ENG 441

Children's Literature for the Elementary and Middle School Teacher

5 credits
Prereq: Eng 202 or 203
RESTRICTED TO ENGLISH ED MAJORS ONLY DURING PHASE I
Fall 2009 CRN: 41324 - MWF 01:00-02:20 pm; BH 112
Winter 2010 CRN: 10178 - TR 12:00-1:50 pm; HU 106

View syllabus for Winter Term 2010 (in PDF format)

COURSE OVERVIEW: This course focuses on literature for children and adolescents written/illustrated by authors and illustrators about people who live during various time periods, among cultures, and in communities around the world (and beyond). It offers an opportunity to look (and re-look) at ourselves as readers (most specifically, of children's literature), to consider the reading interests of children, and to establish a repertoire of book titles to match their interests. During this term you will read voraciously, become familiar with books, authors, and illustrators in all genres, develop literary evaluative knowledge and skill (considering both taste and quality), and deepen your knowledge about the wealth of professional resources about children's literature. In addition, we will explore ways of inviting children and adolescents into books and reading while participating with ideas that prompt creative responses to literature.

Course Text (required):
- CHILDREN'S LITERATURE, BRIEFLY, 4th edition, (M.O. Tunnell and J.S. Jacobs)

Children's/Adolescent Literature (required):
- CHARLOTTE'S WEB (E.B. White)
- HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE (J.K. Rowling)
- BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE (K. DiCamillo) or HOPE WAS HERE (J. Bauer)
or JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY (J. Gantos) or RULES (C. Lord)
- AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS (G. Choldenko) or BUD NOT BUDDY (C.P. Curtis)
or ESPERANZA RISING (P. Muñoz Ryan) or FEVER 1793(L. Halse Anderson)
- HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER'S SHADOW (S.C. Bartoletti)
or KENNEDY ASSASSINATED! (W. Hampton)
or SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD (J. Armstrong)
- THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET (B. Selznick)
Plus, numerous self-selected children's/young adult trade books

Recommended Professional Resources Worth Knowing About:
- BOOKLINKS (bi-monthly)
- JOURNAL OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE (quarterly journal)
- THE HORN BOOK MAGAZINE (bi-monthly journal)
- CLIC (Children’s Literature Interdisciplinary Collection)
- Bellingham Public Library

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