Chapter 1 - Why we share books with kids:
There are a number of reasons why it is important to share books with kids. One reason is because it’s fun! We judge books by their cover even if we shouldn’t. When we share books that we enjoy, the students enjoy them, too. Reading aides the acquisition of language and language development. The more students are reading, the more new vocabulary they are learning. It helps develop empathy. (Knowing how someone feels by having an experience) Research shows that reading fictional stories makes a person more empathetic. Reading also supports lifelong readers. One component of being a lifelong reader is experiencing “Unconscious Delight” (associated with series reading and/or serial reading), which is just getting lost in a book. Series reading is following a story through several books. Serial reading is reading books by a particular author or in a specific genre. Another component of becoming a lifelong reader is reading autobiographically or reading books about characters similar to the reader. Also included is reading for vicarious experiences. Kids can experience consequences to actions by reading about the experience rather than actually do them. Another component to becoming a lifelong reader is reading for philosophical speculation where kids read books to help form opinions about things in life. Another aspect is read for aesthetic experiences which is just reading for the joy, beauty, and pleasure of the reading. Another important reason to share books with kids is that literature develops the imagination. It encourages kids to ask: what would happen if...? Finally, sharing books with kids is important because it can transmit culture, not just the dominant culture, but many diverse cultures.
Additionally included in chapter 1 was a video from John Green which gave lots of fun facts about many well known favorite children’s books, and made me feel nostalgic as he mentioned many from my past that I loved.
For me, chapter one really laid out why I am a lifelong reader and helped me categorize ways that I can help students on this journey to becoming lifelong readers. Understanding the components of becoming a reader for life as well as identifying other reasons that we share books with kids, helped solidify the passion that I have for sharing books.
Chapter 2 - Divisions of Young People’s Literature
Children’s literature is written for children from ages 0-8 and includes wordless and regular picture books, easy readers, illustrated chapter books, and early chapter books. Middle Grade/Tween books are written for children from ages 8-12. Middle School students are 11-13, but this is not actually a category of literature, however, these students often struggle to find books that they want to read. They often want to read up, but the content may not be appropriate. It is important to bee careful not to confuse “middle grade with middle school”. Young Adult Literature targets ages 13-18, and New Adult Literature is for people ages 18-30. New Adult books typically deal with high school grads going off to college, and first relationships.
Chapter 3: Genres and Formats (they might not be what you think)
It is easy to confuse genres of literature with categories and formats. Fiction books can fall under two genres: realism and fantasy. Within realism is realistic or modern and contemporary literature as well as historical fiction. Fantasy is broken into two categories: traditional and modern. Under the traditional umbrella you will find genres such as folktale, ballad, fable, legend, myth, and fairy tale. Modern fiction contain genres such as hard science fiction (where science is the main part of the story), soft science fiction (where science is involved, but characterization is a major piece), high fantasy (where worlds and languages are created), and low fantasy (which takes place in more recognizable world with elements that aren’t possible).
Nonfiction contains genres such as biography (which includes autobiography and memoir),narrative nonfiction (written in a format that reads more like a story), and expository nonfiction (which is straight information and facts).
Common categories like: Chick Lit, Mystery, Guy Reads, Horror, Sports Fiction, Action/Adventure, Paranormal, War, Classics, Humor, Dystopia are not genres. They are subjects and/ or categories.
There are pros and cons to genrefying a library.
Formats of literature include: poetry, drama, novels, chapter books, short stories, picture books, graphic novels.
Chapter 4: What is YA Literature?
Chapter 4 outlines criteria by which to determine what falls into young adult literature. Young adult literature has a young protagonist and is written from an adolescent’s point of view. The story has a direct exposition and confrontation, and involves a significant life change for the main character. The protagonist is very independent and changes and grows in small ways in the story, and faces consequences to his or her actions. The issues that young adult literature deals with are contemporary concerns. The story takes place over a short period of time with little development in setting and other characters and is relatable to developing adolescents. Understanding this criteria is beneficial to being able to categorize books that are actually considered young adult literature.
Chapter 5: How do adolescents develop?
Understanding how adolescents develop physically, morally, developmentally, and intellectually is important to being equipped to help them as readers. Physical development is dealing with puberty, and everyone develops at a different rate and in a different way, so finding a normal is almost impossible. Physical reality often gets in the way of everything else for adolescents, and as educators, finding and recommending books that can help students get through this phase is important. Piaget says that students move from concrete to formal thinking at around the age of 14, so thinking about the questions that you are going to ask kids about books is very important. We may have to scaffold for students to get to answering questions about literature as well as about the books that we are helping them locate. Havighurst presents developmental stages like learning to get along with each other. Who adolescents consider to be their friends might be changing at this time determined by common interests. Some kids find themselves to be outcast at the age. Shifts in how we deal with the opposite sex are happening. Many kids start doing tasks to earn money which reflects independence. Relationships with parents begin to change, and often kids find themselves with opposing views of their parents, and are developing their own values. They are also looking for answers as to what they want to do with their future. Kids are trying to get used to the significant changes in their own bodies. They are also developing appropriate sex roles which are determined by the expectations of society. Kohlberg says about morality that kids are acting in a preconventional level of morality where they do what they are supposed to on a reward/punishment system. Conventional morality means that you follow the rules. There are also post-conventional levels of morality where a person recognizes the laws, but also understanding that sometimes the laws are wrong. As a librarian, it is important to find books that speak to kids where they are, and help facilitate developmental growth. It is also important to understand the kids’ needs as is illustrated in Maslow’s Hierarchy. Making the library a safe place is very important, so that students feel like they have a place where they belong and are respected. Developing as readers includes experiencing unconscious delight where you are able to get lost in a book. Participating in series and serial reading, autobiographical reading, for vicarious experiences, for philosophical speculation, and for aesthetic experiences are all pieces of being a developing reader. Experiencing these parts lead to lifelong readers.
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