Children's Literature: An Invitation to the World (with Children's Literature Database CD-ROM (PC only), Version 2.0) / Edition 1

Table of Contents

Each chapter concludes with “Internet Resources,” “Invitations,” “References,” and “Children's Books Cited in this Chapter.”

1. An Introduction to Children's Literature.
What Is Children's Literature?
What Can You Expect to Find in the Field of Children's Literature?
The Connection Between Reading and Children's Literature.
The Roots of Our Reading Selves—The Reading Autobiography.
Different Readers, Different Readings.
Creating a Community of Readers and Learners Through Talk.
Getting Started as Readers of Children's Literature.
Child Development and the Selection of Children's Literature: The Work of Piaget.
What Makes a Book Accessible?
Reasons for Reading.
Trends—What's Changed About Children's Literature Since You Were in Elementary School?

2. Valuating and Selecting Children's Literature.
Evaluating Books—The Words and Story.
The Visual.
Responding to the Visual.
Looking at the Art.
Artists' Tools and Materials.
Styles of Artists.
Evaluating the Art.
Book Awards.
Selection of Books.

3. The World of Picture Books.
ABC Books.
Counting Books.
Concept Books.
Characteristics of ABC, Counting, and Concept Books.
Wordless Books.
Characteristics of Wordless Books.
Characteristics of Books for the Earliest Readers.
Characteristics of Transitional or Chapter Books.
Purposes of Picture Storybooks.
Categories of Picture Storybooks for Older Readers.
Favorite Authors and Illustrators of Picture Books.

4. Responding toBooks Through Talk, Art, Writing, Drama, Movement, and Music.
What Is Response to Literature?
Providing Time to Respond.
What Do Good Readers Do?
Initial Responses.
Response Through Multi-Literacies.
Talk.
Art.
Writing.
Drama.
Movement or Kinesthetic Learning.
Music.
The Affective in Literature.
Conclusion.

5. The Delights of Poetry.
What Is Poetry?
Approaching Poetry.
The Sounds of Poetry.
How to Celebrate Poetry.
The Characteristics of Poetry.
The Many Types of Poetry.
Why Use Poetry In the Classroom?
How Children Connect to Poetry.
Poetry for Children in a Changing World.
What Kinds of Poetry Books Can You Expect to Find?
Evaluating Poetry Collections.
Selecting Poetry for the Classroom.
Poets You Can Count On.

6. The Context of Children's Literature.
How Can Books Affect Children?
More Than a Story—What Is Contained in Children's Literature?
How Can We Uncover What's in Books?
Recognizing Stereotypes.
Examples in Children's Literature of Uncovering the Stereotypes.
What Does All This Mean?
What We Can Learn from the History of Children's Literature.

7. Multicultural and International Literature.
What Is Multicultural Literature?
Reasons for Using Multicultural Literature.
How All Children Can Benefit From Multicultural Literature.
The Variety of Multicultural Books.
Authors and Illustrators of Color.
The Issue of Writing Outside One's Culture or Race.
Other Issues Surrounding the Use of Multicultural Literature.
Evaluation and Selection.
International Books.

8. Traditional or Folk Literature.
What Is Traditional or Folk Literature?
Mother Goose Rhymes.
Tongue Twisters, Puns, Proverbs, and Street Rhymes.
Folk Tales.
Fairy Tales.
Tall Tales.
Fables.
Myths.
Heroes in Folk Literature.
Developing Criteria for Evaluating Traditional Literature.
Favorite Authors of Traditional Stories.

9. Realistic and Historical Fiction.
What Is Realistic Fiction?
The Appeals of Realistic Fiction.
Categories of Realistic Fiction.
Narrative Structures Used in Realistic Fiction.
Themes.
A Look at Series Books.
Making Literature Available to Children: The Threat of Censorship.
Criteria for Evaluation of Realistic Fiction.
What Is Historical Fiction?
Appeals and Values.
Types of Historical Fiction.
Formats.
Historical Fiction in Picture Books.
Historical Fiction Series Books.
Time Periods and Themes in Historical Fiction.
Challenges of Writing Historical Fiction.
The Effects of Distortion.
Criteria for Evaluating Historical Fiction.
Favorite Authors of Traditional Literature.

10. Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Fantasy Defined.
Why Fantasy?
The Centrality of Imagination.
Kinds of Fantasy.
Science Fiction.
Variety in Science Fiction.
Themes and Strands Apparent in Science Fiction.
Appeals of Science Fiction.
Evaluation.
Getting Started with Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers.

11. Nonfiction or Informational Books.
Nonfi Defined.
A Trip Through the Dewey Decimal Classifications.
Comparison and Evaluation of Narrative Nonfiction.
Comparison and Evaluation of Non-Narrative Nonfiction.
Series Books.
Reference Books.
A Note on Blended Books.
Selecting Nonfiction Books Across the Curricula.

12. Biography and Autobiography.
One Biographer's Journey.
Choices Biographers Make.
Types of Biographies.
A Word About Autobiographies and Memoirs.
What Kind of People Can We Introduce Children to Through Biography?
Variety of Formats.
Some Differences Between Non-Series and Series Biographies.
Series and Non-Series Biographies Compared.
What Makes a Biography a Good One?
Threats to Accuracy in Biographies.
Favorite Authors of Biographies.

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