Let's start this analysis by defining children's literature as both
fiction and non-fiction books written especially for children from 0 to 12
years old. Let's not include literature for teenagers - from a youth
librarian's point of view, that is a different type of book - young
adolescent literature or YA Lit.
Typically, Children's books are classified by the following genre:
| Picture Books. Children's books that provide a "visual
experience" - telling a story with pictures. There may or may not be
text with the book. The content of the book, however, can be fully
explained or illustrated with pictures. Note that picture books do
not even need to tell stories - they might illustrate letters of the
alphabet or numbers. A picture book may even tell a story entirely
with illustrations. Many times, these books are published in a small
size, something that children can actually hold in their small hands -
these books are called hand-books. (Note that "hand-books"
are not a genre, but are a format for a book.) There are fun
books for young, non-reading children to play with. Often, they can
tell the story based on the illustrations, pretending to "read" the book.
|
| Picture Story Books. Children's books that contain
pictures or illustrations that complement the story, often mirroring the
plot. Both the text and the illustrations are important to the
development of the story. The pictures are the "eye-candy" that get
people's attention, but the text is also needed to complete the story.
In well-written picture books, the 2 work together in a seamless fashion.
As we read and enjoy the book, we don't even think about which is more
important, the illustrations or the text. Often, the pictures are
what set the mood or allow us to anticipate what will happen next. |
| Traditional Literature. Stories that are passed down from
generation to generation, changing slowly over time are called traditional
literature. In many ways, this is what makes them so fascinating -
they provide a link between the past and the future. The stories,
while retaining much of their original flavor and content have to evolve
in subtle ways to remain meaningful in different eras. Traditional
literature is a great starting point to introduce children to the concept
of a story and introduce them to different types of stories or genres.
and We can further break traditional literature down as:
| Folktales. These feature common folks, such as
peasants, and commonplace events. There maybe be some
"make-believe" elements, like talking animals, but the stories, overall,
sound logical - even realistic. Folk tales seek to explain things
about life, nature, or the human condition. |
| Fairy Tales. Also called "magic stories," these are
filled with dreamlike possibility. Fairy tales feature magical and
enchanted forces. They always have a "happily ever after" ending,
where good is rewarded and evil is punished. |
| Fables. Short stories, in verse or prose, with an moral
ending. These types of stories are credited Aesop (6th century
BC), who told tales of animals and other inanimate objects that teach
lessons about life. |
| Legends. While based in history, these stories
embellish the life of a real person. The facts and adventures of the
person are exaggerated, making the individual famous for their deeds. |
| Myths. Some stories have to be told as related tales to
be meaningful. Myths portray themselves as representing a distant
past. They contain common themes and characters, often "gods."
Myths attempt to explain the beginning of the world, natural phenomena,
the relationships between the gods and humans, and the origins of
civilization. Myths, like legends, are stories told as though they were
true. |
|
| Historical Fiction. These are stories that are written to
portray a time period or convey information about a specific time period
or an historical event. Authors use historical fiction to create
drama and interest based on real events in people's lives. The
characters may be real, based on real people, or entirely made up.
In many ways, these types of books can be more powerful teaching tools
than nonfiction, especially for children. Often, historical fiction
presents history from the point of view of young participants. There
are few contemporary accounts of how children have experienced and
participated in history - children's historical fiction attempts to help
readers see how history affects people of the same age. When these
books are written for young readers, they are called chapter books
because they expand the concept of a story by presenting a tale in
segments, each building on the last and leading to a final resolution
(Note that "hand-books" are not a genre, but are a format for a book).
Children's historical fiction features youth a playing an important,
participatory role in history. |
| Modern Fantasy. This broad genre is probably easier to
define by example or by what it is NOT. The stories are contemporary
or are nondescript as to when they occur. They are imaginative tales
require young readers to accept elements and story lines that clearly
cannot be true - readers must suspend disbelief. The stories may be
based on animals that talk, elements of science fiction, supernatural or
horror, or combinations of these elements. When written for young
readers, these books are called chapter books - a format that
breaks a story into sequential chapters that move towards a final
resolution. "Charlottes Web," "Winnie the Pooh," "Alice in
Wonderland", "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," and "The Wizard of
Oz" are all examples of modern fantasy written for young readers up to 12
years old. |
| Realistic Fiction. Books that are written for today's
youths, representing contemporary times, based on real-world situations
are called realistic fictions. Similar to historical fiction, except
these stories are based on current events. They feature children as
their main characters and often allow young readers to "experience"
different settings, cultures, and situations than what is the norm for
their lifestyle. Children's realistic fiction features main
characters of approximately the age (or slightly older than) the book's
intended audience. The books present a "real-world" problem or
challenge and show how a young person solves that problem. By
nature, children's realistic fiction is positive and upbeat, show young
readers how they too can conquer their problems. When written for
young readers (up to 12 years old), these books are called chapter
books (a format, not a genre) |
| Non-fiction or Informational Books. Books that are
designed to help readers learn more about real things. They provide
young readers information without the literary devises common to fiction.
They can be a challenging genre for children because a given presentation
about the real-world has to assume something about a reader's abilities,
understanding or interests. The challenge is to match high interest
topics with appropriate reading levels and background knowledge. For
example, may children are interested in jets and rockets, but few are
ready to read "rocket science." In schools, these books have
traditionally been used for academic study and research projects.
Today, more and more librarians are recognizing the value of ALL reading -
both fiction and nonfiction. Perhaps the best way to reach out to
"unmotivated readers" is to find a high-interest topic and a book that
matches that young reader's abilities and understanding. Many
reading specialists and librarians believe that we do not promote enough
non-fiction to young readers. Studies tend to show that many
children that are not interested in fiction will become motivated readers
if introduced to appropriate nonfiction - this is especially true of
non-majority youth. |
| Biography. A form of non-fiction that is based on the
life of a person. Children enjoy reading stories about other people
- biographies and form an effective "bridge" between storytelling and
nonfiction - after all - everyone's life is a story! Because
biographies are almost always published about notable people in notable
fields, biographies are often used to introduce children to the concept of
nonfiction. Biographies can also be extremely motivating - young
children love to dream about what they will be when they grow up.
The lives of famous, important people let children see how the process of
growing up shapes the opportunities, choices, and challenges people face
in life. |
| Poetry and Drama. Poems and drama are important genres
that introduce children to verse, prose, rhythm, rhyme, writing styles,
literary devices, symbolism, analogies, and metaphors. From a
librarian's point of view, they are important because the they are written
at different reading levels so that a young reader's interests can be
matched with text that is consistent with their abilities. This is
especially important for "reluctant readers" that may read below their age
group. The simple language used in some poems and drama can be
appreciated by readers of varying abilities, providing a context to teach
a variety of language arts skills. |
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