CRITERIA FOR SELECTING READING MATERIALS

Taken from:

Criteria for selecting reading materials and forming collections for early childhood 2012-2013- NATIONAL READING AND
WRITING PLAN, READING IS MY STORY. Criteria for selecting reading materials and forming bibliographic update
collections for the Public Library Network. NATIONAL READING AND WRITING PLAN, READING IS MY STORY.

What it means to choose a book

“When we select a book, we are doing more than just choosing arbitrarily. Any selection, whether
of a topic, content or the title of a work to share, implies an ideological cut-off and, furthermore, a
decision on the part of the adult as to what a child should learn or not. That is why, at this level it is
necessary - perhaps more than at others - to take into account that the world that we show to
children can enrich their points of view of reality, opening a panorama that helps them understand
it in reality. its complexity; or, it may restrict their right to know.
When we believe that children are only capable of listening to “childish” music, of observing simple
drawings of flowers and animals, or of listening to nothing more than simple words extracted from
their closest environment, we are telling them not only that “they can't”, but that we are restricting
the wonderful world of the artist, who has not made a work thinking of limiting it to adults as the
only recipients. We are, in short, biasing their ability to choose”1
“From the earliest years, children are able to read; Through words, lullabies, lullabies and stories
that their parents or caregivers tell them, children come into contact with language. It is a
relationship mediated by affection and knowledge, which strengthens their psychoaffective and
cognitive development. As various investigations have proven, including that of BookStart in
England, the quality of this communication relationship influences the learning related to language
and mathematical thinking that children will carry out later, in formal school.
According to the psycholinguist Evelio Cabrejo and the experts in child development, reading and
literature Rita Flórez and Joëlle Turin, the selection of reading materials should include books that
appeal to and challenge the child, motivate him to express himself and open paths to understand
topics. fundamentals such as fears, the big questions –for example, the enigma of birth, or the
meaning of life and death–, relationships with others and the world of feelings”2

Some selection criteria

Within the National Reading Plan, led by the Ministry of Culture, Funda Reading and the National
Library, we find various collections of highly recommended books. These collections have been
formed according to specific selection criteria that can serve as a guide when selecting appropriate
and relevant books to read aloud.

1
Taken from: Ideas and Strategies to accompany the POSSIBLE WORLDS COLLECTION. BOOKS TO READ ALOUD.
National Reading Plan, Ministry of Education of Argentina. 2009
2
Taken from: Criteria for selecting reading materials and forming collections for early childhood 2012 and 2013.
NATIONAL READING AND WRITING PLAN READING IS MY STORY – MINISTRY OF CULTURE.
Definition of terms

 Quality: it is the primary reference of the entire selection. Quality in a book is the result of meeting
a set of properties that are inherent to it and satisfy the implicit and explicit needs of the reader to
whom it is directed. Taking into account that the book is a cultural and artistic object, quality implies
the harmonious combination of a text that summons the reader, images and design. To the extent
that a book meets the minimum specifications required in its content and design, the potential
reader to whom it is directed perceives and can measure its quality.

 Relevance: it is correspondence with a purpose, with a high degree of relevance. Relevant is a

material that is considered appropriate with respect to the particular context for which it has been
selected, and that gives meaning to its use. In the case of books in a collection, it is possible to
establish as selection criteria their age relevance (that they correspond to the age and level of
development of their readers), contextual (that they can be coherently inserted into the
environments and routines of those readers). readers) or thematic (referring to topics that the
intended readers find interesting, useful or attractive).

 Topics and their treatment: refers to the topics that arouse the curiosity and interest of readers.
(For early childhood) refers to topics that arouse curiosity and interest in early childhood and that
are related to the daily experiences of children, the environments of home, school, family,
community and also with fantastic worlds that stimulate the imagination. These topics can be
addressed through the genres of fiction and non-fiction. In any case, they should be treated with
simplicity and appeal to children's emotions, curiosity and desire for knowledge.

 Editorial characteristics: in relation to the PNLE Early Childhood Collection Leer Es Mi Cuento and its
different updates aimed at young people and adults, are those that describe the conditions of the
book as an object of factory production. They refer to physical aspects such as format, size, paper,
binding and also conceptual aspects such as collection, design, layout, style and technique of
illustration and graphic conception.

References for selecting materials:

1. In relation to age and reading stages:
What are readers like between 0 and 8 years old?

As a person grows (in age, in reading) their abilities increase and they can face increasingly more
elaborate, extensive and demanding texts not only because of their language, but also because of their
structure and conceptual density.

Life experience also counts: there are topics that are more interesting in some stages of development or
that can be understood in greater depth from a certain age, when the way in which they are treated
and their complexity is added to the understanding of what has been done. vivid.

Children's development and its relationship with reading and books

From birth : Babies read through their parents. Songs, stories, body games, rhymes and poems are the
first texts with which they approach reading. The face, the body, the voice of their parents, the
conversations with them, the musicality of the mother tongue give them entry into their culture.

From six months: Babies sit, focus their gaze and attention, point out what interests them; Later they
move, either crawling or walking, to reach, touch and taste what catches their attention. They solve
simple problems and turn thick pages. They prefer illustrated books with short or wordless texts and
with familiar situations, people and objects in their environment; with resources such as textures, dies,
mirrors, sounds...

From 18 months : Gradually, they stop being babies. They walk confidently and are independent; they
recognize and share with their peers; They find correspondences between the images they see and the
words that describe them. They enjoy albums and illustrated books and concepts about their
environment, the outside world and family life situations, with characters similar to them and resources
such as windows, textures, flaps.

From the age of three : They are much more sociable people, with a large vocabulary and a growing
desire to learn. They enjoy games with letters and numbers and begin to explore writing. They identify
good stories and choose their readings: illustrated books about everyday situations, popular and fairy
tales, fables, absurd stories with unexpected endings, poetry and oral tradition literature (word games,
couplets, rounds, myths, legends); informative books about the house, the family, animals (pets,
dinosaurs), means of transportation, the human body, customs of other cultures.

From the age of six : They are great conversationalists, for whom fantasy and reality are close. They
experience fears of difficult and unexpected situations and of the supernatural. They are learning to
read and write and love to be read to. They understand the 6 chronological structure of stories. They
enjoy illustrated books, first novels or fantastic short stories, everyday adventures, humorous stories,
oral tradition. Word games that challenge them (tongue twisters, riddles). Informative books about
natural phenomena, the universe, animal habits (insects, dinosaurs); history and in particular, pirates,
knights, castles, books on how to make things (puppets, origami, drawings).

The young reader:

For the purposes of this call, young people are people between 15 and 25 years of age.

Young people are independent, they are immersed in groups, they move from one text to another, in
various media, seeking to satisfy interests that are beginning to consolidate. Demanding and passionate,
if reading is not attractive to them they leave it, but if on the contrary it speaks to their sensitivity, they
give themselves over to it even if they do not express how intensely they like it.

Young people like to read:

- Stories and poems that delve into existential searches: identity, family and friendship relationships,
love, social and political interests.
- Books where they feel represented, starring young people who are looking for their place in the
world, by antiheroes who break with the established order.
- Narratives about how young people live in other places; about music, cinema, art, video.
- Biographies of people from the world of music, cinema, art, video, sports, graphics.
- Informative books about religions, important historical moments, travel books and travelers.
- Books that address their specific vocations and interests (science and technology, art)

2. The relevance
(…) All materials must contribute to the promotion of the comprehensive development of readers as
citizens subject to rights. The above means that the materials selected for them must especially appeal
and stimulate:

 The psychological development of babies and children.

 The enjoyment of the aesthetic and emotional value of language: musicality, meaning and symbolic
representation.
 The uses of language in various communicative situations and according to different intentions.
 The imagination to build meaning around experiences, ideas, desires, emotions.
 The desire to know and learn.
 The appropriation of various expressive languages as vehicles of meaningful communication.
 The elaboration of the symbol and inner language as a tool for constructing individual imaginaries
and intimacies.
 Interactions with peers, family members and caregivers based on situations, characters,
representations, knowledge, feelings that foster bonds and knowledge.

3. The quality:
Literature for young people

Tale Novel journalistic chronicle Poetry

 The narrative is brief  The plots are Start from a specific fact to  It moves and
and compact. more complex explore an issue. The topic awakens the sensitivity
 They develop a single than those of and the information it of readers.
plot line where all stories because provides are specific.  It is a space for
the facts and they can develop It tells a story through a reflection, it translates
elements come several narrative paradigmatic central inner searches,
together. axes. character, who reflects the questions, and exposes
 Explore adventure,  There is an different nuances of the story subjective worlds.
fantasy, mystery or emphasis on the and generates empathy.  Establishes
the everyday. characters, on The story generates interest, correspondences
 They go to a few their inner amazement, for what it tells between words and
characters and worlds, on the and for the way in which it realities that are not
generally all the reason for their does it: at the beginning it common to them to
actions fall on one of actions, on their generates expectation, create new meanings,
them. deeds. changes in narrative rhythm through the efficient use
 We know the  Descriptions of follow; the context and of rhetorical figures.
characters from their places, characters background of the events are
thoughts, and objects given…
perceptions and prevail. The narrator tells from his own
actions. astonishment, from his
questions with journalistic
and investigative rigor.
Books for childhood

Gender Theme and its Language The structure Characters Images and Illustrations
treatment
Classic  It moves,  It's understandable.  The narrative sequence is They have defined  They are attractive,
and entertains and  Create unique and coherent. psychological and transmit sensations and
contemp interests the lasting images.  The initial situation physical attributes. provoke emotions and
orary reader.  It raises emotions and generates interest. They are authentic: reflection.
literary  It is plausible and feelings.  It adds tension to the story. they act and think  They dialogue with the
texts credible.  Create a coherent  The stories raise one or like who they are. text, recreating or
 It is evocative and fictional universe. more tense situations that They present contrasting it.
provokes  Count between the create expectation and ambiguities,  They present elements
reflection. lines. invite you to continue shadows and doubts that add surprise or
 Offers different  Create inventive and reading. in their way of humor to the narrative.
perspectives. meaningful games,  The ending of the stories is acting.  They create expressive
 Avoid lecturing. based on rhyme, convincing and helps the They transform characters, with unique
 It proposes rhythm and musicality reader continue inhabiting throughout the and compelling
multiple readings of words. the text. story. They generate characteristics.
and  It is appropriate to the empathy.  They create a coherent
interpretations. age of the reader. They are built narrative universe.
through clear and  They harmoniously
agile dialogues. integrate figures, the
management of space and
color.
 The perspective places the
reader in a privileged
place to look and
accentuates key moments
of the story.
 The colors emphasize the
emotions of the story.
 The lines transmit the
narrative intention: to
ironize, entertain, move,
evoke...