includes a Variety of Genres and Subjects.

TOPIC 13 - HISTORY OF ADOLESCENT LITERATURE

ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

TOPIC 14 - GENRES OF ADOLESCENT LITERATURE

From romance to horror and everything in between, nearly every genre is covered under the
umbrella category of YA fiction; here are the ones that tend to feature most commonly:
1. SCI-FI / DYSTOPIAN

 It is usually set in the future, with the plot focusing on technology and/or world-building.
 It poses a number of ‘what-if’ possibilities, making the reader question how the future could
turn out to be.
 Dystopian stories are usually set in a more sinister version of our own world, featuring
young protagonists who have to struggle against a bleak and oppressive system, while
tackling adult dilemmas such as death.
Recommended reads: the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver; The Death House by Sarah
Pinborough (warning: this one’s a tear-jerker!) The Rest of us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness; The
Selection series by Kiera Cass.

2. CRIME / MYSTERY

 The characteristics of YA crime and mystery often overlap, which is why we’ve featured
them together here.
 It usually centre on a crime – most often, a murder – that the young protagonist and
sometimes their friends must resolve by piecing together a series of clues.
Recommended reads: Heist Society by Ally Carter; The Door That led to Where by Sally
Gardner; The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

3. THRILLER / HORROR
Thriller is closely linked to the mystery genre and is another popular one among YA readers.
These books contain elements of adult thriller/horror stories, without some of the gruesome details
(although you’ll often find a few gory bits, too!) Of course, thrillers don’t have to be bloody to
capture the reader’s attention; the authors of these books are experts at creating tension and
suspense, meaning their books are some of the most difficult to put down!
Recommended reads: End Game by Alan Gibbons; All My Secrets by Sophie McKenzie
(bestselling author of Girl, Missing); We Were Liars by Emily Lockhart; The Maze Runner by
James Dashner.

4. FANTASY

 Ever since C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, fantasy has been a popular
genre for both children’s and YA books – with their popularity, of course, being heightened
with the global phenomenon that is Harry Potter.
 YA fantasy novels revolve around magic or supernatural elements and usually contain an
adventure or quest narrative.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

 There is often an overlap with another genre – more often than not this is romance, such
as in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series.
Recommended reads: Half Bad by Sally Green; The Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard; the
Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan; Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas; The Millennium’s Rule
series Trudi Canavan.

5. ROMANCE

 These novels can be set either in a contemporary, past or paranormal world, and usually
have an emotional narrative with certain obstacles preventing the lovers from being
together or expressing their true feelings.
Recommended reads: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell; This is Not a Love Story by Keren
David; The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson.

6. HISTORICAL

 Historical books written for this age group feature a teenage protagonist.
 Having a plot that engages modern-day readers and invites them into the past, authors of
this genre must ensure that they back this up with authenticity and accurate historical
detail.
Recommended reads: Between Shades of Gray and Salt to the Sea, Ruta Sepetys; The Book
Thief by Markus Zusak; Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley.

7. CONTEMPORARY

 This is another genre that tends to overlap with others, such as romance and comedy.
When based in a contemporary setting,
 YA fiction can be at the forefront of topical issues, opinion and debate, dealing with
anything from the everyday trials and tribulations of modern life to schools, peer pressure,
social media and even political matters. It’s easy to see why these books are so popular
with young adults and older readers alike.
Recommended reads: Geek Girl by Holly Smale; Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys) by
Amy Spalding; The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky; Simon vs the Homo
Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

What key issues do YA novels discuss?

Whatever their genre, novels that fall under the category of YA fiction discuss and confront a
range of issues that readers of this age group might be dealing with – whether that’s family life,
romantic relationships or just figuring out who they are. Here are some examples:

1. IDENTITY
Coming-of-age narratives will see the protagonist journey from being a child to a young adult,
figuring out who they are and the values that they stand for. There is often a catalyst for this
journey of discovery, which can range from the ordinary to the fantastical. With teens and young
adults often feeling the need to discover themselves at this stage of their lives, it’s one of the most
popular and recurring themes of YA fiction.
Recommended reads: Paper Towns by John Green; The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides.

2. MENTAL AND PSYCHICAL HEALTH

Books aimed at this age group often deal with mental conditions – such as depression,
Asperger’s, and eating disorders – as well as physical health conditions ranging from disability to
terminal illness. They are often helpful for readers who know somebody that has been suffering
from these conditions, offering an insightful and emphatic perspective.
Recommended reads: Wonder by R.J. Palacio; Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schnieder; The
Fault in our Stars by John Green; Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews.

3. FAMILY
They say we can’t choose our families, yet many teens and young adults experience problems at
home that are difficult to process or make sense of. From divorce and stepfamilies to abuse and
neglect, YA fiction can be a great platform for discussing these difficult issues, challenging the
ideals of the ‘perfect’ family and providing different perspectives on family life.
Recommended reads: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick; What Happened to Goodbye
by Sarah Dessen.

4. SUBSTANCES
Making decisions about the use of substances is, unfortunately, a part of many teens’ lives. But
parents can rest assured – rather than glamourising the subject, most YA books that deal with
these issues ask why teens turn to drugs and alcohol, and offer realistic perspectives on the
dangers of substance abuse and addiction.
Recommended reads: Junk by Melvin Burgess; Pure Sunshine by Brian James.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

5. LGBT
There is an emerging trend for YA books that confront the topic of sexual and gender identity.
From homosexuality to transgenderism, these novels can encapsulate the whole gender
spectrum and may help readers who are struggling to define or embrace their own identities. For
others, they shine an empathetic light on the unique issues faced by the LGBT community.
Recommended reads: What we Left Behind by Robin Talley; Adam by Ariel Schrag; Oranges
are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson.

6. RELATIONSHIPS AND BULLYING

From best friends to romantic partners, relationships are a recurring theme of YA fiction. These
books also tackle the issue of bullying, which unfortunately is still a common problem in the lives
of teens and young adults, and one that has been transformed in recent years by the internet and
social media
Recommended reads: Seven Days by Eve Ainsworth; Butter by Erin Lange; Asking for It by
Louise O’Neill.

TOPIC 15 - EVALUATING AND SELECTING ADOLESCENT LITERATURE

These are some of the ways we can evaluate and select quality YA literature.

BOOK AWARDS
While any group can give an award, it is important to identify awards that are given by recognized
groups and associations with established committees that read and evaluate a wide range of
books. The review committee members must consider not only the impact of the book on the
reader but also the quality of the book and its appeal to teenagers (Gentle, 2001 ). Some younger
adolescents enjoy reading books that have won the Newbery Medal, presented annually by the
ALA for excellence in literature for children; the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, given by the
Boston Globe and The Horn Book Magazine; or the Carnegie Medal, presented by the British
Library Association. Other young adults, however, are ready for books that are intended
specifically for an older adolescent audience.

GENERAL AWARDS
A number of general awards are also given to young adult literature. While these awards honor
specific authors and books, they also promote quality young adult literature in general by
heightening “public awareness of excellent literature an increas[ing] the readership of good books”
( Gentle, 2001 , p. 27 ). For example, Margaret A. Edwards Award is given to an author for her or
his lifetime contribution to writing for young adults. Winners have included Sir Terry Prachett,
Laurie Halse Anderson, and Lois Lowry
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

AWARDS WITH MULTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVES

Several awards have multicultural perspectives. Given by the National Council for the Social
Studies, the Carter G. Woodson Award includes middle- and secondary-level books and
recognizes works such as Simeon’s Story: An Eyewitness Account of the Kidnapping of Emmett
Till ( Wright & Boyd, 2010 ) and Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of
American Immigration ( Bausum, 2009 ) that authentically depict ethnicity in the United State and
examine race relations sensitively and accurately. The Sydney Taylor Book Award for outstanding
Jewish content in children’s books, given by the Association of Jewish Libraries, has a category
for older readers. Given since 1953 by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
and the Jane Addams Peace Association, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award honors
children’s books that promote peace, social justice, and world community, and has a category for
older children through age 14.

BEST BOOKS LISTS

In addition to awards, a number of organizations and associations develop lists of outstanding
books for young adults. The New York Public Library issues an annual Stuff for the Teen Age;
YALSA produces a number of these lists, including Best Fiction for Young Adults, Outstanding
Books for the College Bound, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, Quick Picks for Reluctant
Young Adult Readers, Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults, and Fabulous Films for Young
Adults. Some of the lists are general in nature; others are more specific. For example, each year
the YALSA Popular Paperbacks committee identifies several themes (not necessarily in specific
genres) and selects materials related to those themes. The 2011 themes were Thrillers & Killers;
What’s Cooking?; What If . . .; Zombies, Werewolves & Things with Wings; and Spies & Intrigue.
The ALA-sponsored Rainbow Project Book List provides titles for youth up to age 18 about gay,
lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning issues.

REVIEW JOURNALS
A number of reputable journals have reviews of young adult literature, including: • The ALAN
Review • Booklist (published by ALA) • Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books • The Horn
Book Magazine • Kirkus Reviews • Library Media Connection (combination of Library Talk and
Book Report) • School Library Journal • Voice of Youth Advocates

BOOK-LENGTH BIBLIOGRAPHIES
In addition to the awards and review journals, a number of books contain bibliographies of
recommended books for young adults. A number of books also examine the literary elements of
young adult fiction. These include the series Adolescent Literature as a Complement to the
Classics ( Kaywell, 1993– ), Authors and Artists for Young Adults (1989–) , and the multi volume
Beacham’s Guide to Literature for Young Adults ( Beetz & Niemeyer, 1989– ), the latest volumes
of which were issued in 2003. Each volume in the Twayne Young Adult Author Series and the
Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature, both edited by Patricia Campbell, focuses on a
specific young adult author and includes information about his or her works.
ENG 152 – Children and Adolescent Literature

EVALUATING REVIEW SOURCES

While Internet sites such as Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com are not review sources, they
do include reviews from reputable selection journals as part of their descriptions of many of the
books found on their sites. By knowing the legitimate, quality selection aids, you can identify
appropriate reviews on the websites of these and other Internet superstores. However, beware of
reviews from sources that you do not know or that are from “readers.” Some sources are nothing
more than publishers’ or distributors’ catalogs. In addition, in 2004, Amazon discovered a
computer error that led to Internet users discovering that a number of so-called reviews from
readers at Internet bookstores were actually written by the book’s author or by the author’s friends
using a variety of fictitious names in order to promote specific books ( Harmon, 2004 ). The best
approach is to use only reviews from reputable sources that you know and trust.