The Course: ENG212: Children’s Literature

Lynn King Coning ’89 wishes more adults – with or without children in tow – would venture into the “Children’s Literature” sections of their local bookstore and library.

And not just to find Harry Potter.

“I think a lot of adults miss out on some great books because of the ‘children’s literature’ label,” said the assistant professor of English and professor of ENG212: Children’s Literature. “There are some wonderful books out there that they should read without feeling the least bit sheepish.”

To make her point, she references two books that are required reading for the students enrolled in her course:  Mildred Taylor’s Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web.

“Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, the sequels and the prequel are among the best books I’ve ever read. Charlotte’s Web is a wonderful story for children on one level, but it’s also multi-layered, with another story about the cyclical nature of life and the inevitability of death,” she said. “And of course, [White’s] writing is simply amazing. People who want to write should read all three of his children’s books for stylistic models.”

Just as they would critique writing styles in any other literature course, students enrolled in ENG212 spend time analyzing the texts in children’s books. But they also consider the integration of words and art and they learn that, just like books written for adults, different genres exist within children’s literature.

Coning’s required reading list helps introduce those genres (and some award-winning books) to students. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone lead discussions on modern fantasy books, while Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry sets the stage for an examination of multicultural literature. Russell Freedman’s Lincoln: A Photobiography is an example of nonfiction and biography for older children, and Robert Cormier’s I Am the Cheese provides the background for comparisons in contemporary realistic fiction.

Others on her list include the Newbery Medal winners Bridge to Terabithia, written by Katherine Paterson, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, and Karen Cushman’s The Midwife’s Apprentice.

In addition to reading assignments and discussion, Coning requires students to complete two projects and present them to the class. The first is a picture-book project that has them analyzing at least 30 picture books for the purpose of developing their own criteria and becoming more familiar with the titles in the genre. A final project asks students to delve into one topic, issue or author related to children’s literature and write about it, presenting research and criticism.

With more than 5,000 titles added annually to the children’s literature market, Coning believes her students (the majority of whom are preparing for teaching careers in elementary and middle schools) need to be able to find the worthwhile stories amongst the run-of-the-mill ones.

“Overall, I think – and many scholars say – that children’s lit is not all that different from adult literature. In fact, it’s often hard to draw boundaries; sometimes, it’s an arbitrary publishing decision,” the professor explained. “Robert Cormier, a real pioneer in young adult literature, said that he never intended to write for children; he simply aimed for the intelligent reader and sometimes found that that reader was 14 years old.

“Generally, I’d say high-quality children’s literature is differentiated from mediocre books by the way the writer brings together elements of compelling plot and characterization, masterful use of language and overarching vision or significance of the story,” she added. “High-quality picture books generally demonstrate a more successful integration of text and illustration, with more interesting or original artwork and more depth.

“Of course, when people say ‘good book,’ they’re talking about both quality of the literature and personal taste, and that’s really subjective.”

Not all of her students begin ENG212 with a love of literature or an all-time favorite children’s book. Coning laments the fact that studies point to a consistent decline in time spent reading among children and adults. To reverse that trend, she knows that the future teachers and parents in her class can play a big role in getting kids excited about books and reading.

“I like to begin this course by having students think about who they are as readers – Do they love to read? Do they dislike reading? Are they indifferent? – and about what influences (parents, school experiences, etc.) affected their current attitudes and habits,” she said. “By reflecting on their histories, many students who don’t read for pleasure uncover some bad experiences that they don’t want replicated for their own students or their own children.”

Books – whether they entertain or educate or both – should not be “indifferent” to anyone.

“All good literature helps us to live in the world, to make meaning of our lives, to think about what it means to be human,” the professor said. “Literature can allow us to have experiences that we’d never have in real life.

“It also allows us to learn about ourselves.”