Definitionisgood quality trade booksfor children frombirthtoadolescence, coveringtopics of relevanceandintereststo children of those ages, throughproseand poetry,fictionandnonfiction. (p. 3)

Atrade 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. Lynch-Brown, C. & Tomlinson, C. (2005).Essentials of Childrens Literature, 5thedition.

QualityThe best childrens books offer readersenjoymentas well asmemorable characters and situationsandvaluable insights into the human condition.(p. 4)

Quality of writing:originality and importance of ideasimaginative use of languagebeauty of literary and artistic style

Why do we need to study literature?is filled with ideas that need to be explored.

helps us to see our world in new ways. It brings us to a deeper understanding of life.

presents avocabularywith which we candiscuss literatureand offers somesuggestions for appreciating and judging literature.

Values of Literature to ChildrenA) The Personal ValueenjoymentImagination and inspirationvicarious experienceunderstanding and empathycultural heritagemoral reasoningliterary and artistic preferences

B) The Academic Value

improving reading skillsdeveloping writing voice and stylelearning content-area knowledgepromoting art appreciation

Children's Literature and Child Development

Teaching Literature to ChildrenReaders are made, not born(Chambers, 1983, p. 30).

Literature is more experienced than taught(Glazer, 1986, p. 51).

Literature must be discussed. It is only by discussing with others who have experienced a book that new meaning can be effectively constructed(Bicknell, p. 45).

Children need teachers to demonstrate how to enter into and explore the world of literature, just as children learning language need adults who show them how the language functions in the everyday world (Peterson & Eeds, 1990, p. 12).

Ways of Teaching Literature to ChildrenAllow children to feel free to read against a text.Encourage children to see their reading of literature as a source of questions to think about rather than answers to accept.Encourage children to have their own ideas about what they read.Encourage children to exchange their viewpoints with others and respect the differences.Provide children with diverse experiences of literature.Help children to read with an awareness of ideological implications, that is, of the ways in which texts represent or misrepresent reality and work to manipulate readers.

The Elements of LiteratureThere are eight elements Characters Setting Narrative Point of View Plot Conflict Theme Style Tone

CharactersTypes of Characters:Protagonist(hero): the central figure with whom we usually sympathize or identify

Antagonist(villain): the figure who opposes the protagonist and creates the conflict

Foil Character: the figure whose personality traits are the opposite of the main characters. This is a supporting character and usually made to shine the protagonist.

Settingrefers to thetimegeographical locationsgeneral environment and circumstancesthat prevail in a narrative

helps to establish themood of a story.

There are two types of settingIntegral Settingfully described in both time and placeusually found in historical fiction.

iiBackdrop Settingvague and generalhelps to convey a universal, timeless taleoften found in folktales and simply sets the stage and the moodFor example, "long ago in a cottage in the deep woods" and "once upon a time there was a great land that had an Emperor."

Narrative Point of ViewThere are three types

Internal Narrator(First-person Narrator)uses "I" to refer to himself/herselfa character is always in the story, often, but not necessarily, the protagonist. allows for a verypersonal touchin the story telling.

iiOmniscient Narrator(multiple points of view; the narrator is "all-knowing") isnota character in the story but knows everything about the storycan show the thoughts and experiences of any character in the storypermits the writer the broadest scope.

iii Limited Narrator (External Subjective Narrator; the 3rdperson point of view)nota character in the story but looks at things onlythrough the eyes of a single characterpermits the narrator to quickly build a close bond between the protagonist and the reader, without being confined by the protagonists educational or language restrictions.

Plotisa series of interconnected eventsin which every occurrence has aspecific purpose

is all aboutestablishing connections,suggesting causes,andshowing relationships

ConflictCommon types of conflicts:The Protagonist againstAnotherThe Protagonist againstSocietyThe Protagonist againstNatureThe Protagonist againstSelf

A single story may contain more than one type of conflictprovides the excitement and makes possible the growth and development

Themeisthe main, underlying ideaof a piece of literatureis wovensubtlyinto the fabric of the story rather than being lectured or preached by the author.Among the frequently found thematic issues in childrens literature are theproblems of growing up andmaturing e.g adjustment to society, love and friendship, achieving ones identity, and finding one's place in the world.

StyleWord Choice

Sentence LengthandConstruction ~ Short sentencesbest convey suspense, tension, and swift action.

~ Longer sentenceswork best when explanations and descriptions are needed.

~ Prose hasrhythmjust as poetry does. - rhythm can be produced by the juxtaposition of sounds, - the use of repetition with a slight variation of patterns, and the varied length of sentences.

Exposition ~ the narrators passages provides - background information - introduce characters to help readers understand the events of a story.

~ Children prefer a balance between exposition and dialogue.

Dialogue ~ words spoken by the characters, usually to each other, not to the reader.

~ enjoydialogue as a realistic and convincing way of defining character.

Tonerefers tothe authorsmoodandmanner of expressionin a work of literature.

can be serious, didactic, humourous, satirical, caustic/sarcastic, passionate, sensitive, sentimental, zealous, indifferent, poignant, warm, agitated, etc.

Humour:Incongruityis the foundation of humour. ~ laugh at the tension resulting from something out of the ordinary.

is elusive.

tends to be age specific.

can be either sympathetic or negative.

Ten Types of humour most common in childrens books (Kappas, 1967):ExaggerationIncongruitySurpriseSlapstickAbsurditySituational humorRidicule/satireDefianceViolenceVerbal Humour: word play, name-calling, jokes and puns, malapropisms (the unintentional misuse of language), or the misinterpretation of language.