Dr. Cynthia Kuhn
Department of English
Metro State, Summer 2004
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
ENG 2460 provides an introduction to children’s literature, to writing intended for an audience ranging from pre-readers to early adolescents.The course will survey the genres and the history of such literature, including various oral traditions and current issues.Students will develop their abilities to understand, analyze, appreciate, and critique children’s literature.
By the end of the semester, students should be able to do the following: recognize the elements of literature and practice literary analysis; identify and respond to those literary elements that address children, their lives and interests, their needs and growth, and their understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of literature; read, examine, discuss, and critique the genres of children’s literature—including Mother Goose, picture books, nonsense, poetry, fables, folk and fairy tales, legends, epics, myths, storytelling, fiction, fantasy, and non-fiction (history, science, biography, etc.); identify themes and current issues in children’s literature, including contemporary topics, multicultural and multiethnic books, gender issues, censorship, community and parental control, publishers, selection, and other influences and trends; demonstrate the ability to read and respond to several quality books—with special attention to award books—in addition to reading assignments in the course anthology; demonstrate the ability to respond to the wide variety of non-print media available for children’s literature (including videos, CDs, DVDs, etc.) and examine the increasing roles of technology and the internet in disseminating contemporary children’s literature; recognize the range of children’s literature, from its earliest history to the extensive library of contemporary writing and illustration for children.
REQUIRED TEXTS
The Riverside Anthology of Children’s Literature (Saltman, 6th ed., Houghton Mifflin)
Alice in Wonderland (Carroll, 2nd ed., Norton)
25 additional books (selected by you per bibliography project guidelines and available at libraries)
ASSIGNMENTS
Participation = 200 points, Exam 1 = 150 points, Exam 2 = 150 points, Film Reviews (2 @ 50) = 100 points, Presentation = 100 points, Annotated Bibliography = 300 points. Total possible points = 1000.
