Summary
Summary Children's Literature
- Course
- Institution
Summary of all the mandatory books and papers, lectures and the discussions in class.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
rosaxx
Content preview
Lecture 1. Children’s LiteratureBook 1. A Bit Lost - Chris Haughton
The book is about an owl that has fallen out of the nest and has lost his mommy. He comes
along a squirrel who thinks he knows who his mommy is, but after three attempts, he doesn’t
know. The last one they see is the frog who really knows where mama Owl is. They find each
other and the owls, squirrel and frog eat biscuits in the nest.
Possible function = asking for help when you are lost, problem-solving.
Book 2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle
The book is about a caterpillar that is born hungry and everyday he eats more until he eats so
much he has a stomach ache. Then on Sunday he eats a leaf and he is satisfied. He is now so
big that he is cocooning and one day he becomes a butterfly.
Possible function = intellectual skills > counting, days of the week and the life cycle of a
caterpillar. Emotional > good things take time, transformation can serve as a metamorphose for
growth and change.
Book 3. The Story of The Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Business -
Holzwarth & Erlbruch
The book is about a mole who has poop on his head and tries to find out who did this. He
comes across different animals, but they all show him they have different kinds of poop. Then
he finds out the poop is from a dog and he poops on the head of the dog.
Possible function = problem-solving, different kinds of animals (intellectual),
humor/entertainment, dealing with frustration, learning that we are all different.
Book 4. We Are Going on a Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen
The book is about people/children who are going on a bear hunt. On their way they come along
different obstacles, but they go through it and they are not scared. The book has many
repetitions. They finally see a cave and the story telling changes, they see a bear! They are very
scared and go through every obstacle again but it goes much quicker until they are under their
covers again.
Possible function = the predictable patterns allow children to anticipate and join in, how to
overcome challenges, and the importance of working together.
Book 5. The Rainbow Fish - Michael Pfister
The book is about a fish who is really beautiful. One fish asks if the rainbow fish can give one of
his pretty scales to him, but he does not want to. Then all the fish hear it and they swim away
,from rainbow fish every time he is near them. Now the rainbow fish was the loneliest fish in the
sea and went to the octopus for help. The octopus says he has to give a glittering scale to each
of the other scales, “you will not be the most beautiful, but you will discover how to be happy.”
The Rainbow Fish does not want this but when the little fish comes a long again he decides to
give one scale. The Rainbow Fish feels good then and then he gives his scales to the other fish,
the more he gives away, until he finally feels at home.
Possible function = importance of sharing, how kindness can lead to forming friendships, inner
beauty is more important than physical appearance.
Lecture.
Children’s literature is part of the culture and development of the child. The literary tool can be
the same as ‘normal’ literature. It is always adults who decide if it’s placed in the children’s
section. The books can differ in genre, age group, composition and content. Children read a lot,
but this decreases when they get older, then more competitors (f.e. Social media). The average
reading ability of children in the NL is decreasing.
Consequences of functional illiteracy: processing information, employment, financial situation,
intergenerational transmission illiteracy, self-esteem and health (individual). Also on the level of
GDP, job vacancies and participation in society (societal level). There are nudging campaigns
for this, because also a cycle when you read more, you will also like it more.
Lecture 2. Functions of CL - Part 1
Book 1. The Gruffalo - Donaldson & Scheffler
The book is about a mouse who is walking through a forest and along his way multiple animals
see him and ask if he wants to come to their house. Then he said he is going to meet the
gruffalo and that his favourite food is the animal he is talking to, but they do not know that the
mouse is making that up. They get scared and leave the mouse alone. Then the mouse walks
into a real gruffalo! The gruffalo said the mouse looks good, but the mouse convinces him he is
the scariest. And while the gruffalo is walking behind the mouse, he comes along the different
animals and they are all scared. The gruffalo thinks it is because they are scared of the mouse
and he runs away.
Possible function = enjoyable because it rhymes, the mouse’s tricks can teach children about
overcoming challenges and consider different perspectives.
Linked to Rundell’s arguments = intellectual and enjoying language (rhyme), imagination, voice
to powerless, praising smartness over physical power.
Book 2. King and King - De Haan & Nijland
The book is about a queen who wants her son to take over her position, so he has to get
married. He does not care for princesses. But from over the world, princesses show up at the
castle, but they are all not good enough. Then a princess and her brother came in and it was
, love at first sight. With the prince! They got married and are then known as King and King, they
lived all happily ever after.
Possible function = show that same-sex stories can be a part of fairy tales, introduces children
to diverse relationships, encourages acceptance, helps explore emotions,
Linked to Rundell’s arguments = representing diversity, voice to powerless, questioning existing
morals.
Paper 1. Why You Should Read Children’s Books - Rundell
Rundell emphasizes that children's books are not exclusively for children but can satisfy both
the needs of a child and an adult. She writes for her 12-year-old self and her current self, aiming
to capture the essence of what is true and essential for both ages. Children's books offer a way
to reconnect with emotions and experiences that adults may have forgotten. They provide a
space to rekindle imagination, wonder, and a sense of awe, which can be lost in the
complexities of adult life. Rundell argues that these books can help adults remember important
truths about hope, hunger, joy, fear, and other fundamental human emotions. Rundell highlights
the role of imagination in children's books, noting that it is not optional but essential for
experiencing the world from different perspectives. She encourages readers to plunge into
children's books to rediscover the alchemy of imagination and to reconnect with their childhood
selves. It’s not escapism, it's findism. Children’s books are not a hiding place, but a seeking
place.
Lecture.
Intentions are the objectives that the writer (or parent) can have, something they want to
achieve in the child, they do not have to come true. When they do, it’s called an effect. Also
proven effects, such as that reading has positive effects on social and emotional developments,
e.g. people who read a lot use to have more understanding of others.
When you take the intentions + effects, you can talk about possible outcomes/effects =
functions. They do not have to come true or for some children and for others not.
There are different types of functions:
- Intellectual: e.g. adding to the knowledge (through non-fiction), developing language and
literacy skills (through vocabulary) or developing a sense of aesthetics (grasp of what
their own taste is).
- Social: e.g. socialization (everything you learn from others) where books can offer
examples of behavior and interaction, social relations and social norms or ethical
conscience (the development of a moral compass). Now an upcoming of more diversity
in children’s books and a rise of discussion about what to include. Should we censor
some traditional thinking in older books because it is not morally acceptable anymore?
Discussion
1. What reasons does Katherine Rundell give for children to read children’s books and what
reasons does she give for adults to read children’s books? Find as many as possible. How are
they different?
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller rosaxx. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.35. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
51036 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 15 years now