Childrens Literature - 13219 Words

1. Introduction 3 2. Early History 6 The Greek and Roman Eras: 50 B.C.-A.D. 500 6 The Middle Ages: 500-1500 6 The Renaissance: 1500-1650 7 The Rise of Puritanism and John Locke: Late 1600s 8 3. Beginning of Children’s Literature: Late 1700s 10 4. Fairy and Folk Tales 12 The Golden Age of Children’s Literature: Late 1800s 12 5. Victorian Childrens Literature 16 6. Contemporary Childrens Literature 18 6. Analysis of Harry Potters’ series 21 7. Conclusion 30 8. Summary 31 Children’s Literature Definitions 31 The Ancient World [ancient Rome; 50 BCE to 500 CE] 31 The Middle Ages [500 to 1500 CE] 31 The European Renaissance [1500-1650 CE] 32 The 17th Century 34 The 18th and Early 19th Centuries 35 The Victorians: The Golden Age 36 Twentieth†¦show more content†¦John Rowe Townsend once argued that the only practical definition of a childrens book is one that appears on the childrens list by a publisher. Contemporary publishers are not making that distinction any easier; for example, Maurice Sendaks Outside Over There (1981) was published as a picture book for both children and adults, and J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter series is available in adult and childrens versions with the only difference being the books cover art. While folk and Fairy Tales were not originally intended for children, they have become a staple of childrens literature since the early nineteenth century. On the other hand, many books written for and widely read by children during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are considered historical childrens literature today and are read almost exclusively by adult scholars of childrens literature. Childrens literature has been written, illustrated, published, marketed, and purchased cons istently by adults to be given to children for their edification and entertainment. Generally speaking, it is the intended audience rather than the producers of the texts who define the field. Childrens texts written by child or adolescent authors, such as Daisy Ashfords The Young Visiters(1919) or Anne Franks Het Achterhuis (1947; The Diary of a Young Girl, 1952), are exceptions to the rule. Many famous childrens authors, such as Louisa MayShow MoreRelatedThe Historical Perspectives and Trends of Childrens Literature1594 Words   |  7 Pages Since the 18th century children’s literature has been held responsible for bringing entertainment to children of all ages across the world. But, when you actually think about it, what is children’s literature? The term seems easy enough to define, it is literature intended for children, but what is the definition of literature? According to Charlotte Huck (2010), literature is an imaginative shaping of life and thought into the forms and structures of language. This, in my opinion, is an excellentRead MoreThe Value of Childrens Literature to Childrens Development1148 Words   |  5 PagesBefore we explore the values of children literature to children’s development let us first define what Literature is then look more closely at a definition for Children’s Literature. Literature is thought, experience and imagination shaped into oral or written language that may include visual images. There are different forms of literature, such as stories, ballads, family narratives, jokes, jingles, street rhymes, videos, paintings, drawings, film and recorded books. Stories are a natural partRead MoreEssay about The Making of the Golden Age of Childrens Literature917 Words   |  4 PagesFor children’s literature the Golden Age was a time of reform and new beginnings. The Golden Age opened the doors for an interesting read where adults are not present. The literature that was intended for children during this period introduced a world of literature in which children were the protagonist. These stories not only take children on remarkable journeys though time but they also address many issues of social class in regards to children. The Golden Age reflects greatly the Victorian eraRead MoreChildrens Literature Becoming an Equalizer876 Words   |  4 Pagesimportance of reading; which, is the basis for leaving England settling in America. Children’s literature started with teaching to read for the expressed purpose of understanding the word of a higher power and living accordingly. The importance of literacy becomes more apparent as society falls in to war. Furthermore, many authors, philosophers and many other important figures in history impacted children’s literature, expanding on the original idea reading is an equalizer. In Essay Concerning HumanRead More Childrens Literature Discussion Essay2900 Words   |  12 PagesChildrens Literature Discussion The history that makes us wish fairy tales did happen, that life were like a childrens book and we all lived happily ever after, is not an easy history to read or write. If we persist in thinking that children need hope and happy endings then the stories we give them about the Holocaust will be shaped by those expectationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ For there are those who would tell us yet another fairy tale, one in which the mass murder of millions of people did not happenRead MoreChildren’s Literature in India Essay1893 Words   |  8 Pagesthat turn into princes. Their world is the world of pure innocent fun. And their literature is as a colour-riot as their world. Perceived as adults in the making, their books deal also with the issues of environment conservation, child labour, differently-abled and relationships – to name a few. 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One o f the most popular ideas presented in these various forms is that of escapism. The characters in these stories explore quite complex social issues in ways that are less confrontational then realism. One might consider why escape is such a central theme; as a child there are numerous benefits to fantasy, it allows readers to experiment with different views of the world and takesRead MoreChildrens Literature Midterm Essay785 Words   |  4 PagesChildhood Lit Red answers are incorrect 1. Myths are traditional literature that answer questions about natural phenomena as acts of deities 2. The STW (see, think, wonder) strategy helps children develop visual literacy 3. Which subcategory of fairy tales most frequently uses animals as characters? Trickster tales 4. Which category of traditional literature is also considered poetry? Ballads 5. Which book was the FIRST significant fantasy novel ever published? Black Beauty 6. Tall tales originatedRead MoreEssay on Racism in Childrens Literature2376 Words   |  10 Pagesmy research project I chose the topic of Racism in Childrens Literature. I chose this area of study because it is something that bothers me and I know as a child in school I was very uncomfortable with assignments that dealt with racism. One day I would like to make a difference to all the people who are affected by racism. My hypothesis states that if educators are better trained to deal with the delicate subject of racism in childrens literature, books would not be banned, yet actually teach the