Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Survivors, Abigale Ralston

Honors Theses

Set over 100 years in the future, this story follows the lives of teenagers Alex, Leon, and Paige. The world has been destroyed. In order to survive, humanity has had to learn how to survive in space, in a vehicle called simply The Ship. Lately, however, Alex and his friends have noticed problems occurring on The Ship, indicating a disaster may be imminent. Alex, Leon, and Paige are now tasked with finding the causes of the problems and saving the last of humanity from extinction.

Phoenix Rising: A Scout Is Born, Seth Hunter

Honors Theses

The Kingdom of Taris lies in flames, a shadow of what it once was, crippled by the Brutes of the Northeast. The King and Queen’s deaths, followed by their only daughter’s capture, cast a shadow over Taris, far darker than the depths of the Old Mines.

History, Methods, And Psychology Of Illustrations In Children's Literature, Kelsi Coleman

Honors Theses

This honors thesis includes two parts. The first is a paper written on the history of illustration in children's literature, the ways in which illustrations are created, and the psychological reasoning and effect of illustration in children's literature. The second part is a book created for children to inspire an interest in illustration and give basic information about different kinds of illustration.

Mountains In The Deep, Andy Strauss

Honors Theses

When Evan, prince of the Fourth Quadrant, sees a vision of a ghost-like crown hovering over his father's head, he is sent on a dangerous mission to face the mystical shadow beast ravaging his kingdom--the same beast that has marked him as its prey and that will stop at nothing to hunt him down.

Making The Bible Modern: How I Created A Retelling Of The Good Samaritan, Laura Beth Warner

Honors Theses

This thesis includes the process and methods employed in creating a modern-day retelling of the parable of The Good Samaritan for a first-grade audience and the final product of a children's picture book.

Beyond Stereotypical Picture Books: An Inquiry Of Hidden Life Lessons From Patricia Polacco, Ruthie Lenards

Honors Theses

By applying a historical study of the author, Patricia Polacco, the thematic perspective is evident in her books. Many do not see those hidden life lessons due to the stereotypical norms of picture books. The reader will learn how Patricia Polacco's life lessons may not be hidden to the viewer.

A Young Adult Scrutinizes The Michael L. Printz Award, Claire Elaine Seale

Honors Theses

In a century peppered in controversy, adolescents between the ages and twelve to eighteen are turning to young adult literature to find hope in their lives. These books with headlining titles like The Hunger Games and Harry Potter are no longer just in print, but their narratives centered around teenage protagonists are being brought to life on screen. In fact, the source of much of our twenty first century culture derives from the ingenuity of young adult authors. Although the young adult empire continues to grow in modern times, many advocates for young adult literature, including the American Library Association …

Daniel's Journey In First Grade / El Viaje De Daniel En Primer Grado, Hannah Gallagher

Honors Theses

After growing up in a city where I was privileged to observe a combination of cultures, I felt especially drawn to how children grow up in these environments, especially as it pertains to education. With this in mind, my thesis easily became a place for me to write and illustrate a bilingual children’s picture book. This picture book is for children between the ages of five and eight years old and is written in the English and Spanish languages. I have focused the book specifically on circumstances that immigrant children from Central or South America might encounter, as they adjust …

Cracking The Case On Age-Appropriate Literature, Sara Neumann

Honors Theses

Reading is a vital part of education and life, therefore a necessary skill to learn. There are many debated methods as to teaching a child to read, but sometimes overlooked is another important component of the reading process—what a child reads. Books come in a hoard of different styles, genres, and formats, and their contents can be limitlessly varied. While it can be argued that all books are good to read in an appropriate time and place, as far as learning to read is concerned, there are some books that are more appropriate to children than others. Divided into age-level …

Twice Upon A Time: The Retellings Of Fairy Tales For Contemporary Audiences, Morgan Howard

Honors Theses

If anyone had seen me binge-watching ABC's Once Upon a Time (a television adaptation of Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and more) during my freshman year of college, they undoubtedly would have said I was wasting my time. In fact, I probably would have agreed with them--there were far better things for a busy English and mass communications double major to do in her free time. I didn't realize then that I was actually in the process of developing what would become my research passion for the next four years.

For my final research essay in Composition 1, …

The Field: A Study In Illustration, Kacy Alaina Earnest Spears

Honors Theses

Senior year of college, I enrolled in Issues of Communication, a class focused on pinpointing the issues of racism and the long-term effects of microaggressions, defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as "a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously of unintentionally expresses a prejudice attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority}" ("microaggressions"}. One of our guest speakers, Dean Bryan McKinney of the Hickingbotham School of Business, came to present "The Field," a short story written by his father, JV McKinney, about living in the 1950's segregated Arkansas Delta. Dean McKinney played a recording of …

Anthiom: A Christian Ya Novel, Krystal Parker

Honors Theses

Kaelyn gripped tight at the silk sheets around her before her body settled into even breaths. In. Out. In. out. She could still see the shadowed faces in their dark hoods and the fires. There were always fires.

She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her, counting the number of tiles from the edge of her bed to the mahogany dresser. In. Out. One. In. Out. Two.

You are back in your room, she reminded herself. It was just a dream.

"Kaelyn?" her door creaked open and she jumped. "Are you okay?"

She rolled over and saw …

Not Growin' Up: Poetry For Children, Lindsay Chastain

Honors Theses

If adults are the prime reviewers of children's poetry, then children may not give the poetry a good review. After writing my own children 's poetry and having it read by Dr. Johnny Wink, I put it to the test of Gifted and Talented fourth-graders. These bright students gave me feedback on my poetry and told me where to improve. At the completion of this project, I submitted a collection of my works to two children's book publishers for review.

The Story Of A Picture Book: A Process Analysis, Christy Evans

Honors Theses

Creating a successful picture book is neither an easy nor simple process. The illustrations must-harmonize with the text, move the reader smoothly through a story, and be, as Burningham puts it, "verdant." To achieve this, an author/illustrator must be prepared for constant revision. In my story The Fantastic Transformation of Frog the main character experiences some bizarre changes, but reverts to his normal state in the end. Through my process of creating a picture book, my story also went through numerous changes, but, unlike the main character's changes, these changes were not reversed. They led to other changes.

Death In Children's Literature: A User's Guide, Jennifer M. Collier

Honors Theses

My love for children's books led me to begin exploring the subject of death within the literature. While searching for children's books that dealt with death as a primary of secondary theme, I realized how useful a guide to these books would be to parents, physicians, teachers and anyone working with a child facing some kind of death. It is hard for us to explain to children about death because it is hard to understand and accept, and we do not want to upset the children. Children's books that deal with death provide a means for opening the lines of …

Death In Children's Literature, Joyce Ann Kaufman

Honors Theses

Mr. Wordsworth posed an interesting question. What should a child know about death?

Often we try to protect children from death. Euphemisms are used regarding death. People and pets do not die, they "pass away," "go to sleep," or "go to live in heaven." When a death occurs in a family, the adults often say of a young child, "It doesn't seem to bother him. Maybe he doesn't realize what has happened." Other people may mention that "He has accepted it so well. Children adapt so easily."

Sexism In Children's Literature, Joyce Ann Kaufman

Honors Theses

The Little Miss Muffet syndrome, which depicts females as helpless, easily frightened, and dreadfully dull occurs repeatedly in children's literature.

The Development Of Children's Literature, Judy Hughes

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Newbery Medal Award Winners 1954-1968, Joyce Ann Kaufman

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Science Fiction: A Survey Of Twelve Science Fiction Books Recommended For Junior And Senior High Students, Judy Hughes

Honors Theses

The following pages contain a brief look at twelve science fiction books and their authors. All of these books are recommended for either junior or senior high students.

As a prospective school media specialist, I wanted to know more about the literature that students from the ages twelve to eighteen read. Science fiction was one area in which I lacked background. Many of the students enjoy science fiction, especially the boys. So, I decided to read a sample of this type of literature to gain more knowledge in the field. After reading each book, I checked to see how many …

Children: How Their Literature Affects Them, Judy Hughes

Honors Theses

There are three great parallels, if followed consistently, that will provide the kind of literature program that children need today. The first one is that the child needs a balance of the new and the old. Modern authors for children know what the inside of a child's mind is like, and they write with a tempo, style, and spirit that is modern. But a child also needs to know that there were great stories before his time.

The second great parallel is the balance between realistic and fanciful literature. The child loves the kind of stories that acquaint hime with …

An Analysis Of Newbery Awards: 1922-1947, Pamela Jean Estes

Honors Theses

The intent of this project has been to focus on reading the Newbery award winners from 1922-1947 and to analyze and compare the books.

Newbery Award Winners, 1948-1973, Pamela Jean Estes

Honors Theses

This paper represents the continuation of work done in the fall semester of 1972. The intent has been to focus on reading the Newbery award winners from 1948-1973 and to analyze and compare them.

A Et La Fête Des Amis, Anne Coppenger

Honors Theses

This is an original children's story in French, with original illustrations.

A Look At Comic Books, Mark Chapel

Honors Theses

This short study attempts to define and analyze the comic book thoroughly enough to enable the reader to draw his own conclusions about the unique little magazines. The writer also tries to evaluate the worth and possible place in American culture of comic books. Are comic books a menace, a "noxious mushroom growth" as a critic stated in 1943? Are they a harmless diversion as psychologist William Charles Marston upholds? Do comic books deserve a niche in libraries or should they be burned as trash?