CHILDREN'S

LITERATURE
 DEFINITION:

• “CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IS GOOD QUALITY TRADE

BOOKS FOR CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO ADOLESCENCE, COVERING TOPICS
OF RELEVANCE AND INTERESTS TO CHILDREN OF THOSE AGES, THROUGH

PROSE AND POETRY, FICTION AND NONFICTION.” (P. 3) *NOTE: A

TRADE BOOK, BY DESIGN AND CONTENT, IS PRIMARILY FOR THE PURPOSE
OF ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATION. TRADE BOOKS ARE OFTEN
REFERRED TO AS LIBRARY BOOKS AND STORY BOOKS. THEY ARE
DIFFERENT FROM TEXTBOOKS, WHICH ARE FOR THE PURPOSE OF
INSTRUCTION.
• A) CONTENT
•  TOPIC: 1) EXPERIENCES OF CHILDHOOD SET IN THE PAST,
PRESENT, OR FUTURE (E.G., ENJOYING BIRTHDAY PARTIES, ANTICIPATING
ADULTHOOD, GETTING A NEW PET, ENDURING SIBLINGS, AND DEALING
WITH FAMILY SITUATIONS); 2) THINGS THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO
CHILDREN (E.G., DINOSAURS, EGYPTIAN MUMMIES, WORLD RECORDS)

•  MANNER: 1) STORIES ARE TOLD IN A FORTHRIGHT, HUMOROUS, OR

SUSPENSEFUL MANNER (STORIES THAT ARE TOLD IN NOSTALGIC OR
OVERLY SENTIMENTAL TERMS ARE INAPPROPRIATE); 2) STORIES SHOULD
EMPHASIZE THE HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE RATHER THAN THE
HOPELESSNESS AND UTTER DESPAIR OF THE MOMENT
• B) QUALITY

• “THE BEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS OFFER READERS ENJOYMENT AS WELL AS

MEMORABLE CHARACTERS AND SITUATIONS AND VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO
THE HUMAN CONDITION.” (P. 4) QUALITY OF WRITING:
•  ORIGINALITY AND IMPORTANCE OF IDEAS
•  IMAGINATIVE USE OF LANGUAGE
•  BEAUTY OF LITERARY AND ARTISTIC STYLE
• *NOTE: CHILDREN USUALLY ENJOY READING FAST-MOVING, ADVENTURE-
FILLED, AND EASILY PREDICTABLE STORIES. THESE WORKS HAVE WON NO
LITERARY PRIZES, BUT THEY ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO READ
INDEPENDENTLY AND READ MORE.
 • VALUES OF LITERATURE TO CHILDREN
• (*THIS PART IS BASED ON LYNCH-BROWN, C. & TOMLINSON, C. (2005). ESSENTIALS OF CHILDREN’S
• LITERATURE, 5TH EDITION. CHAPTER 1. LEARNING ABOUT CHILDREN AND THEIR LITERATURE.)

• A) THE PERSONAL VALUE

• - ENJOYMENT
• - IMAGINATION AND INSPIRATION
• - VICARIOUS EXPERIENCE
• - UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY
• - CULTURAL HERITAGE
• - MORAL REASONING
• - LITERARY AND ARTISTIC PREFERENCES

• B) THE ACADEMIC VALUE

• - IMPROVING READING SKILLS
• - DEVELOPING WRITING VOICE AND STYLE
• - LEARNING CONTENT-AREA KNOWLEDGE
• - PROMOTING ART APPRECIATION
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE AND CHILD
DEVELOPMENT
 SOME TRENDS IN CHILDREN’S
LITERATURE
•  INCREASED NUMBERS OF ADULTS READING CHILDREN’S BOOKS, PRIMARILY
BECAUSE OF THE HARRY POTTER PHENOMENON.
•  INCREASING DOMINANCE OF ILLUSTRATION IN CHILDREN’S BOOKS. READERS ARE
BECOMING MORE VISUALLY ORIENTED AS THEY SPEND MORE TIME WATCHING
TELEVISION AND PLAYING VIDEO GAMES AND SPEND LESS TIME READING.
•  FEWER FULL-LENGTH NOVELS AND MORE SHORT, HIGH-INTEREST, LOW
• READING-LEVEL NOVELS BEGINS WRITTEN FOR 10- TO 14-YEAR-OLDS.
•  RAPID GROWTH OF TECHNOLOGY IN ALL AREAS OF PUBLISHING. AS SCHOOLS
ADOPT COMPUTERIZED MANAGEMENTS READING PROGRAMS, READING AND BOOKS
BECOME LESS A MEANS TO ENJOYMENT AND DISCOVERING NEW INFORMATION AND
MORE A MATTER OF GAINING POINTS.
 AN INCREASE IN THE PUBLICATION OF BILINGUAL BOOKS TO ACCOMMODATE
THE RAPID INCREASE IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNER STUDENTS.

 INCREASED MERCHANDISING OF BOOK-RELATED PARAPHERNALIA, SUCH AS

GAMES, CRAFT KITS, COOKBOOKS, DOLLS, AND DOLL ACCESSORIES.