Through the Eyes of a Child: An Introduction to Children's Literature / Edition 8

by Donna Norton, Saundra Norton

Overview

No text better prepares you for evaluating, choosing, and sharing quality children’s literature than Through the Eyes of a Child: An Introduction to Children’s Literature. This streamlined eighth edition continues to provide a visually stunning, theoretically sound, comprehensive overview of children’s literature. Sharpened focus on contemporary issues in the field, deepened coverage of biography and informational books, and newly integrated technology give this new edition added relevance in the changing field. In addition to the text's contemporary and valuable information on literature for younger readers, some of the brightest stars of children’s literature lend their talents to the new edition, providing insight into the craft and addressing the changing needs of middle grades readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780137028757
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	03/09/2010
Series:	MyEducationKit Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	640
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 10.90(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Following the completion of her doctorate at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Donna E. Norton joined the College of Education faculty at Texas A&M University where she now holds the rank of professor emerita. She taught courses in children’s literature, language arts, and reading. Dr. Norton is the recipient of the Texas A&M Faculty Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching. This award is given “in recognition and appreciation of the ability, personality, and methods which have resulted in distinguished achievements in the teaching and the inspiration of students.” She is also the recipient of the Virginia Hamilton Essay Award, presented by the Virginia Hamilton Conference Advisory Board at Kent state University. This annual award recognizes an article that “makes a significant contribution to the professional literature concerning multicultural literature experiences for youth.”

Prior to her college teaching experience, Dr. Norton was an elementary teacher in River Falls, Wisconsin and in Madison, Wisconsin. She was a Language Arts/Reading Consultant for federally funded kindergarten through adult basic education programs. In this capacity she developed, provided in-service instruction, and evaluated kindergarten programs, summer reading and library programs, remedial reading programs, learning disability programs for middle school children, elementary and secondary literature programs for the gifted, and diagnostic and intervention programs for reading-disabled adults. Dr. Norton’s continuing concern for literature results in frequent consultations with educators from various disciplines, librarians, and school administrators and teachers.

Table of Contents

1. The Child Responds to Literature
2. The History of Children's Literature
3. Evaluating ane Selecting Literature for Children
4. Artists and Their Illustrations
5. Picture Books
6. Traditional Literature
7. Modern Fantasy
8. Poetry
9. Contemporary Realistic Fiction
10. Historical Fiction
11. Biographies
12. Informational Books

Introduction

If you are an adult who wants to share books with children, Through the Eyes of a Child is written for you. Whether the children's literature course is offered in the department of Education, English, or Library Science, the text's unique two-part chapter organization and special features provide a meaningful guide to understanding children's literature.

What you will find in this new edition is a stronger focus on teaching, with voices from the field, new teaching ideas, and student artifacts. The same quality of literary criticism; the strongest, most researched treatment of multicultural literature; streamlined prose; integrated technology; innovative and meaningful special features; and a balance between new and classic titles are other strong components of this revision.

Organization

Unique Two-Part Chapter Organization

Beginning in Chapter 3 and extending through Chapter 12, each chapter is purposely divided into two parts. The first discusses in depth the characteristics, history, and the classic and best new titles of each genre suitable for courses emphasizing Education, English, or Library Science.

The second part of each genre chapter contains streamlined, classroom-tested strategies for teaching children with the best literature, providing readers with the best methods for using children's literature in their classrooms.

Strong Multicultural Theme

Always the leader in multicultural literature scholarship, this new edition continues the strong multicultural theme with a dedicated chapter, as well as complete integration of important multicultural titles in every chapter, reflecting the importance of the literature, and thenecessity of understanding and studying its contributions to all genres.

New to This Edition

New Titles for the Sixth Edition

As in the past, there has been a careful selection of new books, which has resulted in the addition of hundreds of new titles representing the best children's books published since 1999. The books discussed in this edition were chosen for their quality of literature and to create a balance between new books and those that have stood the test of time and are considered to be classics. In addition to the newest literature, the text includes numerous adult references that reflect the viewpoints, issues, and scholarly findings of professionals who write and work in the area of children's literature.

While hundreds of new titles were studied and included in this edition, hundreds of other titles were cut because the books are no longer in print. The exclusion of books that are out of print is meant to assist librarians, educators, and other professionals who may want to order the books that are discussed or mentioned in the text. However, a very limited number of out of print books are included, because they are still available in libraries, are the best examples for a specific discussion, or are just too good to be ignored.

Emphasis on the Artistry

Heartfelt thanks are extended to cover artist Yangsook Choi, whose distinctive illustrative style and writing have received acclaim from The New York Times (Outstanding Book of the Year), Publisher's Weekly (one of the most prominent new children's book artists of 1997), International Reading Association (Children's Book Award), American Library Association (Notable Book), and Oppenheim (Toy Portfolio Gold Award). Her beautiful original piece for our cover expresses the joy and celebration to be found, savored, and shared in quality literature, and we are grateful for and honored by her work for us.

The beauty and artistry of children's literature begin with our cover and are carried throughout this beautiful text. The full-color illustrations that appear as the frontispiece and at the beginning of each chapter represent carefully selected illustrations in a variety of media crafted by some of the most talented children's book illustrators. From cut paper to woodcuts, through watercolors and oil paintings, and through the camera's eye, the illustrators represented on the opening pages of each chapter give children special stimulation for their visual, interpretive skills.

Special Features

NEW! Through the Eyes of a Teacher. This new feature of voices from the field in every chapter clearly illustrates the ways teachers and media specialists use good children's literature to engage students. Master teachers model good instruction and provide ideas for teaching with good literature.

Through the Eyes of an Author. These interviews with top writers, illustrators, and storytellers in the field of children's literature bring readers into the world of creating books for kids, and open students up to the world behind children's literature. These features have been expanded for this edition.

NEW! Video Profile. Many of the authors interviewed in the Through the Eyes o f an Author feature, as well as numerous other children's book authors and illustrators, are part of a video of extended conversations that are available with the text.

NEW! Through the Eyes of a Student. In this new feature, students respond to the work of each chapter's author or illustrator highlighted in the Through the Eyes of on Author feature. These student writing samples introduce readers to the kinds of responses they can expect from their own students being introduced to good literature.

NEW! Technology Resources. The technology features, found in every chapter, connect chapter content with both the Companion Website and the CD database that accompany the text, linking users to the technological resources that will provide them a wealth of children's literature and related teaching materials, all of which will be an excellent resource for users for years to come.

Evaluation Criteria. Professors tell us that the one thing their students must know is how to choose the best titles from among all the available children's literature. As in previous editions, this feature in every genre chapter gives users the information they need to choose the best titles for their students.

Issues. This important feature, great for- class discussion and research projects, has been updated to include the constant and the new issues facing the field of children's literature, particularly as they affect teaching. The feature introduces readers to the issues they will face when choosing and teaching with children's literature, presents information, and asks readers to reflect upon different controversies facing the field, including issues of censorship and culturally sensitive literature.

In-Depth Look. Many professors have indicated that their students would benefit from models of deep discussion related to the literary elements in children's literature. This section in each chapter uses one title at a time to explore, contextualize, and fully illustrate important literary concepts for readers. For example, Chapter 3 focuses on Christopher Paul Curtis' The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 to explore plot and conflict. These pieces have been expanded in this edition to include elements in every genre chapter.

Supplements

CD-ROM Database. Included in the back of this text is a free database of children's literature. It includes approximately 5000 titles and is intended to be an ongoing resource for teachers and media specialists who choose titles for students. An award winner field has been added to give users a feel for the best of the best titles. Every title discussed in the booklists can be brought up on the CD, which provides users with plot summaries, appropriate reading level, awards won, and publisher information. The CD has been further integrated in the text through the Technology Resource feature.

Companion Website. This completely text-integrated supplement contains self-assessments, activities, an online activity book with strategies for teaching with children's literature, and many, many links to award sites, author sites, research sites, classroom sites, and others.

Conversations with Children's Literature Authors and Illustrators Video. Integrated into the text, this free supplement includes interviews with many excellent children's book authors and illustrators, including Eve Bunting, Floyd Cooper, Paula Danziger, Brian Pinkney, Jack Gantos, and many more.

Instructor's Manual. This free supplement for professors includes test questions, chapter outlines, and syllabus samples.

Editorial Reviews

In comparison to the children's literature books on the market, this book rises above the others in every aspect! This is a remarkable book.

Nancy Thornberry, Texas A&M University

This book provides a great reference and resource for teachers and those who will be teaching.

Daniel Holm, Indiana Univeristy, South Bend

The teaching recommendations and literature suggestions are superb!

Ruth A. Oswald, University of Akron

From the Publisher

**** Endorsed by BCL3. A text covering the various genres, with an emphasis on criteria for book evaluation and selection. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews