honors project christina olson spring 2014 edu 221 dr. butler
TRANSCRIPT
Honors ProjectChristina Olson
Spring 2014 EDU 221Dr. Butler
What Makes Children’s Books Memorable?
First, I asked four, third graders to rank from 1-5 what they think is the most memorable part of books they have read.
Then, I read them the Caldecott Award winner, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble.
Later, I asked them what they remembered and liked most about the book.
After that, I talked with different (older) generations about what literature they remember from their childhood and asked them to rank from 1-5 what element is most important when making a children’s book memorable.
Methodology
Many aspects of children’s books are so impactful that they are recognized Nationally by The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). This division of the American Library Association (ALA) has committee members dedicated to reviewing children's books and selecting the ones that have the most significant contribution to children’s literature. These awards mark distinguished literature, but does that make them memorable?
Literature Review I American Library Association’s Book Awards
Association for Library Service to Children. Retrieved April 15,2014, http://www.ala.org/
Caldecott- presented to the most distinguished illustrator that adds to an American Picture book, it began in 1938 and one has been awarded every year since.
American Library Association’s Book Awards
“The Caldecott is awarded based on Criteria such as:excellence of execution in the artistic technique usedExcellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme or
conceptExcellence of presentation in recognition of a child
audience.Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood,
or information through the pictures.”
Literature Review I
Association for Library Service to Children. Retrieved April 15,2014, http://www.ala.org/
The Geisel Award is presented annually to the author and illustrator who make the greatest impact in American Children’s literature for beginning readers. This award was first presented in 2006 and pays tribute to the famous children’s author Dr. Seuss.
“The Geisel Award is given based on criteria such asIntriguing subject matter that motivates children to
readSimple and straightforward sentencesRepetitive words to ensure knowledge retention24-96 pagesSuccessful reading experience from start to finish”
Theodor Seuss Geisel AwardLiterature Review I
Association for Library Service to Children. Retrieved April 15,2014, http://www.ala.org/
Who are they? They are a group from the National Council of
Teachers of English that promote children’s literature because they believe that it is the basis for educating young people.
They believe that literature should span across all curriculums, and that teachers should promote a love for literature. Teachers should teach a love of literature by modeling, reading aloud and being the matchmaker between children and literature.
Children's Literature Assembly (CLA)Literature Review II
Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts. (2009.) Children’s Literature Assembly. Retrieved April 12,2014,http:childrensliteratureassembly.org/docs/cla-notable-books-09.pdf
Z is for Moose By Kelly Bingham Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
Humorous
Teaches ABC’s
Multiple Morals
Great illustrations
Animals
Literature Review IIChildren’s Literature Assembly’s Most Notable Books
of 2013What makes it notable?
Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts. (2009.) Children’s Literature Assembly. Retrieved April 12,2014, http:childrensliteratureassembly.org/docs/cla-notable-books-09.pdf
43 Old Cemetery Road: The Phantom of the Post Office
By Kate Klise Illustrated by M.Sarah Klise
• Mystery- popular genre
• Creative and Clever Plot
• Unique writing style and Characters
• Language- all “f’s” are replaced by “ph”
Literature Review IIChildren’s Literature Assembly’s Most Notable Books of
2013
What makes it notable?
Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts. (2009.) Children’s Literature Assembly. Retrieved April 12,2014, http:childrensliteratureassembly.org/docs/cla-notable-books-09.pdf
The Obstinate PenBy Frank Dormer
Humorous
Relatable emotions
Illustrations add whimsy
Great to use as a writing sample
Unique Style
Literature Review IIChildren’s Literature Assembly’s Most Notable Books of 2013
What makes it notable?
Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts. (2009.) Children’s Literature Assembly. Retrieved April 12,2014, http:childrensliteratureassembly.org/docs/cla-notable-books-09.pdf
The New York Public Library is the second largest library in the United States, only trumped by The Library of Congress.
The well versed librarians of the New York Public Library complied their top 100 Children's Books, and Leonard S. Marcus curated an exhibition.
The team of librarians chose books based on factors they deemed important.“What and how they teach children.How they link children to their society.Outstanding artistry, richness, and diversity”
Literature Review IIIThe New York Public Library: The ABC of It
New York Public Library. Retrieved April 12,2014. http://www.nypl.org/
Amelia Bedelia By Peggy Parish, Illustrated by Fritz Siebel
Humor
Lessons of determination, do not be afraid to be yourself, mistakes are okay, never give
Literal and figurative language
She’s right when she’s wrong.
Literature Review IIIThe New York Public Library’s Top picks
What makes it memorable?
New York Public Library. Retrieved April 12,2014. http://www.nypl.org/.
The Cat In The HatBy Dr. Seuss
CharactersChildren can relateAdventureRight and WrongLanguage- Rhyme,
nonsenseWell-known
author/illustratorEasy to read Imagination illustrations
Literature Review IIINew York Public Library’s Top Picks
What makes it Memorable?
New York Public Library. Retrieved April 12,2014. http://www.nypl.org/
Sylvester and the Magic PebbleBy William Steig
Illustrations
Magic
Multiple Themes
Relatable
Family
Animals
Literature Review IIINew York Public Library’s Top Picks
What makes it memorable?
New York Public Library. Retrieved April 12,2014. http://www.nypl.org/
Findings IHow do four Poudre Global Academy’s 3rd Graders
feel about reading?Student #1
Expressed that he was not much of a reader, but does enjoy sports books. He was minimally engaged while I was reading, more interested in twirling his folder. His Favorite subject at school is P.E
Student #2She loves to read.
She said that she enjoys all kinds of books, and reads almost everyday. She was very focused during the reading and often smiled with excitement. Her favorite subject in school is art and technology.
Interviews, Poudre Global Academy, 3rd Grade Students. April 8, 2014.
Findings IHow do four Poudre Global Academy’s 3rd Graders
feel about reading?
Student #3She is indifferent to
reading, and would rather play sports outside, or taking plane rides with her Dad, a pilot. She was engaged during the reading, interested to know what was going to happen next. She said her favorite subject in school is sports.
Student #4She enjoys reading,
especially books about animals. She was semi-engaged in the reading, sometimes looking around, or playing with her notebook. Her favorite subject in school is art and music, but she also likes P.E. “I like all the fun stuff.”
Interviews, Poudre Global Academy, 3rd Grade Students. April 8, 2014.
As I pulled Sylvester and the Magic Pebble out of my bag, student #2 and #4 had huge smiles on their faces. I asked who had read it before and their hands shot up. I asked them what they remembered about the story and this is what they had to say:“I remember reading it last year, I don’t remember
what it is about but I remember the [cover] picture.” -Student #4
“I love that book! I remember that there was a magic pebble, and he turns into a rock so that a lion can’t eat him.”
-Student #2
Findings IPrior Knowledge
Interviews, Poudre Global Academy, 3rd Grade Students. April 8, 2014.
Findings IWhat Four Poudre Global Academy’s 3rd Grade
Students thought was the most memorable part of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Student #1
“I liked the magic pebble, I’d like it the most if there was a magic pebble in real life.”
Student #2
“I like that he found his family and that they were happy, and I like the pebble.”
Interviews, Poudre Global Academy, 3rd Grade Students. April 8, 2014.
Findings IWhat Four Poudre Global Academy’s 3rd Grade
Students thought was the most memorable part of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Student #3“I liked the story.”
She didn’t have much to say, often “I don’t know”, or a shoulder shrug. But when I asked her about what she thought about the illustrations she says that “if you just look at the pictures you can tell what the story is.”
Student #4Since student #4 was
very familiar with this book, I asked her what she took away from it. “I think that you should think more carefully about what you do.” She also added that the colors in the illustrations contribute to the emotions they evoke.
Interviews, Poudre Global Academy, 3rd Grade Students. April 8, 2014.
Goodnight Little Bunny- “It’s my favorite because Foxy taught the little bunny not to be scared of the dark. It’s cute, and I can read it by myself.”
Harry Potter- “Because it’s exciting and rich and good and I get to watch the movie after.”
Little Wombat- “Because there is a crocodile, and I like crocodiles.”
5 Minute Marvel Stories- “Because of the characters. It has Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, and X-men and other types of stuff.”
Findings IIPoudre Global Academy’s k-1 Students’ Favorite books
Interviews, Poudre Global Academy, k-1 Students. April 10, 2014
Adult #1- Age 60, Father of 3, Retired Military
What was your favorite book as a child? Why? “I couldn’t tell you, I don’t remember reading until I was old enough to
go to the library and check them out myself. I don’t even think I had a book in my house.”
Why is literature important for children? “Because it teaches history, knowledge, right and wrong, provides a
model for grammar and punctuation. With all the Ebonics- the “cuz” and the “lol”’s we need to make sure children know what is proper. It also exposes them to different things, they can learn things they like and things they don’t like. Future generations will lose great literature if we don’t continue to teach how to write correctly.”
What engages a child in a book? “Illustrations! I think that pictures are what they mainly pay attention
to. Also, probably family time. My kids use to read to my wife and I while we cooked dinner…even before they knew how to read, they would “read” the pictures by using their imagination.”
Findings IIIWhat four adults remember about literature from their
childhood and what they think is important for children today.
Interviews, Adults, April 6-12.
Adult #2- Age 48, mother of 2, housewife
What was your favorite book as a child? Why? “Man! It’s hard to pick just one. I would have to say Cat In the Hat, Boxcar
Children, 1 Fish 2 Fish Red Fish Blue Fish- Oh, and To Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street- that one was HILARIOUS! I used books to escape a tough home life, they made me laugh.”
Why is literature important for children? “It teaches both facts and imagination and helps open their mind. It also
gives them a base- they can look back and know what happened in history, how their ancestors lived, and how people of different times thought.”
What engages a child in a book? “Being able to use their imagination, and illustrations. Illustrations help them
decode the story when they’re learning to read. I also think that when the book can teach them something. My daughters favorite book growing up was a Golden Book…something about a mailman. I can’t remember the title but it taught her how the post office worked, I don’t know why she loved it so much but we must have read it a million times.”
Findings IIIWhat four adults remember about literature from their
childhood and what they think is important for children today.
Interviews, Adults, April 6-12.
Adult #3- Age 18, High School Senior
What was your favorite book as a child? Why? “The Giving Tree! I still love it- because it’s a great story. I remember
my mom would let me pick two books every night, one I read to her and the second she would read to me. Every night, The Giving Tree was one of my picks. I’m surprised she didn’t throw it away.”
Why is literature important for children? “Because it allows them to be imaginative. It builds their vocabulary
and can be inspiring.”
What engages a child in a book? “I think that when they can relate to the character(s), or when it helps
them solve a problem. Growing up I remember reading those Junie B. Jones books because they reminded me of myself.”
Findings IIIWhat four adults remember about literature from their
childhood and what they think is important for children today.
Interviews, Adults, April 6-12.
Adult #4- Age 35, teacher and mother of 2
What was your favorite book as a child? Why? “I can’t even choose! There are so many I loved!”
Why is literature important for children? “Because it’s the backbone of education. You cannot have math,
science, technology, history…anything without literature, without reading.”
What engages a child in a book? “I think that the most important element at this age (k-1) is repetition.
It’s just what they like. Caps for Sale, If You Give Moose a Muffin, or Rain Makes Applesauce- they LOVE those. I think its because they know what to expect, they can predict the words and that helps them learn sight words, and that is how they learn to read.”
Findings IIIWhat four adults remember about literature from their
childhood and what they think is important for children today.
Interviews, Adults, April 6-12.
Most Memorable Literary ElementsI asked 3rd graders to rank from 1-5 how important the following are to good literature.
Stud
ent 1
Stud
ent 2
Stud
ent 3
Stud
ent 4
43
455 5
3
54
54
54
34
554
5 5
3rd Grade Ratings
Illustrations Imaginationrelateability themeplot
I asked multigenerational adults to rank from 1-5 the importance
of the following to children's literature
Adult 1 Adult 2 Adult 3 Adult 4
54
34
3
5 544
3
54
3 34
34 4 4
5
Multigenerational Adults
Illustrations ImaginationRelatability ThemePlot
Interviews, Adult and Poudre Global Academy’s 3rd Graders. April 2014.
How well versed, or what genres are children exposed to most often? Do they have the ability to choose the books they want to read? And how does exposure or lack there of impact what they find to be the most memorable?
Is reading valued in their life? Has it been provided relevance?
Do learning styles impact what a child takes away from a book?
ReflectionAdditional Questions
I chose this research question because I was looking for a way to tie together my Children’s Literature class, and Introduction to Education- which are both exciting, interesting, and relevant to my future as a teacher. Since having my daughter 10 short months ago, I’ve learned the tremendous impact literature (or lack there of) can be on a child. In order to have an impact and encourage the love of reading for my daughter, as well as my future students, I wanted to know, what makes a children’s book memorable.
So, it is hard to say what makes a book most memorable. Before starting my research, I figured there had to be some part of a book that children love- the pictures, being able to relate to the emotions of the characters, the exercise of imagination, or maybe, just a good plot. Truth is, everyone takes away something different. When I asked both the 3rd Graders and the Adults to rank the elements, the results were not surprising, everyone had different answers. But, when I questioned their favorite books, or what they liked most about Sylvester and the Magic Pebble there answers were different. (Well, for the most part- sometimes the 3rd graders would just regurgitate what others said, but I tried to only include their unique thoughts.)
There is a lot to consider when asking what makes a children’s book memorable: what are the interest of the child? What has their exposure to literature been? Are they engaged in the book? It seemed like every question that was answered brought up new questions. I did find that the majority of adults and children said that plot is the most important aspect of memorable literature, followed by provoking imagination, relatability, illustrations and last, theme. So, to each their own- what makes children’s literature memorable, is the reader.
Reflection
Association for Library Service to Children. Retrieved April 15,2014, http://www.ala.org/
Bingham, K. (2012) Z is for Moose. Greenwillow Books.
Dormer, F. (2012) The Obstinate Pen. New York, NY. Henry Holt and Co.
Interviews, Adults, April 6-12.
Interviews, Poudre Global Academy, 3rd Grade Students. April 8, 2014.
Interviews, Poudre Global Academy, k-1 Students. April 10, 2014
Klise, K. (2012) The Phantom of the Post Office: 43 Old Cemetery Road #4. Boston, MA: HMH Books for Young Readers
New York Public Library. Retrieved April 12,2014. http://www.nypl.org/
Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts. (2009.) Children’s Literature Assembly. Retrieved April 12,2014, http:childrensliteratureassembly.org/docs/cla-notable-books-09.pdf
Parish, P. (1980) Good Work, Amelia Bedelia. New York, NY. Greenwillow Books.
Seuss, Dr. T. (1957) The Cat in the Hat. New York, NY. Random House Books.
Steig, W. (1988) Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York, NY. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing..
References