Response for 2/4/2009

"When you compare your views about literature written for children and young adults before this course began to what you are thinking now, what would you say has changed for you?"

Even though we are only a few weeks into this course, my whole approach to children's literature has changed. Although I've always thought of books for children and young adults as fun, a nice escape from my everyday reading list (mostly comprised of dense political theory essays), and the centerpiece of many of my greatest childhood memories, I didn't really think much more about them. Now, though, when presented with a book for children or young adults, I'm excited because I know they'll be a fun read, but I'm also thinking more deeply about the content of the text, the way that the illustrations complement and add to the story, what the author is trying to convey to her audience, and what the child or teen might take away from the read. 

One of the biggest differences in my opinion now of children's  stories is how I think about the illustrations in the book. I now realize how much of an impact they can have on the experience of a book for a child. If a child is being read to by his parents, the illustrations provide a way for him to enter the world of the story and remain engaged even though if he may not be able to read the words along with his parents. As we were talking about in class on Monday, part of being a good reader and getting the most out of a book is creating a picture in your mind of what's happening in the story. I think illustrations are vital to developing this skill in a child. Not only do the illustrations compliment a story, as I've learned from the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, illustrations can complement the text of a story, and create a completely different type of reading experience. 

I also think about the authors in a different way than I might have before taking this class. Authors of books intended for children and young adults have to approach their writing process in a way that a writer of adult literature would not. Word choice and themes must be much more carefully chosen. 

Most of all, what I've realized in this short time is the impact that literature for children and young adults really has on the lives of kids, and on our society as a whole. These authors have taken on the talk of helping to instill in children and teens the love of reading. These stories can introduce kids to ideas they have yet to consider, places they haven't had a chance to visit, ways to deal with problems they might be facing, and also simply the fun that can be had by turning off the television and opening a book. Before I took this course, I had definitely never considered any of this :)