Since the 18th century children’s literature has been held responsible for bringing entertainment to children of all ages across the world. But, when you actually think about it, what is children’s literature? The term seems easy enough to define, it is literature intended for children, but what is the definition of literature? According to Charlotte Huck (2010), literature is an imaginative shaping of life and thought into the forms and structures of language. This, in my opinion, is an excellent definition to use due to the fact that children’s literature is constantly changing. From older literature, including songs and stories told orally, to more-modern themed children’s literature told from newer books and now even computers, it is easy to tell that the historical perspectives and trends of children’s literature continue to change throughout time. Today, the most common way of storytelling is by reading the words out of a book. Many, many years ago, this was not the case due to the lack of publishing. Individuals took it upon themselves to tell stories orally instead. These stories were often called “folklore”, “folk literature”, or “mythology”. Many of these stories were believed to have been myths, or untrue. However, literary study shows that myths are not untrue, just stories with a generalized meaning that expresses truth about human beings (2010). Children were also told many religious stories and lessons. As written literature formed and the printing press was invented, these religious stories and lessons were the first to then be told through pictures put into bibles and lesson books to make it easier for the children to understand. For centuries oral tradition was just as popular as more-modern written tradition ... ... middle of paper ... ...card on e-books now. Libraries also offer study groups and book clubs in order for children to discuss the stories they are reading with other children and adults. As the years continue and as long as we still have books more topics will be covered and more children will be learning because I truly believe that you never stop learning if you never stop reading. Works Cited Dreier, Peter. (2011). Dr. Suess’s Progressive Politics. Pages 28-47. Hucks, Charlotte. (2010). Charlotte Huck’s Children’s Literature. https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/0077771656/pages/53128500 Hucks, Charlotte. (2010). Historical Information. http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073378569/student_view0/chapter3/historical_information.html Mickenberg, Julia L. (2005). Learning from the Left: Children’s Literature, the Cold War, and Radical Politics in the United States
In Chapter 2 of Children’s Books in Children’s Hands: A Brief Introduction to their Literature, the authors talk about the 12 main elements of a literary work: genre, plot, setting, characterization, theme, point of view, intersexuality, tone, mood, style, voice, and the stance of the implied reader (Temple, Martinez, and Yokota 24). All of these literary elements capture the reader’s imagination and creates a successful piece of literature. However, the authors stress the importance of genre in Chapter 2, so I will briefly go over the different types of genres there are in literature and how it affects the readers greatly.
In conclusion, critical evaluation of what makes a book good or bad depends on the selection criteria and agenda of those making the evaluation. The prizes have been criticised through the years and the selection committees have risen to this by changing the selection process, even if this change has been slow. Children’s Literature is in flux due to the ever-changing ideas and perceptions of childhood. Children’s books seen as prestigious today may become, like Blyton, unpalatable to the critics of tomorrow.
As children, we are often told stories, some of which may have practical value in the sense of providing young minds with lessons and morals for the future, whereas some stories create a notion of creativity and imagination in the child. In Karen Armstrong’s piece, “Homo Religiosus”, a discussion of something similar to the topic of storytelling could translate to the realm of religion. Armstrong defines religion as a, “matter of doing rather than thinking” (17) which she describes using an example in which adolescent boys in ancient religions, who were not given the time to “find themselves” but rather forced into hunting animals which ultimately prepares these boys to be able to die for their people, were made into men by the process of doing.
Senick, Gerard J., and Hedblad, Alan. Children’s Literature Review: Excerpts from Reviews, and Commentary on Books for Children and Young People (Volumes 14, 34, 35). Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, 1995..
Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) believed it was ‘natural for a “master race” of conquerors to have a mythology based on the “master morality” – in which the strong and powerful deserve to be victorious. Inversely, it was also natural for a “slave race” to have a mythology based on the “slave morality” – in which the meek shall inherit the earth.” (Indick, 2004, p.197). The all powerful, infallible ‘Superman’ hero, named ubermensch, is still present in modern stories, in super hero films for example. However, children are hardly ever in charge, and have to answer to their parents, teachers and other authority figures within society, so it seems unlikely they will relate to the ‘master morality’ of the ubermensch, as they often lack power and authority within their own society. Therefore, the underdog hero, or ‘untermensch’ is of a greater appeal to children, especially when these characters are victorious against powerful adult characters as the story progresses.
The Open University (2009) E300 Children’s Literature, ‘DVD 1: Children’s Literature’, Milton Keynes, The Open University
Griffith, John, and Charles Frey. Classics of Children's Literature. 6th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. 21-29, 322-374. Print.
It has always been amazing to realize how well the literature I read as a child has stayed with me through the years. It takes an exceptional writer to compose a narrative that maintains a storyline on the same level of a child's understanding; it takes everything short of a miracle to keep a child's interest. However, that undertaking has been accomplished by many skilled authors, and continues to be an area of growth in the literary world. Only this year the New York Times has given the genre of children's literature the credit it deserves by creating a separate best-sellers list just for outstanding children's books. Yet, on another level, children's literature is not only for the young. I believe that the mark of a brilliant children's author is the age range of those who get pleasure from the stories; the wider the range, the better.
Myths play an influential role in all cultures and societies. Back when communication was not easy, stories were told among family and friends to help spread lessons. Values to help children to learn about how to live a blessed life are made into these stories. One may not notice the same thing that happens today. Stories told of Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and creatures alike who reward those for being balanced.
Books are the first introduction to many topics for children. In fact, for a child, it is an essential time to start reading, since it is an age where the children’s minds start developing preferences (Moser). Picture books are among the first literature, a child comes into contact with. Yet without a doubt, the majority of those characters are white or anthropomorphic animals with stories full of Eurocentric beliefs. Most children’s books neglect a variety of topics such as religion, race, homosexual, transgender, cultures, disability, and social status. Despite diversity becoming more prominent in television, movies, games, and teen novels, children’s literature still remain very Eurocentric.
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... (eds), Children’s Literature Classic Text and Contemporary Trends, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan in association with Open University
Throughout time, mankind has forged stories and legends to explain the unknown. As years went along the stories and tall tales were passed down to each generation. Each recount of the inherited stories are always told differently, how the story was told usually depended on the person and their particular region of habitance. Thus leading to hundreds of different versions of a single story told throughout the world, written and told by different people. Not only are these stories told as pure entertainment, they serve as wise life lessons and set examples for children when they were eventually introduced to society. These stories are so prominent in human history that even to this day the same stories that were told to children centuries ago
Children’s Literature is a relatively new genre of literature in comparison, developing with the ideas of childhood and its psychological stages. “It was not until around the eighteenth century that children’s literature as we know it-books written and published specifically for children’s enjoyment as well as their edification-finally emerged.” (Russell 8) Talking animals in children’s literature is a motif that has only begun to appear in the last two centuries due to religious attempts to stop children from hearing stories that broke the laws of nature, or God. “…most writers of the time cond...
Literature has been part of society since pen met paper. It has recorded history, retold fables, and entertained adults for centuries. Literature intended for children, however, is a recent development. Though children’s literature is young, the texts can be separated into two categories by age. The exact splitting point is debatable, but as technology revolutionized in the mid-twentieth century is the dividing point between classic and contemporary. Today’s children’s literature is extraordinarily different from the classics that it evolved from, but yet as classic was transformed into modern, the literature kept many common features.