Evaluating Literature for Children

Effectively evaluating books for children is contingent upon two things: the age of the child and the values of the community in which you live or the school system where you teach. I think that the age appropriateness concept is rather self explanatory. Stories about Dick, Jane & Spot may captivate the minds of first and second graders, but will bore sixth graders. There is a chart on page 65 in our book that delves deeper, using specific questions that may help an instructor choose reading material.

The “values” concept may be more of a challenge. Books that may seem simple and benign to one school district, may be offensive to another. Public schools tend to be less stringent than religious schools. But even public schools can have their share of overly zealous parents who wish to impose their values on those around them. The Harry Potter series may be a big hit in most public schools, but I have seen in the news reports of many Catholic school systems banning them from being in their libraries. However, in all fairness, I have seen attempts by parents in public schools to have this series banned in public schools as well. (They failed.) I wonder if these same parents are as diligent in monitoring their children's television viewing as they are in keeping tabs on what books are in the public library . . .

After reading the book you have carefully chosen and deemed appropriate, it is now time to do character and setting analyses. Why? To help students relate to the characters in the story. If the students can not relate to the characters in any way, the less likely they are to enjoy the book.

For example, in the book my group read in class, The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy, the protagonist is a young black girl. Does this mean that only black children will like the book? Only girls? Or will the story appeal to everyone in the class.

By doing a setting analysis, we find the story takes place in a home not much different from any one else's home. Not all children live in a multi-generational household but some children do. By pointing out the similarities of the household, children will be more easily able to relate to the characters and the story itself.

Character analysis is done the same way. Have the students find out what the they have in common with the character. Do any of the students make quilts? Do any of them have a grandmother? Have any of them gotten sick or had to deal with a sick family member? Do any of the students engage in projects with their parents?

If the student can relate to the characters and find similarities in their own lives and surroundings to those in the book, the more likely the students will enjoy the book.

Chapter Two

Once upon a time . . .

It only makes sense that the first books were printed versions of folktales and mythologies passed down from one generation to the next. Although I had heard words like bard and minstrel, I didn't know that they were actually another word for storyteller. I find it odd that the stories being told were aimed at both young and old alike. I guess that a “Parental Guidance Suggested” concept hadn't been conceived of yet.

I remember from some other class the name of the German who invented the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg, but I had forgotten the year – around the 1450's. I am still not sure what hornbooks are. I will Google it later. Whatever they were, they were popular until the 1700's when the battledore became more prevalent. After these two came chapbooks.

Something I learned but doesn't surprise me any is that much of the printed word after the invention of the printing press was religious in nature. No children's literature per se, - just bible verses and such. Interestingly, the Puritans who came over on the Mayflower mad it mandatory that all of their children and even their servants be taught to read. Again, mostly bible verses and religious text.

All of this was long before any type of First Amendment Rights were around. Leave it to the government, in this case the British monarchy, to allow printing presses only in four cities: London, Oxford, Cambridge and York. This was the law in 1637 if you lived in England!

Around the same time, John Locke, an English philosopher of the 'blank slate' or tabula rasa fame began to advocate milder ways of teaching children. He recommended books like Aesop's Fables and Reynard the Fox. The books delighted children and adults alike.

In 17th century France, a Charles Perrault published Contes de ma Mere l'Oye (Tales of Mother Goose). Apparently, mother goose rhymes back then were different than they are today. 17th century Mother Goose consisted of "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," "Puss in Boots," "Little Red Riding Hood," and "Blue Bear." Personally, I like the 1994 version of "Little Red Riding Hood" from Jim Garner's Politically Correct Bedtime Stories. Google it. Trust me, you'll get a good laugh from it.

The rest of the chapter is simply more dates and authors. Rather boring stuff if you ask me, with the exception of the section that talks about children's literature in the Victorian Age. (The time period in which Queen Victoria ruled Great Britain, 1837 -1901.) Books around that time centered around the white, middle to upper classes. And all the books cast boys and girls into "rigidly distinct roles expected of them as adults."

There were a couple of notable exceptions. The English poet Elizabeth Barrttt browning wrote of the woes of poor children in her poem, "The Cry of the Children." I think the poem is still relevant today. The other is Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. Timeless.

OK, the hail is hitting my window pane so hard, I think the glass is going to crack. Not to mention the lightning is making my monitor flicker . . . gotta go!

And now, Michael's Blog presents the word for the day . . .


Main Entry: di·dac·tic Listen to the pronunciation of didactic
Pronunciation: \dī-ˈdak-tik, də-\
Function: adjective

Etymology: Greek didaktikos, from didaskein to teach
Date: 1658

1) a: designed or intended to teach
b: intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment

2) making moral observations


— di·dac·ti·cal Listen to the pronunciation of didactical \-ti-kəl\ adjective
— di·dac·ti·cal·ly Listen to the pronunciation of didactically \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
— di·dac·ti·cism Listen to the pronunciation of didacticism \-tə-ˌsi-zəm\ noun

Taken from http://www.m-w.com/