CHILDREN’S NEEDS AND

INTEREST and
DEVELOPMENTAL READING
PREFERENCES
JENNY A. GENOGUIN
ECE 124- CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
INTERESTS VS NEEDS

Interests refer to the expression of an

individuals pattern of reaction or
behavior towards himself, his
associates and the situations he may
find himself.

ECE 214 | Children’s Literature

INTERESTS VS NEEDS

Needs refer to the desire for

what are called or considered
necessities.

ECE 214 | Children’s Literature

CHILDREN’S NEEDS

NEED FOR
MATERIAL SECURITY

ECE 214 | Children’s Literature

CHILDREN’S NEEDS

NEED FOR
EMOTIONAL SECURITY

ECE 214 | Children’s Literature

CHILDREN’S NEEDS

NEED FOR
INTELLECTUAL
SECURITY
ECE 214 | Children’s Literature
CHILDREN’S NEEDS

NEED FOR
SPIRITUAL SECURITY

ECE 214 | Children’s Literature

CHILDREN’S NEEDS

NEED TO BELONG

ECE 214 | Children’s Literature

CHILDREN’S NEEDS

NEED TO LOVE AND

BE LOVED

ECE 214 | Children’s Literature

CHILDREN’S NEEDS

NEED TO ACHIEVE, TO
DO, BE SOMEONE
WORTHY OF RESPECT
ECE 214 | Children’s Literature
CHILDREN’S NEEDS

NEED FOR RECREATION

OR CHANGE

ECE 214 | Children’s Literature

CHILDREN’S NEEDS

NEED FOR AESTHETIC

SATISFACTION

ECE 214 | Children’s Literature

BEFORE THE AGE OF TWO (2)

• Child’s handling of books

• Looking at pictures
• “As-if” reading poses
• Making baby sounds as he looks at pictures
• Desire for storytelling and being read to

ECE 124 | Children’s Literature

THREE TO SIX YEARS OLD

• Love for factual stories, rhymes and

jingles, stories with attractive
illustrations
• Interested in ‘what happened’,
‘what could happen’ and fanciful
stories’

ECE 124 | Children’s Literature

SIX TO SEVEN YEARS OLD

• Literatures are simple in content and

style and are often read by adult.
• Stories of their own kind
• Funny stories and animal tales

ECE 124 | Children’s Literature

EIGHT TO TEN YEARS OLD

• Folk and fairy tales

• Stories about real children

ECE 124 | Children’s Literature

ELEVEN TO TWELVE YEARS
OLD

• Girls show more interest in stories about

home life, romance, social situations and
domestic happenings.
• Boys show interests in vigorous adventure
and aggressive action.
• Reading of information materials and
non-fiction

ECE 124 | Children’s Literature

HIGH SCHOOL AGE LEVEL

• Biography, history, magazine articles

• Humor and reading about hobbies
about children and their age group
• Factual materials, new information

ECE 124 | Children’s Literature

SELECTING
BOOKS FOR
CHILDREN
JENNY A. GENOGUIN
ECE 124- CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Selecting Books for Children

Considerations:
•Children’s Need
•Children’s Interest
•Children’s ability and
capability to understand
Selecting Books for Children

Children’s ability to
understand is a result of
intelligence, of experience
and of environment.
Criteria for Book Selection

I. Fiction
1. Theme
2. Plot
3. Quality of Content
4. Characterization
5. Style
6. Format
7. Illustrations
Criteria for Book Selection

II. Biographies
III. Informational Books
IV. Reference Books
1. Dictionaries
2. Encyclopedias