Children’s Literature
By Amy Borders
Borders2946FinalProject
Children’s Literature
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There are many kinds of literature:
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Picture books
Traditional
Nursery rhymes
Poetry
Biography/Autobiography
Realistic/Historical/Multicultural
Picture Books
Definition: Books in which images
and ideas join to form a unique
whole
 Illustrations in books should enhance
the text, text may not even be
necessary
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Picture Books
Awards are given each year to the
best picture book, this is known as
The Caldecott Medal Award.
 The first award was given in 1938 to
Dorothy Lathrop for Animals of the
Bible, A Picture Book.
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Traditional Literature
A folktale is a term used to identify
many different types of literature.
 A folktale is a traditional, sometimes
oral narrative.
 Folktale is a general term as well as a
specific type.
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Traditional Literature
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Types:
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Folktale
Fairytale
Myth
Animal tale
Legend
Tall Tale
Trickster
Characteristics of a…
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Folktale are:
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Good vs. bad
Anytime, anywhere setting
Often interchangeable with a fairytale
Cultural
A problem needs to be solved
Characteristics of a…
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Fairytale:
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No fairies
Set in the past, “Once upon a time..”
Contains magic or fantasy
Good vs. bad
Happy endings
Characteristics of a…
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Myth:
◦ Ancient stories
◦ Often “why” stories (Pourquoi)
◦ Often Greek or Roman based
Characteristics of a…
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Fable or animal story:
◦ Most common are Aesop’s Fables
◦ Have a moral or lesson to be learned
Characteristics of a…
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Legend:
◦ Based on an actual historical figure
◦ Embellished tales
Characteristics of a…
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Tall Tale:
◦ Tales of historical people often larger
than life
Characteristics of a…
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Tricktster or noodlehead tale:
◦ Contain likeable fools
◦ Cunning and stupid characters
◦ Often rabbits or ravens
Nursery Rhymes
Often times nursery rhymes are
linked to real events from the past.
 Most have a melody and a rhythm.
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Poetry
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There are many kinds of poetry.
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Haikus
Cinquains
Couplets
Limericks, etc.
Poetry
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Most poems have rhythm, imagery
and form
Biography/Autobiography
Biographies and autobiographies
can often bridge the gap between
the past and the present.
 Can also help transition a reader
from fiction to non-fiction.
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Realistic, Historical and
Multicultural
Realistic writings tell of true life.
 Children can identify with the
characters.
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Realistic, Historical and
Multicultural
Historical books tell of the past.
 In order to be considered historical
the book must have been written at
least 50 years ago.
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Realistic, Historical and
Multicultural
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Multicultural books are any that
contain a protagonist that is a
different race, religion, or who
speaks a different language than a
typical Euro-American individual.
Children’s Literature
The many different types of
literature for children is amazing.
 Children can learn through many
different avenues. They can explore
different places and meet new
people by opening a book or by
listening to a story or by hearing a
poem.
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Children’s Literature
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All information in this presentation
was gathered from the notes and
presentations given for this course.