Syllabus | Assignments | Tronclass

BEN52701 Contemporary Trends in Children’s Literature

Week 1: 2/22

  • Introduction to second semester 
  • Views of Childhood

Week 2: 2/29

  • Read article: How to Read Children’s Literature.
  • The Implied Reader, Plaisir, Jouissance

Week 3: 3/7

  • Read Article: What Makes a Good Book: The Pictures
  • Function, Format, Media, Visual Elements of Picturebook Pictures

Week 4: 3/14

  • 12 Picture Principles
    Read about picture book design
  • Bring Scissors and glue 
  • Picture design and meaning
  • Picture book reading log due

Week 5: 3/21

  • Prepare presentation 
  • Picture Book Presentations in small groups

Week 6: 3/28

  • The Graveyard Book, first half
  • Identity, Psychoanalytic Criticism

Week 7: 4/4

  • Holiday, Spring Break

Week 8: 4/11

  • The Graveyard Book, second half
  • Graveyard Book response due
  • Gender, Sexuality, Horror

Week 9: 4/18

  • El Deafo, first half
  • Graphic Novels, Heroes

Week 10: 4/25

Week 11: 5/2

  • Lecture
  • War and Peace in Children’s Literature
  • 12:00 in R0101 (Puren Auditorium)

Week 12: 5/9

  • ICEE week. No Class. Please join some of the many special activities

Week 13: 5/16

  • Keesha’s House, first half
  • Lecture response due
  • Adolescent Literature

Week 14: 5/23

  • Keesha’s House, second half
  • Keesha’s House response due
  • Poetry, Narration

Week 15: 5/30

  • Review and prepare final presentation
  • Writing
  • Term Paper due, first draft

Week 16: 6/6

  • Review and Prepare Final Presentation
  • Non-fiction
  • Term Paper due (Include 1. cover sheet, 2. first draft with comments, and 3. final draft)

Week 17: 6/13

  • Final Presentations: Compare and contrast one children’s story from class this semester with another work of literature, not meant for children.

Week 18: 6/20

  • Individual Consultations