March 2004
E. Olivier
Classification of books
Format
Size, shape, illustrations, design, paper, binding,
typography
Toy books, board books, wordless books,
picture books, illustrated books, chapter books
Genre
Literature in which the members share common
characteristics
Fiction, nonfiction, prose, poetry, realism,
fantasy
Format:
Ratio of text to illustrations
Wordless picture books: no text
Picture books: text & pictures tell the story
Illustrated books: text gains more
importance & illustrations are fewer
Junior novels: no illustrations at all
Books for the early years:
Toybooks & Board books
Toybooks
Toylike elements: flaps, levers, fabric, movable
parts, pop-ups
Very young children
Board books
Heavy cardboard & laminated
Toddlers – licking & chewing, turned easily
Value
Develop closeness & mutual enjoyment
Introduction to the world of literature
Books for the early years:
Mother Goose
Nursery rhymes
Written by adults for adults
Appeal:
Rhythm
Rhyme
Humor
Participation
Associations with home & pleasant surroundings
Value:
Useful preschool & primary grades
Develop language skills, story sequence & structure
Encourage children to read
Books for the early years:
Concept books
Organize objects/events into categories
Data falls into patterns under a general
concept/idea
Help children to understand concrete &
abstract ideas
Counting books & alphabet books
Value:
Introduce & clarify objects
Develop vocabulary & language skills
Books for emergent readers:
Predictable books
Patterns allow the reader to
predict what is going to happen
next
Events are repeated
Repetition of language
Rhythm & rhyme
Value
Children say along or “read”
Help children to read naturally
Books for emergent readers:
Big books
Large format books
A group can see the
illustrations & text clearly
Value
Enjoyment
Reading instruction
Shared reading experiences
Participation
Reading is placed in a social
context
Books for emergent readers:
Beginning to read books
Children are eager to read on their own
Easy to read, I can read, Ready to read
Fantasy, realistic fiction, folk tales
Value
Children read new material with a good
chance of success
Opportunity to figure out the meaning on
their own
Reinforce the idea of reading
Discussion time
Visualize your room & home when
you were a child. What in your
environment contributed to your
literary development?
Plan a concept book for preschool
children
Plan a toy book for preschool
children
What was your favourite rhyme as a
child? Motivate.
Picture books
Any book in which the illustrations are as
important as the text
This includes toy & board books, Mother
Goose, concept books & books for
beginning readers
Types
Picture story books
Narratives that use text & illustrations
Wordless books
No or very little text
Picture books of poetry and song
Narratives in rhyme & rhythm
Evaluating picture books
Text & illustrations should tell the story
Illustrations should be appropriate
Clear language
Characters should be well developed
No stereotyping
Accurate setting
Not be condescending
Size, type, jacket, title page, text should be
appropriate
Paper & binding of high quality
Poetry books
Concentrated language
Sound, rhyme, rhythm, figurative language,
imagery, spacing
Poetry books may also be narratives
Good poetry has fresh ideas & insight
Teachers should consider:
Quality
Age / background
Poetry preferences
Cultural diversity
Variety in form & content
Relationship between children’s experiences &
classroom activities
Traditional literature
Folktales / Fairy tales
Origin: oral tradition
Associations with writer: Grimm’s fairy tales
Formula
Openings : Once upon a time
Quick presentation of the problem
Uncomplicated characters: good & bad
Quick pace of the plot
Inevitable fate of the villains
Value
Strengthens the imagination
Simplifies moral questions
It can promote cultural & global awareness
Traditional literature
Fables
Stories usually about animals that teach a
lesson
Stories are short but the meaning complex
One-line moral at the end
Aesop’s tales well-known
Ages 8 – 9 years old
Value
Quick retellings & dramatization
Cooperative learning
Traditional literature
Myths
Longer stories that
explain the origins of
the earth
Focus: gods, ancient
heroes, ancestors and
natural phenomena
Setting: home of the
gods
Traditional literature
Legends
Focus on people that are
extraordinary
Based on the lives of real
/supposedly real people
King Arthur
Picture books reflects life
in medieval times
Fantasy
Elements do not exist outside the imagination
Categories
Talking toys – Winnie the Pooh
Personified animals
Imaginary animals – dragons
Tiny people – elves
Curious occurrences – time travel
Science fiction – space travel
Value
Helps children understand real life
Evaluating fantasy
The fantastic element must
be believable
Fantasy must be central to
the story
Details must be consistent
with the rest of the story
Main characters must be
plausible & believable
Realistic fiction
Based on what happened or could have
happened
Common themes:
Common experiences – everyday events
Personal growth – physical or emotional
maturing
Relationships with family or friends
Problems – death
Life in a pluralistic society – other countries
Categories of realistic fiction
Sports stories
Animal stories
Mysteries – action and suspense
Humorous stories
Good realistic fiction
Accurate setting
Avoids clichés in content
Should avoid didacticism
Consistent style
Value
Helps children see similarities & differences
among peoples
Informational books
More nonfiction books than any other writing
Present facts, concepts & generalizations
about a topic
Evaluating non-fiction
Accuracy of facts
Organization – logical
Writing style – interesting & understandable
Illustrations – accurate & enhance
Value:
Broadens children’s knowledge
Discussion time
What was your favourite folktale and why?
Read and compare the first line in several
folktales. Which line is the most effective?
Select a picture book and evaluate it
according to the criteria
Select a book of animal fantasy and one in
which animals are portrayed realistically.
Which do you prefer and why?
Read a fantasy book and evaluate it
according to the criteria
Bibliography
Aesopus, Paxton, T. & Rayevsky, R. 1993. Birds of a
feather and other Aesop’s fables. New York : Morrow
Junior books [J 398.245 AESO].
Bunting, E. 1994. Smoky night. San Diego Harcourt Brace
& Co [J 823 BUNT].
By die skool. 1993. Boleswa: Macmillan [439.368 KOM].
Carle, E. 1987. Papa, please get the moon for me. London
: Hodder and Stoughton [J 823 CARL].
Corbett, G. 1984. Working in the garden. London: Walker
House [J 428.12 COR]. De Paola, T. 1985. Tomie de
Paola’s Mother Goose. London: Methuen Children’s Books
[FJ 398.9 MOT].
Dodd, H. & Iversen, D. 1999. Hercules and other Greek
legends. Auckland : Lands End [428.6 WILD].
Dupasquier, P. 1993. Follow that chimp. London : Walker
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Glazer, J.I. 1997. Introduction to children’s literature.
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