LITERATURE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

English 3102-001Macy 205T/R 9:30-10:45

Course Description

In this course we will study a variety of genres and forms in children’s literature, including fantasy and realism, and ranging from primers to “young readers.” We will examine not only the prose, but also the visual elements of these texts—how colors, shapes, and even fonts tell a story of their own. Fromfairytales to books and movies, we will discuss how stories are adapted and translated for children. Literature for even the youngest of children is comprised of a sophisticated range and depth of literary and visual texts; this course proposes to introduce you to them and to different ways of lookingat these works, including the ways different critical approaches may add to one’s understanding of a text.

Course OutcomesBy the end of this course, you should be able to:

Describe a variety of genres and forms of children’s literature Explain key historical developments in literature for early readers Analyze how books intended for early readers construct children and

perpetuate or challenge particular ideologies Critically read and write persuasive arguments about the different

ways children’s literature can be interpreted.

Dr. Sarah MinslowOffice: Fretwell 290A (704-995-5370)Office Hours: W/F 1-2pm, and by appointmentEmail: sminslow@uncc.edu *Emails answered within 24 hours, but not on weekends.

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Required Reading & ViewingBible Stories (will bring to class)The Nursery Bible by Mack Thomas

PrimersAmos’s Counting Book.1 to 100 Busy Counting Book by Amye RosenbergD is for Drinking Gourd; An African American Alphabet by Nancy I. Sanders A Child’s Calendar By John Updike Fairytales, nursery rhymes, and fablesKate Greenaway’s Nursery BookAesop’s Fables

“The Ant and the Grasshopper”“The Bundle of Sticks”“The Fisherman and the Little Fish” “The Goose with the Golden Eggs”“The Hare and the Tortoise”“The Wind and the Sun”

Mother Goose“Ba, ba, Black Sheep”"Hey! diddle, diddle,/The cat and thefiddle...""Hickory, dickory, dock...""Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall...""Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree top..."“Jack and Jill Went up a hill”“Little Boy Blue”“Little Jack Horner”“Little Miss Muffet”"Old King Cole/Was a merry old soul...""Old Mother Hubbard/Went to thecupboard..." "One, two,/Buckle my shoe..."

You are NOT required to purchase all of the books listed here. You may purchase them if you want to, but I will bring most of them to class. A lot of them arealso available in the library. Where hyperlinks are provided, those storiesare available online.

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 "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man..." "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers..." "Rock-a-bye, baby,/In the tree top..." "Sing a song of sixpence,/A pocket full of rye..." "Rose is red,/The violet's blue..." "There was a crooked man, and he went a crookedmile...""There was an old woman who lived in a shoe..."

The Selfish Giant by Oscar WildeCinderella by Charles Perrault Little Red Riding Hood by (Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm*

*(select and print only these tales, or the entiresite prints out)The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian AndersenMurfaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African TaleRevolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl (selected, online)

Books for BabiesGuess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratneyGoodnight Moon by Margaret Wise BrownHarold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett JohnsonWhere is Baby’s Belly Button? by Karen KatzLittle Golden Books

Learn to readRichard Scary’s Book of WordsFrog and Toad Together by Arnold LobelThe Cat in the Hat by Dr. SeussGreen Eggs and Ham by Dr. SeussAre You My Mother? by Dr. Seuss

PicturebooksDon’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Williems Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust by Eve BuntingNot a Box by Antoinette PortisWindow by Jeannie BakerOlivia by Ian Falconer The Story of Ferdinand by Munro LeafSadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor CoerThe Polar Express by Chris van AllsburgThe Family Book by Todd ParrPress Here by Herve Tullet The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

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AdaptationsThe True Story of the Three Pigs by A. Wolf by Jon ScieszkaThe Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene TrivizasSesame Street’s ‘Abby in Wonderland’ (Sesame Street/ DVD)Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pope OsbourneSleeping Bobby by Mary Pope OsbourneLon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China by Ed YoungMr. Semolina-Semolinus: A Greek Folktale by Anthony L. Manna and Christodoula Mitakidou

Author StudiesDr. SeussMaurice SendakChris van AllsburgJean and Stan BerenstainEve Bunting

Mem FoxEric CarleShel SilversteinRichard ScaryJerry Pinkey

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. Themore that you learn, the more places you'll go.” 

~ Dr. SeussEarly reader chapter booksA Bear Called Paddington by Michael BondCurious George by H.A. ReyAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland by LewisCarrollThe Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-ExuperyThe Mouse and the Motorcycle by BeverlyClearyNate the Great by Marjorie WeinmanSharmat and Marc SimontAmelia Bedelia by Peggy ParishJunie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren byBarbara ParkThe Berenstain Bears and the Nerdy Nephewby Stan and Jan BerenstainThe Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav PilkeyIvy and Bean seriesAlvin Ho series

PoetrySongs of Innocence and Experience by William BlakeA Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear (online)When We Were Very Young by A.A. MilneWhere the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silversteinhttp://www.poetryarchive.org/childrensarchive/home.do

Course Policies

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Firstly, I expect you to complete the assigned readings before coming to class and to be prepared for discussion. This will be key to your successful completion of this course. Please be prepared to share a well-phrased question about the reading, suitable for class discussion.

I expect you to come to class on time and to stay until you are dismissed. Please do not begin packing your baguntil class is officially over. It’s rude! If you knowyou are going to be late or leaving early, please let meknow before class. It is your responsibility to obtain information about anything you miss by not arriving on time or leaving early. Any quizzes missed cannot be madeup.

Please be sure to check your email for course announcements daily.

I expect you to actively engage in class and online discussions, group work, and peer review and to provide constructive, respectful feedback at all times. You aremore than welcome to voice your points of view or to question or challenge the points of view of others, but you will remain respectful in doing so. If you are disrespectful or disruptive, you will be asked to leave,and you will be counted absent.

I expect you to turn your phones and music OFF when you come to class and to refrain from checking your Facebook, Twitter, email, or text messages during class.You may use your computers, but if you are using them for anything other than taking notes in class, you will be counted absent for the day. NO EXCEPTIONS!

When communicating for this class, please use proper etiquette. You shouldn’t begin your email with “Hey.” Ingeneral, you should use your instructor’s name and beginyour message with a statement regarding your email purpose. Whenever possible, forward the previous email as part of your email (or briefly remind your recipient of the content so connections can be made more easily). Spelling, grammar, and full words are important.

I expect you to turn in your assignments on time and forthem to be thoroughly proofread before they are submitted. Late submissions will NOT be accepted unless

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you have organized an extension before the original due date. Assignments are due at the beginning of class. If it is obvious you have not proofread your assignment, itwill be returned to you and you will lose a letter gradefor each day that passes until I receive the final submission. Your final submissions must be:

MLA formatted, including page numbers – this is anEnglish course, so you must use MLA. You will losepoints if you do not reference or format correctly.

Typed, double-spaced, with at least 12 point font and one-inch margins on all sides

Stapled in the top left corner (if submitted in hard copy)

Your expectationsYou can expect that I will be prepared, open to opinions and respectful, fair, timely and thorough with feedback, and available for consultation. I will respond to emails within 24hours except on weekends.

AttendanceYou may have three absences (excused OR unexcused). Absences should be saved for emergencies and illness. Arriving late (as well as leaving early) will count toward overall grade reductions. Threetardies or early departures equals an absence. In addition, you may have two

days per academic year that can be used for religious observances withoutpenalty. You are required to file a “Request for Religious Observance” form, and notify me at least a week before the absence. If you are in thearmed forces and receive orders, please provide me with a copy and we will organize for you to obtain notes and develop a completion plan. If you are absent for any reason, you are responsible for any missed work and any modifications to the syllabus and/or assignments. You should keepup with your own absences.

Course Assignments

Assignment Percentage of Final Grade Due DateParticipation: Quizzes, engaged discussion (in-class and online), attendance, homework

25% Daily

Short Literary Analyses (fairy tale, picturebook, tv show/film, website/app)

25% As per course schedule

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Author Study Presentation 25% As per course schedule

Exams 25% Mid-term, Final

Class Participation: Criteria/Points Always Usually Sometimes NeverHow many absences and tardies does this student have?

Your number of absences/tardies will bededucted from the total.

Does this student pay attention in class and refrain from using technology inappropriately?

5 2.5 1 0

Does this student contribute thoughtfully to the in-class discussion?

3 2 1 0

Does this student contribute thoughtfully to the online discussion?

3 2 1 0

Is the student consistently preparedfor class and does s/he demonstrate preparation?

3 2 1 0

Does the student contribute to groupwork and small group discussions?

3 2 1 0

Does this student submit assignmentson time?

5 2.5 1 0

I will grade your forum posts according to the following criteria: Criteria

Elements

General Quality Fully addresses the questions and stimulates substantial follow-up postings

Critical Thinking Rich in content, full of thought, insight and analysis

Timeliness Post in time for other students to read and respond to

Stylistics Few grammatical or stylistic errors

Homework: Throughout the semester, you receive short homework assignments. These are worth 5 points each. If you do them well, you receive 5 points. If you do them, but they aren’t done well, you may receive partial credit, and if you don’t dothem, you receive 0 points. At the end of the semester, I add

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up the number of points you earned, divide that by the number of points that you could have earned, and that becomes part ofyour participation grade. Homework assignments are usually announced in class, so if you are absent and therefore do not submit a homework assignment, it may not be submitted late.

Short Analyses: Using what you have learned in class about how to analyze books for children, compose a 2-3 page analysis of one of the text that fits into the category assigned (picturebook, fairy tale, tv show, etc.). An analysis is an in-depth reading of the text that explains your interpretationabout how the text contributes to certain meanings. BE SURE to include specific quotes or page references from the in yourresponses. You should also consider using secondary sources when they can be appropriately integrated into your own analyses. Points will be counted off if you don’t include specifics. The point of the analysis is depth and focus. Be sure you do not simply summarize the plot or offer vague statements about the texts. You need to demonstrate that you have spent time thinking about the books you’ve read and theirpotential influence on young children.

Discussion Forums in Moodle: There may be Discussion Forums with questions posted in Moodle. These will be assigned in class. Once you have posted, you will be able to see the responses ofother students. Please read your classmates’ reflections and reply to at least before the end of the week. Your replies, again, should be thoughtful and offer depth. Don’t simply say,“That’s a great idea!” Elaborate on what specifically is greatabout the idea, for example. Be respectful and constructive atall times.

Author Study Presentations: Separate assignment sheet will be provided.

Exams: The two exams are intended to allow you an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of course material. Questions will be drawn from class lectures, assigned reading, and discussions, and will require knowledge of the texts and an understanding of the issues under discussions. In short, if you read the texts carefully and come to class prepared for daily discussions, these exams should be an extension of that work.

Course Schedule * Subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. Changes will be announced in class, and you are responsible for adhering to them.

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Date Class Topic Homework due next class * some articles will be assigned in class

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1/9 No in-class meeting; Syllabus Review & Quiz

Dr. Minslow is at a conference, so be sure to review the syllabus, take the quiz in Moodle, and purchase your textbook

1/14 History of Children’s Literature & Childhood

Read Chapter One from Reading Children’s Literature: A Critical Introduction (pgs. 13-32)

1/16 Purposes of CL, Primers Read Chapter Two from Reading Children’s Literature: A Critical Introduction (pgs. 49-72)

1/21 Fables Read Chapter Four from RCL (pgs. 125-136)1/23 Fairy Tales Quiz #1, Read Chapter Four from RCL (pgs.

137-147)1/28 Reading Picturebooks &

Fairy Tale AdaptationsRead Chapter Eleven from RCL (pgs. 385-405) OR Chapter Six (pgs. 193-222) (reading group assignment)

1/30 Fairy Tales and Adaptations Watch Disney’s The Princess and the Frog2/4 Fairy Tales and Disney Read Chapter Ten from RCL (pgs. 345-349);

Quiz #22/6 Film Read Chapter Ten from RCL (pgs. 358372);

Short Analysis #1 Fairy Tales 2/11 Books for Babies; short

analysis #1 due At-home research on books for babies

2/13 Picturebooks – Introduction Read Chapter Five from RCL (pgs. 159-175) 2/18 Picturebooks – Strategies Quiz #32/20 Author Study Presentations Read Chapter Nine from RCL (pgs. 309-334)2/25 Author Study Presentations Study for mid-term2/27 Author Study

Presentations/Mid-term Exam3/4-6

Spring Break – Be safe & have fun!

3/11 Picturebooks – Constructions of Race, Class, Gender

Read Chapter Seven from RCL (pgs. 235-262)

3/13 Constructing History Short Analysis #2 Picturebooks3/18 Nationhood & Identity;

Short Analysis #2 dueRead Chapter 11 (pgs. 405-421)

3/20 Multiculturalism in Children’s Literature

Quiz #4

3/25 Film (Hugo/Polar Express) Read Chapter 5 (pgs. 175-189)3/27 Film (Hugo/Polar Express) Research on tv shows, websites, and apps4/1 Tv shows Assigned viewing4/3 Websites Quiz #54/8 Apps and games Short Analysis #3 tv shows/film4/10 Early Readers; short

analysis #3 dueRead Chapter 12 in RCL

4/15 Early Readers4/17 Censorship Quiz #6

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4/22 Review, Trivia Short Analysis #4 early readers4/24 Conclusions; Short Analysis

#4 dueEXAMTBC

Final Exam

Academic Intergrity:Students have the responsibility to know and observe the requirements of The UNC Charlotte Code of Student Academic Intergrity. This code forbids cheating, fabrication, falsification of information, multiple submission of academic work, plagiarism, abuse of academic materials and complicity in academic dishonesty. Academic evaluations in this course include ajudgementthat thestudent’swork is freefromacademicdishonestyof any type;and gradesin thiscoursethereforeshould beand will beadverselyaffected byacademic dishonesty. Students who violate this code can be expelled from UNC Charlotte. Standards of academic integrity will be enforced in this course. Students are expected to report cases of academic dishonesty to the course instructor. For the university policy on academic integrity see: http://legal.uncc.edu/policies/ps-105.html

Charlotte English Department Statement on Diversity (April 2009) The English Department strives to create an academic climate that respects people of varied cultural backgrounds and life experiences. As a community of scholars and teachers who studylanguage, literature, and writing, we are committed to nurturing intellectual and aesthetic diversity. In all our activities, we invite participation by diverse groups, including, but not limited to, those who define themselves in the following terms: race and ethnicity; gender; political

Note about plagiarism: Make sure that you do your own work, give credit when credit is due, documentcarefully according to MLA style, and do not submit work in this class that has received a grade in another class. Plagiarism is a punishableoffense and can result in failing the class and, potentially, can lead to dismissal from the University.

Note: No electronic recording of the class is permissible without the instructor’s consent.

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orientation; sexual orientation; special health needs; age; religion; country of origin; and socio-economic status. Finally, by fostering multiple perspectives in our coursework,we can help our students prepare to participate in our increasingly diverse society, as well as in the global community.