A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature / Edition 9

by Rebecca Lukens, Jacquelin Smith, Cynthia Miller Coffel

Overview

A Critical Handbook of Children’s Literature, Ninth Edition,gives future teachers, practicing teachers, librarians, and parents many examples of quality children’s literature to guide them in choosing the best books for the classroom, library, or home. The Handbook analyzes children’s books that showcase positive examples of the literary elements, formats, and genres that are the focus in the field of children’s literature. The books are noteworthy children’s books, from classics to favorites to just-published titles, all selected as thought-provoking, important, or motivating choices. The authors suggest that readers examine the Handbook and then apply the literary concepts to additional reading from today’s ever-expanding selection of children’s books.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780137056385
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	03/07/2012
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Rebecca J. Lukens graduated with honors from Concordia College in Minnesota, earned an M.A. from Syracuse University, and next worked on the editorial staff of a children's encyclopedia in New York. After a year on the faculty of St. Olaf College followed by her marriage, she taught at New York State College, Albany, and later at Ohio University, Chillicothe. After publication of a few children's stories, Miami University Department of English hired Lukens to teach Children's Literature–not "Kiddy Lit"–as well as technical and expository writing.

The first edition of A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature was published by Scott Foresman in 1976, and A Critical Handbook of Literature for Young Adults by Harper Collins in 1994. Lukens also co-edited a literature anthology, Woman: An Affirmation, published by D. C. Heath in 1979. Her latest publication, It's Been Great, is a memoir dedicated "to my children and theirs."

Lukens's retirement teaching has been with Miami University's Institute for Learning in Retirement; her favorite class she called "Laughter for Health and Sanity."

Jacquelin J. Smith is a career educator whose experience spans grades 2—8 through pre-service teaching. Children’s Literature has been a passion throughout her career, from literacy learning to connections across the curriculum. She has shared many cross-curricular teaching and learning strategies for science, social studies and math with children’s books at numerous professional conferences and in publications with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. A lifelong learner and Children’s Literature instructor at the University of Northern Iowa, her studies continually confirm both her appreciation for and belief in the power of critically examining children’s literature.

Cynthia Miller Coffel is the author of Thinking Themselves Free: Research on the Literacy of Teen Mothers. Her research in children's and young adult literature has appeared in journals such as The ALAN Review, Reader, and QSE. Her work won the Jeffrey E. Smith award for nonfiction from The Missouri Review in 2007, and her literary essays have twice been listed among the notable essays of the year in The Best American Essays series. Her PhD in literacy education is from the University of Iowa.

Table of Contents

To the Instructor.

To the Student.

1. Literature: What Is It?

Literature for Children.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

2. Genre in Children's Literature.

Realism.

Formula Fiction.

Fantasy.

Traditional Literature.
Poetry.

Informational Books.
Across Genre Lines.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

3. Picture Books.

The Illustrative Elements of the Picture Book.

The Literary Elements of the Picture Book.

Lasting Favorites.

Wordless Picture Books.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

4. Character.

Revelation of Character.

Unity of Character and Action.

Types of Characters.

Change in Character.

Special Issues of Character in Childrens Literature.

Traditional Literature.

Animal Realism.

Science Fiction.

Classics.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

5. Plot.

Types of Narrative Order.

Types of Conflict.

Patterns of Action.

Types of Plots.
Special Issues of Plot in Children's Literature.

Coincidence.

Sentimentality.

Lack of Conflict.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

6. Theme.

Theme or Unifying Truth.
Types of Themes.

Special Issues of Theme in Children's Literature.

Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

7. Setting.

Types of Settings.

Functions of Setting.

Special Issues of Setting in Children's Literature.

Traditional Literature.

Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

8. Point of View.

Types of Point of View.

Special Issues of Point of View in Children's Literature.

Maturity of the Reader.

Animal Realism.

Fantasy.

Stories of Various Cultures.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

9. Style.

Devices of Style.
Devices of Sound

Special Issues of Style in Children's Literature.

Retellings and Translations.

Stories of Other Periods and Places.

High Fantasy.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

10. Tone.

Tone in Charlotte's Web.

Humor.

Differing Tastes in Tone.

Tone Related to the Author's Choice of Materials.

Special Issues of Tone in Children's Literature.

Condescension.

Sentimentality.

Sensationalism.

Didacticism.

Changing Values.

Variety of Tone.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

11. From Rhyme to Poetry.

Nursery Rhymes.

Nonsense.

Poetry.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

12. Biography.

Biography Defined.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

13. Informational Books.

Nonfiction Defined.

Informational Books.

Special Issues in Informational Books for Children.

Tone.

Didacticism and Propaganda.
Summary Notes Recommended Books Cited in This Chapter

Appendix A: Children's Book Awards.

Appendix B: Selected Magazines for Children.

Appendix C: Selected Reviewing Media for Children's Books.

Appendix D: Selected Websites about Children's Literature.

Glossary of Literary Terms.

Credits.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

Written as a text for children's literature courses, but also of interest to parents, writers, and anyone who assesses children's literature. Lukens insightfully covers the various genres, examining character, plot, themes, setting, point of view, style, and tone. The new edition (first, 1955) includes new examples of children's literature published within the last five years. At the end of each section, recommended books are listed, and there is a selected list of children's book award winners since 1922, including British, Australian and Canadian awards. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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