Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons^™

Sexism And The Newberry Medal, Jean Clingman Huckleberry

Graduate Research Papers

It is time now to think, time to become conscious and to delve into a sample of Newbery winners. Four Newbery books were chosen for this study in an effort to compare the earlier winners, when sexism was not such a popular issue, with two current winners to discern whether a change had taken place, if indeed a change was necessary. The two older books are Invincible Louisa by Cornelia Meigs, the 1934 winner, and Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright, the 1939 winner. The 1930's was chosen because it was a decade in which every Newbery book was written by …

Tommy And The Cloud, Leon Green

Graduate Research Papers

Tommy and the Cloud is an attempt to create an experience. It tells of a small boy's imagination, and his search for something more satisfying; than that provided by ordinary childhood.

The story is followed by a subjective analysis of Tommy and the Cloud in light of certain literary qualities shared by "good" children's books. Some of the concepts to be explored will include theme--the underlying idea or ideas of a story; originality of idea or presentation--there's a difference between a truly unique approach and an unrealistic overly-fantastic "ripoff"; and characterization--do the people seem real and lifelike? The reader may …

Treatment Of The American Indian In Eight Junior Novels, Linda Ann Carlsen

Graduate Research Papers

American Indians have had to struggle for more than their physical survival. It is not only land that has been appropriated; it has been a fight to keep mind and soul together, for along with the United States Cavalry, missionaries, educators and the "Americanizers", have come the writers of books about Indians.

A Study Of The Attitudes Of Iowa Junior High Media Specialists Concerning Sex And Sexuality Materials In The Media Center, Elizabeth Campbell

Graduate Research Papers

This research was undertaken as a study of attitudes toward sex and sexuality materials and their availability and use in junior high media centers. Several basic assumptions were accepted before the study began. The first assumption: the Media Center best serves the school by maintaining a wide selection of media at different levels of ability and interest, and a large portion of these materials are selected to support the school's curricular objectives. The second assumption: if the Media Center is truly serving the school, the Media Specialist must be providing up to date and vital information concerning adolescent sexuality. A …

The Junior Novel: Historical And Literary Development, Criticism And A Selected Annotated Bibliography, Janet Albrecht

Graduate Research Papers

The paper is two-fold in purpose. First, it will trace the historical and literary development of the junior novel from its inception to the present. In order to augment the literary development of the junior novel, it will also present a discussion of the criticism that has been made of the genre and also provide criteria for evaluating the literary quality of individual works. Second, it will present a selective, annotated bibliography of recent junior novels that deal with specific social problems of concern to the adolescent reader of today.

Beatrix Potter Through The Years, Carol Porter

Graduate Research Papers

The investigation into the life and work of Beatrix Potter was prompted by interest in and enjoyment of the work of this author. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was the real extent of the acquaintance with Beatrix Potter. Perhaps the appreciation of the art in this book was even more fundamental. A serious desire for children to be familiar with the original story rather than the reproductions was a factor in wanting to know more about this woman and more about what she had produced.

The Life And Works Of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Catherine Ilene Hunter

Graduate Research Papers

A brief biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

The Portrayal Of Blacks In Children’S Literature, Ilene Rewerts

Graduate Research Papers

With the current emphasis on civil rights and the equality of all people, much attention has been given to the minorities in this country. One such minority, the American Negro population, is beginning to demand the rights that they have been denied for centuries. Generations of black Americans have lived without recognition--almost invisibly--in America. They have been separated from whites socially and culturally.

As the Negro population has emerged from oblivion, and the attitudes towards these people have changed, educators have begun to evaluate the portrayal of blacks in literature. Literature has always been a mirror of the times, and …

An Analysis And Criticism Of The Life, Writings And Art Of Beatrix Potter, Eileen F. Mardorf

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to study the worth, the kind, and the power of the contributions to children's literature made by Beatrix Potter, creator of the familiar and beloved "The Tale of Peter Rabbit."

The Negro In Three Junior Novels, Linda Lea Donahue

Graduate Research Papers

To review current fiction to determine suitability of using it in school as one way of presenting the culture and life styles of the Negro American with the hope of promoting better interracial understanding.

Critical Analysis Of Mother Goose, Jeanne Opperman

Graduate Research Papers

Nursery rhymes have been considered trifles until comparatively recent times and consequently were never taken too seriously. It has only been with the increased interest in the science of folk-lore that they have begun to attract attention and their true purpose and meaning discovered.

My curiosity about the origin of Mother Goose rhymes · came through a course taken in children's literature. I wrote a paper at that time on some of my findings and observations. This paper is an enlargement and updating of that project including more information from historical sources, a study of selected foreign editions and some …

Description Of Background For The Children’S Book, Ice Cream Next Summer, Elaine Rose Govern

Graduate Research Papers

Ice Cream Next Summer is not meant to be a trip in nostalgia, although it may well serve that purpose for a reader with first hand experience of ice houses, country stores and their period in American history. It is meant to be, as it was for the author, an investigation into a different time and mood of a slower rural Iowa, a discovery of an out-dated occupational task.

A Study On How The Male And Female Are Portrayed In Children’S Literature, Diane Jean Reed

Graduate Research Papers

To the majority of Americans, women's liberation is a common term among most circles. Just recently another group is capturing the headlines and will be gaining more support with this publicity. This group has coined the name "Feminists on children's Media." Their attacks are becoming greater as more parents, librarians, and concerned citizens become actively involved in the way women and men are stereotyped in both juvenile literature and school textbooks. Previously, critics had concentrated on the intermediate level of reading, while now, more are becoming interested in picture books and beginning readers.

Three Illustrators: William Blake, George Cruikshank And Maurice Sendak, Patricia Twait

Graduate Research Papers

Children's books have been a source of delight to them; they have evoked both tears and laughter from young audiences. The illustrator has come to be a partner in the creation of hooks for children. The term children's literature now includes the efforts of both illustrators and authors. It was not always so. For many years children read adult books because there was no such thing as a storybook for children. When they came, the books for children were dull fare. They were moralizing with few, if any, illustrations.

Gradually illustrators began illustrating books specifically for children. The literary content …

Maria Edgeworth, Mary Whiteley Degner

Graduate Research Papers

At the height of her career Maria Edgeworth's reading audience spanned a wide area. Even though her name is not widely known today, she is an outstanding figure in the field of children's literature. This descriptive research paper includes her biography, emphasizing the influence of her father and that of Thomas Day. The paper concentrates chiefly on her contribution to children's literature although her novels are used. to show the range of her work.