Assignment 1 –

For most of us, our first experience with narrative began with stories told to us by adults, sometimes a parent or grandparent, or a babysitter or other caregiver. A storyteller is someone whose tale makes a lasting impression. Can you remember a story that you heard as a child that had a lasting effect on you? What do you think you learned from your childhood experience with storytellers?

Assignment 2 – 1 ½ pages

10 picture books you read from the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature when you searched for “picture books.”

Initial posts should be two paragraphs:

Briefly identify the ten works you selected and describe and summarize in more depth threeof the works.
For the three works, discuss what a child was supposed to learn in his or her reading of each work. This lesson is the explicit message of the text, but are there implicit messages?

Assignment 3 – 3 pages

This essay is based on the one book for beginning readers that you chose to read:

Goodnight Moonby Margaret Wise Brown
The Very Hungry Caterpillarby Eric Carle
or another book listed in this module’s reading in Essentials of Children’s Literature

Write an essay (3 pages, double spaced) making an argument about the way this book contributes to the development of a child reader.

Make specific references to your book, considering the following in order to analyze the way the book contributes to the development of a child reader:

the style of narration and, if applicable, illustration
any elements in the story that are not found in the illustration, and vice versa, if applicable
whether the text and/or images appropriately represent multicultural and social values
visual or textual clues that may encourage non-readers or support learning and/or social development

Remember:

Support your ideas with specific references to concepts in your textbook and, as appropriate, resources in the M1 readings
Please double-space and use 12 pt. font
Cite all references using MLA format
If applicable, you may also bring in additional resources.
When discussing illustrations, include scans or photographs of the illustrations so I can understand what you are discussing, and insert them close to the points where you discuss them.
Number your figures and insert captions: see MLA Tables, Figures, and Examples at the Purdue Online Writing Center.

Solution

Struggling to start this assignment? Follow this guide and make this assignment easy!

Step-by-Step Guide: Assignment 2 – 1½ pages (2 paragraphs)
Paragraph 1: Identification and Summarizing of Books

List the Ten Picture Books

Look for the Baldwin Library and provide the ten titles along with author and publication date, if any.

Choose Three to Summarize

Choose three of the titles on your list that stood out.

For each, briefly describe the story, major characters, and message.

Paragraph 2: Examining Educational and Cultural Messages

What were the children to learn?

Identify the overt messages (e.g., obedience, honesty, kindness).

Reveal Implicit Messages Look closer—did the books portray racial, gender, or cultural stereotypes?

Were there any assumptions regarding family, religion, or nationalism?

Think About Historical Context

Think about the era when the book was written—how do those values differ today?