Lesson 1

What is Children’s
Literature? How
does children’s
literature differ
from adult
literature?
 Children’s Literature Introduction

 
Children's literature or juvenile literature includes
stories, books, magazines, and poems that are
enjoyed by children
 What are its characteristics?

1. Simple and straightforward. Not simplistic or

choppy or flat without flow and intrigue.

2. Depends on action to maintain interest. Can

there be action without action? Are thoughts action?
Are other character's inactions actions? Are external
events included in the narration, comments and other
writing techniques action?
3. Has characters that are children. Includes childhood
events, actions, happenings. Can it be children's literature
if there aren't children? Or if the main character isn't a
child?

4. Expresses a child’s point of view.

5. Is optimistic. There is always hope, foreshadowing and

other elements to raise spirits periodically.

6. Tends toward fantasy and accepts fanciful ideas

without major concern of reality. Wishful thinking is
common.
10. Includes repetition. Often emphasizes what is
important, repetition is a common element of
traditional tales, folk tales, and fairy tales as well as
for literary purposes by repeating words, phrases,
situations, and patterns.

11. Contrasts extremes. The good and the bad. The

ideal and the practical, ideal family and the orphan,
home and wilderness or deep dark forest with all
kinds of evil. Group and family responsibility and
concern for yourself.
7. There is a tone of joy and innocence associated with
children, agricultural life, closeness to nature and
unquestionably reliable friends.

8. Can have it both ways. Your cake and eat it too. Dangerous
world yet nieve innocence children can roam through it.
Dangerous world out there and yet the comforts of home. Grow
up and remain young. Complex yet simple.

9. Is it or does it always have to be didactic and teach a lesson

or have redeaming social qualities that have a positive theme.
A universal theme of home is boring, but it is a better place to be
than the dangerous world outside.
 Values of Children’s
Literature
1. Personal Values
2. Educational Values
 
Personal Values

• Enjoyment
• Imagination
• Vicarious Experience
• Insight Into Human Behavior
• Universality of Experience
 
 Educational Values

Literature in the Home (oral language,

vocabulary development)
Literature in the School
reading aloud and learning to read
developing a sense of book language
developing fluency and understanding
literature and writing
literature across the curriculum