Module Seven – Topic One: Children’s Literature, the history, current situation and guidelines for choosing excellent children’s books

In Module Six, we looked at the development of language and the connection of emerging language to early literacy development. We identified the importance of an environment rich in opportunities to talk, to hear language to share ideas and to play.

A literacy rich environment is also important, with an emphasis on integrating literature into the interest areas and play centres in the program. As we choose literature for our programs, we follow children’s interests and support children to use literature to research the topics they are curious about. We also choose and present stories that broaden the world for children, highlighting relevant issues and new possibilities.

In your discussion last module you shared your favorite stories and described why they appealed to you. In this module we will talk about how children’s literature has grown over time and how we choose literature that is excellent and appropriate for young children.

History of Children’s Literature

Where and when did children’s literature as we know it in the Western World begin? What has it grown out of and where is it going?

The Mothers of yesteryear sang songs and told stories to their babies. It was common for adults to tell stories of daring exploits and great adventures. Professional storytellers took these tales, embroidered and polished them and made them into the ballads and epics of the people. (Taylor, P., 2001, retrieved from: The Writing and Illustration of Children's Books)

Unwritten folk literature grew and was passed on by word of mouth for centuries before being printed.

In the 1400s, Caxton was England’s first printer who created books for adults but children enjoyed many of the tales. Aesop’s Fables are an example of the adult tales printed during this time. (Wikipedia on Children`s Literature, 2013)

In the 1500s and 1600s, chapbooks or cheap little books that were condensed versions of the legends became popular with children. Fairy tales and adventures were the focus of the stories and chapmen or peddlers, sold them door to door. The upper class disapproved of these books as they were not considered morally appropriate. (Taylor, P., 2001, Wikipedia on Children's Literature, 2013)

In the Mid 1600s, there were strong religious movements that influenced more somber books for children that were filled with warnings and frightening examples that were meant to instruct.

In the 1700s, the focus was on school or text books with a purpose of teaching. At this point, play and fantasy were still not introduced for children. (Taylor, P., 2001)

In 1697 in France, marvelous nursery tales were published for adults under the title of My Mother the goose (old woman who looks after geese) by Perrault. These tales included the still popular children’s fairy tales: Cinderella, Sleeping beauty, and Little Red Riding Hood. It took almost 100 years before they were published in English. (Wikipedia on Children`s Literature, 2013)

The name Mother Goose began to be used in the title of books for children, most significantly by John Newberry, who published Mother Goose’s Melody in 1781. (Taylor, P., 2001)

Between the mid 1700s and mid 1800s the industrial revolution changed the world, including beliefs and attitudes of childhood. Childhood began to be a significant time for children and play a recognized and accepted part of a child’s life. (Wikipedia on Children`s Literature, 2013)

‘Alice in Wonderland’ was written by Lewis Carroll (in 1865) and Beatrix Potter who published ‘The tale of Peter the Rabbit’ in 1901.

In the 1900s, technical improvement in the printing trade allowed books to be printed at lower cost.

Books from other countries were translated and published for the North American market, for example from Germany we were introduced to Snow White, from Denmark we discovered Hans Christian Anderson and from the Mid-east we experienced the Tales of the Arabian night.

Wikipedia, Children’s Literature, Retrieved March 27, 2013

Currently, the publication and distribution of children’s books and magazines is big business!

There is an amazing array of books available for young children and our responsibility is to discriminate and choose quality books for children.

Types of Books for Young Children

Choosing Quality Literature for Young Children

Take a look at the list of characteristics for choosing excellent children`s books (insert the link here). You can see from this list that we need to think about children`s literature in a broad way, from illustrations, amount of text, subject matter, and character development to overall length and impression.

As we choose our stories, we need to think about how the children that we are working with will be impacted by our choices… and whether their interests, culture, issues and curiosities are reflected. We must be vigilant about choosing stories with an anti-bias lens, looking to see who the main characters are and whether we have only chosen stereotyped images of gender, culture, and roles in community. We need to consider whether our choices expand children`s thinking or restrict it.

Take another look at the choices that you made of books to share in the discussion this week. Think about the criteria for choosing quality literature above and how your books can be analyzed. There are so many children’s books to choose from and this is the beginning of the process of you understanding what makes a great book for very young children.