Textbook Reading: Chapters 1-4

Textbook Reading: Why do we share literature with children? (Ch. 1)

1. For the pure joy and fun of reading.  Young children love to be read to.  They love books that are repetitive, have patterns, and enjoyable pictures.  School age children also enjoy a variety of books and begin to find what they enjoy reading.  Finally, adolescence enjoy reading, finding themselves in a book, and reading for enjoyment.

2.   Adds in language and vocabulary development. Children's vocabulary and language development has the largest growth from birth to five years old.  However, children still develop vocabulary and language  throughout their school time through books. 

3. To develop empathy.  Children empathize with characters and situations through literature. 

4. Share literature with children while they are young supports and develops life-long readers.

5. To share experiences we are going through as well, or autobiographical reading.  Kids can see themselves in the book.

6. To experiences things vicariously. Kids may read about places or characters different from their own experiences, which helps them grow and develop.  They can live vicariously through a book.

7.  Develops imagination.   Children that read fiction and fantasy have better imaginations.

8. To develop cultural awareness.  Diverse books should be shared throughout the year to develop cultural sensitivity to people, cultures, and groups different from our own. 

9. Aesthetic experiences.  To develop the beauty of the written word and books. 

Textbook Reading: Division of Young People's Literature (Ch. 2)

1. Children's Literature ( birth-8 years old) : this is where children learn about books, story line, basic plot, and characters through read-aloud.  This is also the stage where children are learning to read and beginning to read books on their own.

Examples:

• wordless picture books
• picture books
• beginning readers ( Henry and Mudge, Frog and Toad, Mr. Putter and Tabby)
• illustrated/ beginning chapter books ( Geronimo Stilton, Flat Stanley, Magic Treehouse, Ivy and Bean)

2. Middle/Tween ( 8-12 years old)-children already know how to read.  Here is where they develop a preference for what they like to read.

Examples:

• graphic novels ( for this age range)
• chapter books for this age range ( Because of Winn Dixie, Charlotte's Web, Bluebonnet books , etc.)
• non-fiction

3. Middle School Books ( 6th, 7th, 8th grade)

*not to be confused with Middle/Tween

* be careful not to give these books to middle/tween readers, since the topics and  situations may be too advanced for the 8-12 year old readers.

These books deal with:

• middle school age characters
• middle school settings
• romance
• beginning puberty
• tougher, deeper issues facing this group of readers

4.  Young  Adult ( 13-18 years old)

• tough topics, situations, and problems teens face
• may deal with young romance and even first sexual encounters
• adult language
• may contain violence
• protagonists are young adults themselves ( teens)
• high school settings/experiences

5. New Adult (18-30 year old; older teens and early 20's primarily)

Written for readers who are slightly older than YA readers and appeals to an adult audience.

• protagonists are slightly older than YA protagonists
• appeals to an adult audience
• first college experiences
• living away from home for the first time
• first romance
• first sexual relationship

Textbook Reading: Genres and Formats (Ch. 3)

2 True Genres:  Fiction and Non-Fiction

Fiction has sub-genres: realism and fantasy

Realism

• realistic fiction
• historical fiction

Fantasy

• traditional fantasy: folktales, tall tales, fables, legends, myths, fairy tales, ballads
• modern fantasy: hard science fiction, soft science fiction, high fantasy, and low fantasy

Nonfiction includes:

• informational books
• biography
• autobiography
• narrative non-fiction
• expository non-fiction
• memoirs

Formats ( these are not genres):

• poetry
• drama
• novels
• chapter books
• short stories
• picture books
• graphic novels

Textbook Reading:  YA Literature (Ch. 4)

Young adult literature is written for teens ages 13-18 years old.  Though many young adults can identify with YA and enjoy reading it as well.  Authors draw upon their knowledge of adolescent development in order to make the characters more relatable to the reader.   The protagonist is usually in this age range (13-18 years old).  The story is written in the point of view of the adolescent protagonist. The events and story line is told by the protagonist over a brief time period of events of the protagonist's life. The protagonist is usually independent.  Throughout the story, the reader witnesses gradual changes in the protagonist as he/she works out difficult issues.  The result is usually a significant life change to the protagonist.  The stories are usually written with contemporary issues that teens face such as young love/romance, first sexual experiences, drug use, school or family problems, relationships, etc.   Adolescences can relate to the protagonist and can either identify with the protagonist or live vicariously through the character.