Synopses & Reviews
This classic text shows readers how children’s literature can capture the attention of K-8 students and foster a lifelong love of reading. It is the standard work in the field. The text covers learning about children’s literature, understanding children’s responses to literature, the history of children’s literature, picture books and all the genres (beginning books, fantasy, poetry, realistic fiction, historical fiction, biography, and informational books), planning the literature program, and extending and evaluating children’s understandings of literature.
About the Author
Barbara Kiefer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University where she teaches courses in Reading and Children’s Literature. Originally trained in art education, she taught grades 1-5 in several regions of the U.S. and in overseas schools. She has served as chair of the Elementary Section Committee of the National Council of Teachers of English and as a member of the NCTE Executive Board and was a member of the 1988 Caldecott Award Committee of the American Library Association. She has also served as chair of the NCTE/CLA notable Trade Books in the Language Arts committee and the Children’s Book Council/International Reading association Joint Committee. She has published articles and book chapters about reading and children’s literature. She is the author of THE POTENTIAL OF PICTUREBOOKS: From Visual Literacy to Aesthetic Understanding, the co-author of AN INTEGRATED LANGUAGE PERSEPCTIVE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL with Christine Pappas and Linda Levstik and the sixth and seventh editions of Huck et al.: CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
Table of Contents
Part I: Learning About Books and ChildrenChapter 1: Knowing Children’s LiteratureChapter 2: Understanding Children’s Responses to LiteratureChapter 3: The Changing World of Children’s BooksPart II: Exploring Children’s LiteratureChapter 4: Books to Begin OnChapter 5: Picture BooksChapter 6: Traditional LiteratureChapter 7: Modern FantasyChapter 8: PoetryChapter 9: Contemporary Realistic FictionChapter 10: Historical FictionChapter 11: Nonfiction BooksChapter 12: BiographyPart III: Developing a Literature ProgramChapter 13: Planning the Literature ProgramAppendicesA: Children's Book AwardsB: Book Selection AidsC: Publishers' AddressesName IndexSubject Index