Qualities of Children’s LiteratureReady Set Teachhttp://www.uleth.ca/edu/currlab/handouts/genres.html

Definition of Children’s Literature Children’s

literature means books that are picked by children and books that are: considered appropriate for children

Books that are written specifically for children

Not Intended for Adults The Stinky Cheese

Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka was more popular among adults, yet was written for children.)

All the pretty horses by Cormac McCarthy is an adult book with a child protagonist.

Not Intended for Children Mark Twains The

Prince Pauper, or Huckleberry Finn were originally written for adults, yet are now considered children’s books

Picture Books Picture books are books where the

picture is as important as the text (Glaister et. Al)

Often times, children’s books are also considered picture books (Glaister et. Al)

Picture Books Continued Graphic Alphabet by David Pelletier is

an example of a picture book “Picture books are also referred to as

stories without words, picture books, nursery rhymes, stories in rhyme, alphabet books, counting books” (Glaister et. Al)

Illustrated Story Books Closely resemble picture books The text can be by itself Illustrations are not as important as text Illustrations complement the text Around 48 pages long(Glaister et. Al)

Poetry Books Consist of rhyming, free verse, and

concrete verse Arranged in a beautiful fashion Appeals to feelings and minds of reader (Glaister et. Al)

Poetry Books Continued Poetry books have many different types

including: “haiku, free verse, concrete poetry, visual poetry, narrative poetry, limericks, and ballads” (Glaister et. Al)

In Flanders Fields by Linda Granfield is an example of a poetry book (Glaister et. Al)

Traditional Children’s Literature Continued

Also referred to as “fairy tales, folk tales, Mother Goose rhymes, legends, myths, proverbs, epics, and fables” (Glaister et. Al)

Examples of traditional children’s literature is The Three Little Pigs, Hasel and Gretel, and The Three Little Bears. (Glaister et. Al)

“Fractured” Fairy Tales (Glaister et. Al) Traditional tales, told a little bit

differently Subdivisions consist of science fiction,

modern fantasy, and fantasy (Glaister et. Al)

Stories are sometimes off the wall (Glaister et. Al)

Modern Fantasy Stories involving magic or quests and

adventures (Glaister et. Al)

Sometimes creates an alternate universe, that may have different features other than our universe (Glaister et. Al)

Sub-genres include “animal fantasy, quest fantasy, machine fantasy, toy and doll fantasy, time fantasy, comic fantasy, high fantasy, and other world fantasy” (Glaister et. Al)

Science Fiction Covers things that might happen in the

future (Glaister et. Al)

Somewhat realistic features(Glaister, et. al)

Fantasy and science fiction are sometimes “blurred” and show characteristics of both genres (Glaister, et. al)

Traditional Children’s Literature Originated from oral literature, passed

down from generation to generation Often start as “Once upon a time…” Different versions to the same story

(Glaister et. Al)

“Fractured Fairy Tales” Continued (Glaister, et. al) Popular titles include Tuck Everlasting

by Natalie Babbitt, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, and Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

Contemporary Realistic Fiction Stories involve bad and good situations

of today Character overcomes obstacles that

makes them grow as a person It "extends children's horizons by

broadening their interests, allowing them to experience new adventures and showing them different ways to view and deal with conflicts in their own lives" (Through the eyes of a child (2003), p. 363)

Contemporary Realistic Fiction Continued

Contemporary Realistic Fiction is sometimes referred to as humorous stories, school stories, mystery stories, survival stories, and sports stories (Glaister, et. al)

Popular titles in this genre include Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (Glaister, et. al)

Historical Fiction and Biography Fiction stories set in a time before the

present (Historical Fiction) (Glaister, et. al)

Story written about a persons life from someone else's point of view (Biography) (Glaister, et. al)

Biography can be broken down into these different categories: “biographical fiction, fictionalized biography, authentic biography and autobiography” (Glaister, et. al)

Historical Fiction and Biography Continued

Popular titles of these genres include The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and Little by Little by Jean Little (Glaister, et. al)

These genres can also be called “place + fiction, time + fiction, and war stories” (Glaister, et. al)

Informational Books AKA. Non-fiction Books consist of accurate and clear

facts stating something informative (Glaister, et. al)

These books avoid stereotypes and generalizations (Glaister, et. al)

Informational Books Continued These books are often called “photo

documentaries, narrative texts, how-to books, question and answer books, activity books, and life-cycle books” (Glaister, et. al)

Eyewitness book series are popular Slides 5-21 are from (Glaister, et. al)

Award Winners The John Newberry Medal is given to

one author each year with the overall best book

The Randolph Caldecott Medal is given to one author each year with the best illustrations in a particular book

The Robert F. Sibert Award is given to the best informational book author

Award Winners Continued Coretta Scott King Award is given to the

authors and illustrators who are of African descent that "promote an understanding and appreciation of the 'American Dream.' "