A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature - Softcover

A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature, Ninth Edition,gives future teachers, practicing teachers, librarians, and parents many examples of quality children's literature to guide them in choosing the best books for the classroom, library, or home. The Handbook analyzes children's books that showcase positive examples of the literary elements, formats, and genres that are the focus in the field of children's literature. The books are noteworthy children's books, from classics to favorites to just-published titles, all selected as thought-provoking, important, or motivating choices. The authors suggest that readers examine the Handbook and then apply the literary concepts to additional reading from today's ever-expanding selection of children's books.

This highly regarded resource gives future teachers, practicing teachers, librarians, and parents numerous examples of quality children’s literature to help them select the best books for the classroom, library, or home. The Handbook analyzes children’s books that the authors recommend as positive examples of the literary elements, formats, and genres that are the focus in the field of children’s literature. The children’s books are noteworthy titles, from classics to favorites to those just published, all selected because they are thought-provoking, important, or motivating choices. The authors suggest that readers examine the Handbook and then apply the literary concepts to additional reading from today’s ever-expanding selection of children’s books.

 

This Ninth Edition includes some outstanding new features, among them:

 

·         Chapter 2, Issues and Fundamental Change in Children’s Literature , shares research on effects ofthe digital age on children’s books, ways children interact with wordless picturebooks, graphic and verse novels, blended genres and postmodern picturebooks.

 

·         Inquiry Points in every chapter engage and motivate readers to examine important concepts, clarify literary understandings, and become actively involved with critically examining children’s books.

 

·         Textsets of children’s books, frequently annotated and grouped by theme, topic, genre, or perspective, are included in every chapter.  These sets of related books deepen readers’ understandings of the chapter content and help them learn how to construct text sets for their own professional needs.

 

·         Many more current, culturally varied, and just-published children’s books are discussed throughout each chapter; a bibliography of the recommended children’s books appears at the end of each chapter.

 

·         Chapter 14, Literature and Readers , discusses the benefits of interactions between books and readers.  It expands the section, “A Lifetime of Reading” to include creating communities of readers by reading aloud, using textsets, and encouraging talk between readers.