Why Do We Share Literature with Children?
Contrary to what may be thought reading is fun and one of the main reasons we share literature. This chapter in our text was full of information I had known for myself but was a great acknowledgment to see others understand and share these reasons as well. Starting with the reasons why we share literature, Dr. Perry and Dr. Lesesne give a video presentation with a plethora of information on all the reasons why. The first is because if something is fun, then people are more inclined to participate, It is much easier to see the joy in something if we see others enjoying it. As well as sharing literature helps in language acquisition. Scholastic uses charts and posters with information to show how 20 minutes a day of reading benefits a child tremendously and how by adding more time, even minutes more, can increase the knowledge acquired dramatically. Other reasons for sharing literature included are literature helps develop empathy, support life long readers, children can read autobiographically, for experiences, philosophical speculation, aesthetic experience, imagination development, and how we feature and share other cultures. All these reasons help in the development of your students and encourage a love of reading for years to come.
Reflecting on this chapter, I found myself nodding my head up and down often. The reasons for sharing literature with children that Dr. Perry and Dr. Lesesne share are all great reasons for me as an educator and librarian to get behind. We are a gateway to fantastic book experiences, and through the enjoyment, I have in reading I hope to impart those experiences with my students, So out of all the reasons to share literature for me fun is the first. It must be fun and pushed to remain that way. If we make it laborious or unengaging when we introduce literature to our children or students, we are setting the world of literature up for failure.
Great video to share with your students or children called 47 Charming Fact’s about Children’s Books by John Green. https://youtu.be/ZTtx_rdTAYI
It is fun to learn the reasons for how a book came to be as well as facts about the authors who write them because it only encourages us to want to read the book that goes along with those facts or to love a book even more.
Reference:
Perry, K. & Lesesne, T.Feb. 23, 2016. https://youtu.be/dOkoQcLadsw Professors Providing Professional Development
Lesesne, T. Feb. 24, 2016. Reasons to share lit with readers. https://www.slideshare.net/ProfessorNana/reasons-to-share-lit-with-readers
Divisions of Young Peoples Literature
In this section of our text, Dr. Perry shares the divisions of literature for young children and young adults. The divisions beginning with children's literature from 0 - 8 years of age. These books can include, wordless books, board books, picture books, early readers, illustrated chapter books and early chapter books. Noticing they are usually full of very colorful visuals for students to see while reading. Moving into Middle grade/tween 8 - 12 years of age. Including early chapter books with some visuals, like A to Z readers or Junie B. Jones, as well as Graphic Novels like Rollergirl, Bad Kitty and Geronimo Stilton. Within this group you will hit the ages 11 -13 considered the middle school range including 7th & 8th graders who have a hard time finding literature that is appropriate for them. At their age, they want to read up and may not be mentally or world ready for the contents within the novel. The next division of literature in young adult including ages 13 - 18. This is an extensive range and students within this range may find characters that may be somewhat autobiographically relatable. As this is a broad range, a student in the younger of the field may be exposed to literature that parents or student might not be ready for. Leading us to the final division New Adult from 18 - 30 which was a result of a 2009 writing contest as this was not really a division until publishers realized that the higher of the young adult range were looking for more relatable characters. These selections include characters going through similar experiences like dating for the first time, going off to college and moving away from parents.
When reflecting on this chapter, I found it helpful to see the progression of literature through the ages. As a first year librarian, I have been able to look at the choices of students within our library. The divisions are pretty spot on and made it a bit easier for me to give suggestions to students when they had a hard time making book choices. As a mom, I am a bit worried for my daughter and son to grow up and reach the young adult range as they both adore reading and the content of the literature may not be appropriate for them at that time. I think that experiences within books may help with their growth and their development as well as set them at ease for things they may not want to discuss with me. I have a hard time seeing my children get older, but young adult selections may be a helpful aid in their growth if they are unable to speak with me about their life experiences.
Reference:
Perry, K. May 4, 2016. https://youtu.be/y8CtEYT3O4c Professors Providing Professional Development
Anatomy of a Book
In this section of our text, we were directed to Chronicles Book Blog to learn more about the parts that make a book. Using illustrations by Alina Buevich, Content and Community Manager Jenna Homen creates diagrams labeled with information on each part of a book. Parts including endpapers, the beginning, and end of a book, case wrap which is the artwork on the book cover under the book jacket, the book block, gutter, headband, backbone, and saddle stitch. All parts of the book are essential to keeping it all together as well as presenting students with a popular selection.
Reflecting on this selection, I was really excited to learn the parts of a book. I have been repairing books in our library and didn't know what some of the parts were. I felt silly to think that the endpapers were not called cover pages and I had no clue that the artwork under a book actually had a name. It made me feel a bit more comfortable working with the books within our library after reading from this selection.
Reference: Homen, J. July 13, 2017. Book Love. Anatomy of a Book. https://www.chroniclebooks.com/blog/2017/07/13/the-anatomy-of-a-book/#comments. Chronicles Book Blog
Image: Buevich, A. July 13, 2017. Book Love. Anatomy of a Book. https://www.chroniclebooks.com/blog/2017/07/13/the-anatomy-of-a-book/#comments. Chronicles Book Blog
Genres and Formats: They May Not be What You Think
In this selection, Dr. Perry gives us guidance on genre and formats of literature. Starting with Fiction, you have realism which contains realistic, modern and contemporary as well as historical. Then you have Fantasy including sub-genres like modern fantasy and hard science fiction and high science fiction, but also traditional fantasy like folktale, ballad, fable, legend, myth, and fairytale. Once you have the genres down for fiction, we move on to Non-Fiction which is information. The genres that lie under Non-Fiction include biography, autobiography a life span of a person, memoir a short snip of a persons life, narrative fiction which is written in a format that is story like, and expository nonfiction which includes more facts and information. Dr. Perry then introduces subjects and categories as well as formats for literature these are not genres and are often confused. The subject and categories include mystery, humor, sports fiction, classics, and action/adventure. Formats include poetry, drama, novels chapter books, picture books, short stories, and graphic novels. Books could fall into many categories and not fall into one making it confusing for students searching for a book. When librarians think to Genrefiy their collections, they must ultimately make sure that when describing a book they must use the right genre and categories so that students will understand what to look for.
Reflecting on this chapter, I realize that I need to be patient about our library and I really need to teach my students the genres as well as categories and formats so that they will be able to determine where a book would be located or categorized. I see so many teachers on social media and two within my district genre-fy their libraries, but I also hear them trying to defend their choices when placing a book within a category when another librarian thinks it could go in another. I feel like this leads to confusion with our students and I don't want to pigeon hole a book into one category when it could fit into multiple. It may possibly deter a student from selecting the text when they would not have given it a second thought without genrefying. Ultimately I think genrefying works in the beginning because it is new to the students and it gets them excited. Just like when we redecorate our homes. We want to be in that space because it is new and makes us happy. So instead of genrefying why not rearrange or redecorate? Maybe it will turn out similar in circulation.
Reference:
Perry, K. May 13, 2016. Genres and Formats: They Might Not Be What You Think. https://youtu.be/LbfpB3eyDyg Professors Providing Professional Development.
What is YA Literature?
You are no longer in the primary zone when reading young adult literature. The protagonist is now more spirited and independent. Dealing with significant changes in their lives and draws on the development of the reader. Young adults are coping with changes in their lives, so it is only natural that authors draw their stories from those changes. Students then have characters they can relate to and see themselves in. The story may be in the main character's point of view, and we may follow along with the consequences of their decisions throughout the selection.
Reflecting on this chapter, I found my self recalling all the books I have read in my lifetime especially the Young adult range. Remembering the characters and what they were going through and I feel like I can really see those characteristics of young adult literature more clearly now. Selections like Slider by Pete Hautman, have the main character that uses his mom's credit card to purchase an item and ends up spending way more than he bargained for. We end up going on his journey to correct his mistake by participating in food eating contests and end the end learn a lesson along with him. Young adult literature is a great outlet for students that need something or someone to relate to, and this is a great option. Allowing students to step into another's shoes and follow along with the decisions the character makes and ultimately experience the consequences that follow. Giving students life experiences to draw from to help with events in their life.
Reference:
Perry, K. Lesesne, T. (Mertz & England, 1983).WHAT IS YA LITERATURE? https://docs.google.com/document/d/10HKXlP8AAV6f-eVFIHklMa1u_CqSnJIRU9pjvFPP6PA/edit
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