KUTZTOWN UNIVERSTY

Department of Elementary Education

ELU 548 Contemporary Themes in Children’s Adolescent Literature

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Through research, discussion, and critical evaluation, students focus on contemporary themes and issues in books for children and young people. Themes are determined early in the course; relevant books are examined and compared; workable standards for evaluating books are pursued; and techniques for applying themes to classroom situations are developed. 3 s.h. 3 c.h.

RATIONALE

The most common accepted approach to the study of children’s literature, i.e., examining different literary categories (genre) of books, provides the student with an overview of the field and assists the reader in developing a set of literary criteria for use in selecting and using children’s books in general. This course offers a second approach to the study of children’s literature, that of examining books in light of how they treat contemporary social problems and conditions and how they treat contemporary social problems and conditions and how they influence young readers’ minds. So that we can attempt to construct suitable bases for attitudes and behavior, a critical issues approach should be included in the repertoire of courses in children’s literature available to graduate students and in-service teachers who teach in elementary and middle classrooms.

OBJECTIVES

As a result of readings, discussion, analysis, and research of contemporary themes in children’s books, the student is expected to:

1.Become more knowledgeable about the scope and value of children’s books in all phases of the elementary curriculum.

2.Become thoroughly familiar with a number of children’s books pertaining to the themes and issues covered in the course. These themes may include sibling relations, divorce, death, old age, war, human sexuality, the treatment of minorities, gender roles in society, the treatment of individuals with special needs, the treatment of the physically and mentally challenged, human rights, globalism, etc.

3.Develop criteria for evaluating the children’s books and for judging the accuracy of the authors’ works.

4.Compile an annotated bibliography of children’s books according to contemporary themes included in the course and in relation to the age and type of children of interest to the individual student.

5.Examine and analyze the practice of bibliotherapy and its use in the classroom.

6.Organize special projects and develop techniques by which themes can be presented effectively to children.

7.Implement at least one project pertaining to a contemporary theme with children in a classroom setting and analyze the results of the experience.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment of each student’s level of accomplishment with reference to the course objectives will be based upon a subset of the following:

  1. Participation in classroom projects, book discussions and literature circles to be assessed through a checklist, rubric and/or anecdotal records.
  2. Write a brief report about a visit to a children’s bookstore and/or children’s section of a bookstore
  3. Write response papers reflecting on contemporary themes and trends in literature based on assigned articles.
  4. Read and respond to a variety of assigned and self-selected books on pertinent themes.
  5. Present a booktalk using a creative strategy on a multicultural novel.
  6. Oral and written presentation of a contemporary theme implemented into the classroom setting: establish theme, rationale, description of project, student data, analysis of student responses and conclusions.
  7. Create a text set of books that reflect a self-selected pertinent theme implemented into the classroom setting.
  8. Compile an annotated bibliography on a self-selected pertinent theme.
  9. Written tests.

COURSE OUTLINE

The following is a tentative outline of broad topics:

I.Introduction

A.An Overview of the Course

B.An Overview of the Historical Development of Children’s Literature

C.Children and Adolescents: Their Needs and Their Books

II.Analyzing the Quality of Children’s Books; Criteria for Evaluating

A.Character

B.Plot

C.Setting

D.Theme

E.Point of View

F.Style

G.Tone

H.Format

III.Contemporary Themes in Children’s and adolescent Literature: An Exploration of Children’s Books and Current Research Findings on Each Theme

A.Self Esteem/Understanding the Self/Peer relationships

B.Family Life, Situations, Problems

1.Cooperation/Love/Change/Adaptation

2.Sibling Rivalry

3.Divorce/Separation

4.Managing/Facing Responsibility

5.Adoption/Foster Care

6.Abuse

C.Human Sexuality

D.Gender Roles

E.Heritage/Cultural Diversity

1.Native American Heritage

2.Afro-American Heritage

3.Hispanic Heritage

4.Other Heritage groups

F.Old Age

G.Death

H.Special Needs/The Human Condition

I.Conflict/War

J.The physical Environment/Global Concerns

IV.Using Literature in the Classroom

A.Perspectives on Bibliotherapy and Censorship

B.Creative Techniques for Sharing and Reviewing Books

C.Using the Focus Unit to Enhance Children’s Responses to Literature

D.Using Literature Across the Curriculum

Instructional Resources

Bodart, Joni. (2002). Radical reads: 101 young adult novels on the edge.

Rowman and Little Field.

______. (1992). Booktalk! 4: Selections from the booktalker for all ages and

audiences. New York: H.W. Wilson.

______. (1996). Booktalking the award winners: Young adult retrospective

Volume. New York: H. W. Wilson.

Bibliography of n sexist supplementary books (K-12). (1984). Phoenix, AZ: Oryx

Press, 1984.

Brinkley, E. H. (1999). Caught off guard: Teachers rethinking censorship and

controversy. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Carpenter, Humphrey, and Maria Prichard. (1999). The Oxford companion to children’s literature. New York: Oxford University Press.

Cullinan, Bernice E., and Lee Galda. (1998). Literature and the child. New York: Wadsworth Pub..

Dresang, E. (1999). Radical change. New York: The H. W. Wilson Co.

Dreyer, Sharon S. (1992). The bookfinder -- A guide to children’s literature: About interests and concerns of youth ages 2-18. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service, Inc.

Friedberg, J.B. (1992). Portraying persons with disabilities: An annotated bibliography of nonfiction for children and teenagers. New Providence, NJ: R.R. Bowker.

Gangi, J. M. (2004). Encountering children’s literature: An arts approach. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Gates, Pamela S., Steffel, Susan B., and Molson, Francis J. (2003). Fantasy literature for children and young adults. New York: Scarecrow Press.

Gillespie, John T and Barr, Catherine. (2004). Best books for Middle School and Junior High readers: Grades 6-9. Libraries Unlimited.

______. (2003). Best books for children supplement to the seventh edition: Preschool through grade 6. Libraries Unlimited.

Gillespie, John T. (2001). Best books for children: Preschool through grade 6. Libraries Unlimited.

Glazer, Joan I. (2004). Literature for young children. Boston, MA: Pearson Higher Ed.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. (1998). Pass the poetry, please! New York: Trophy

Hopkins, Lee B., and Stevenson, Harry. (2000). Good books, good times. New York: Harper Collins.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett.,and Alcom, Steven. (2000). My America: A poetry atlas of The United States. New York: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Horner, C.T. (1982). The aging adult in children’s books and nonprint median: An annotated bibliography. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.

Huck, Charlotte S., Kiefer, Barbara, Susan Hepler, and Janet Hickman. (2004). Children’s literature in the elementary school. (Eighth edition). New York: McGrawHill.

Jwed, Rosann, and Rizzo, Margaret. (2004). Building character through multicultural literature. New York: Scarecrow.

Kennedy, Day Ann M., Stella S. Spangler, and Mary Ann Vanderwerf. (1990). Science and technology in fact and fiction: A guide to children’s books. R.R. Bowker. ISBN 0-8352-2708-1.

Kobrin, Beverly. (1988). Eyeopeners! How to choose and use children’s books about real people, places, and things. Penguin. ISBN 0-14-046830-7.

______. (1995). Eyeopeners II: Children’s books to answer children’s questions about the world around them. New York: Scholastic.

Lenz, Millocent. (1990). Nuclear age literature for youth: The quest for a life-affirming ethic. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

Lima, Carolyn W., and John A. Lima. (2001). A to zoo: Subject access to children’s picture books. (Sixth edition). Greenwood Imprint.

Lipson, Eden Ross. (2000). The New York Times parent’s guide to the best books for children. (Third edition). Three Rivers Press.

Lurie, A. (2000). Don’t tell the grown-ups: Subversive children’s literature. Boston: Little Brown.

Lukens, Rebecca J. (2002). A critical handbook of children’s literature. Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn & Bacon

MacDonald, Margaret Read. (1995). Storyteller’s sourcebook. Gale.

______. (1986). Twenty tellable tales: Audience participation for the beginning storyteller. Illus. by Roxane Murphy. H.W. Wilson. ISBN 0-8242-0719-X.

Nieto, S. (2002). Language, culture and teaching: Critical perspectives for a new century. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Nikolajeva, M. (1996). Children’s literature comes of age: Toward a new aesthetic. New York: Garland.

Nodleman, Perry and Reimer, Mavis. (2003). The pleasure of children’s literature. (Third edition). Boston, MA: Pearson Ed. Inc.

Norton, Donna E., and Norton, Sandra. (2002). Through the eyes of a child: An introduction to children’s literature. (Sixth edition). New York: Princeton University Press.

Norton, Donna E. (2000). Through the eyes of many children: Multicultural children’s literature. New York: Princeton University Press.

Paul, Lissa. (1998). Reading otherways. Portland, ME.

Roberts, Patricia L. (2004). Family values through children’s literature and activities, grades 4-6. New York: Scarecrow Press.

Rockman, Connie. (2000). Eighth book of junior authors and illustrators. New York: H. W. Wilson.

Rudman, Masha Kabakow. (1995). Children’s literature: An issues approach. (Third edition). New York: Longman Publishers.

Rushkoff, D. (1999). Playing the future: How kid’s culture can teach us to survive in an age of chaos. New York: Putnam

Russell, David L. (2005). Literature for children: A short introduction. (Fifth edition). New York: Longman Publishers.

Saltman, Judith A. (1985). The Riverside anthology of children’s literature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Simmons, J. S., and Dresang, E. T. (2001). School censorship in the 21stcentury: A guide for teachers and school library media specialists. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Sinclair, Patti K. (1992). E for environment: An annotated bibliography of children’s books with environmental themes. New Providence, NJ: R.R. Bowker.

Sloan, Glenna D. (2003). The child as critic: Developing literacy theory through literature K-8. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

______. (2003). Give them poetry: A guide for sharing poetry with children K-8. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

Sotor, Anne. (1999). Young adult literature and the new literacy theories. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

Stan, Susan. (2002). The world through children’s books. New York: Scarecrow Press.

Stewig, John Warren and Sam L. Sebesta. (1989). Using literature in the elementary classroom. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.

Sullivan, Edward T. (1999). The Holocaust in literature for youth. New York: Scarecrow Press.

______. (2004). Appalachian literature for youth. New York: Scarecrow Press.

Sutherland, Z. (1997). Children and books. (Ninth edition). Addison Wesley.

Thomas, Rebecca L. (1993). Primaryplots: A book talk guide for use with readers ages 4-8. Libraries Unlimited.

______. (1996). Connecting cultures: A guide to multicultural literature for children. Libraries Unlimited.

Tomlison, C. M. (1998). Children’s books from other countries. New York: Scarecrow Press.

Trelease, Jim. (2001). The new read-aloud handbook. (Fifth edition). New York: Penguin.

Walter, V., and Gross, M. (1996). HIV/AIDS information for children: A guide to issues and information. New York: H. W. Wilson.

Wilkin, B.T. (1993). Survival themes in fiction for children and young people. New York: Scarecrow Press.

Zvirin, Stehanie. (1996). The best years of their lives: A resource guide for teenagers in crisis. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

Revised 8/2005

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