Synopses & Reviews
This concise, accessible text gives students a solid understanding of the foundations of children’s literature across its various genres from picture books to folk literature. In his usual engaging style, popular author David Russell stresses that students need to first appreciate literature in order to later use and teach it effectively in their own classrooms. The text’s user-friendly format includes a wealth of real examples from literature, and its concise presentation allows students to spend more time reading actual children’s books.
Substantially updated to bring the text and its resource lists in line with today’s most current scholarship, the Eighth Edition includes these significant changes:
- A variety of pedagogical suggestions give prospective teachers ideas they can put to use in their classrooms:
- NEW! The Orbis Picture Awards for children’s nonfiction have been added to the appendix. It complements the other lists of book awards and addresses the heightened emphasis on nonfiction in today’s school curricula.
- NEW! Annotated recommended booklists on diversity, picture books, fantasy, realistic fiction, and nonfiction, follow the chapters assisting students in selecting appropriate children’s books.
- NEW! How to use technology in the classroom is discussed in Chapter 3, emphasizing the importance of integrating various types of technology into today’s teaching practice.
- NEW! The use of folktales in the classroom is discussed in Chapter 8.
- NEW! 25 things to do with poetry give students fresh ideas for teaching the genre.
NEW! A new discussion on the Common Core State Standards helps prospective teachers align their literature instruction to this critical component of today’s teaching (Ch. 3). NEW! Critical approaches to literature are discussed in Chapter 9, demonstrating a variety of ways of reading children’s books and increasing the text’s accessibility to students in English and literature departments. Review
This book allows teachers and students to get an introduction to the world of children’s literature. The strength of this book is in the way its material is presented. The author has some interesting perspectives, which help engage students. It allows future teachers to take the material and create a lesson plan. Its accessible style and illustrations support the concepts presented in a very easy-to-follow way. -- Gail Dichtman, Moraine Valley Community College
A very concise, no frills companion to a short or compacted course on children’s literature. This book excels in its concise approach and its focus on the historical and mechanical aspects of children’s literature in general. -- Lee Edward Allen, University of Memphis
Synopsis
Literature for Children: A Short Introduction, 8/e is a concise, accessible, text that provides a solid understanding of the foundations of children’s literature across its various genres from picture books to folk literature. In his usual engaging style, popular author David Russell stresses that students need to first appreciate literature in order to later use and teach it effectively in their own classrooms. The text’s user-friendly format includes a wealth of real examples from literature, and its concise presentation allows students to spend more time reading actual children’s books. Substantially updated to bring the text and its resource lists in line with today’s most current scholarship, the Eighth Edition includes a list of the winners of the Orbis Picture Awards for children’s nonfiction, annotated recommended booklists, and discussions of important topics such as the Common Core curriculum, using technology in the classroom, teaching folktales, twenty-five uses of poetry, and critical approaches to literature that demonstrate a variety of ways of reading children’s books.
About the Author
David L. Russell has taught children’s literature courses at Ferris State University in Michigan for over 30 years. He is the author of Patricia MacLachlan and Scott O’Dell, both Twayne critical biographies, as well as numerous scholarly articles in various journals. A member of the Children’s Literature Association, for which he served as Treasurer and Publications Chair for several years, he is currently co-editor of The Lion and the Unicorn, one of the premier professional journals in the field of children’s literature.
Table of Contents
Brief Table of Contents
Chapter 1 The History of Children’s Literature: How We Got Here
Chapter 2 Literature and the Child: Growing Through Reading
Chapter 3 The Literature Experience: Reading, Writing, Talking, Doing
Chapter 4 Diversity and Inclusion: Reading the World
Chapter 5 Beginning Books: Knowledge Through Delight
Chapter 6 Picture Storybooks: The Collaboration of Story and Art
Chapter 7 Poetry: For the Love of Language
Chapter 8 Folk Narratives: The Oldest Stories
Chapter 9 The Elements of Story: Reading Fiction
Chapter 10 Fantasy Fiction: The World of Make-Believe
Chapter 11 Realistic Fiction: The Days of Our Lives
Chapter 12 Nonfiction: Telling It Like It Is
Glossary
Children’s Literature Resources
Children’s Book Awards