ED 3322: Children's Literature Exam
Personification
Giving animals or inanimate objects the qualities of humans. (ie. The wolf cried in pain.)
Closed Ending
In a story, when the reader is assured that all is well.
Meaning
In poetry, the underlying idea, feeling or mood conveyed
Polygenesis
Theory that early humans had similar urges and motives, asked fundamental questions about themselves and the world around them; "many origins."
motif
a symbolic feature that recurs in a story (e.g. the number 3 in folktales)
cultural styles
artistic styles developed over time within the traditions of particular cultures (e.g. painting on silk and rice papers with flat designs for scenes in traditional Japanese art)
fictionalized biography
based on careful research, but the author creates dramatic episodes from known facts using imagined conversation
abstract art
uses intrinsic geometric forms/surface qualities (indirect representation of objects) to emphasize mood and feeling
reader response theory/transactional view of reading
what the reader brings to the reading act -- his or her world of experience, personality, cultural views, and current frame of mind -- is just as important in interpreting the text as what the author writes
New Criticism/structural criticism
when reader subject a work to deep analysis through exact and careful reading; the analysis of the words and structure of a work is the focus; the goal is to find the "correct" interpretation
expository writing
writing that explains; used in informational books
narrative writing
writing that tells a story; usually used in fiction books
graphic novels
novel-length books that feature text written in speech bubbles or as captions similar to comic-book illustrations; appeal to young people and reluctant readers
cartoon art
often features rounded figures, exaggerated action, and simplified backgrounds
organization
paragraphs and transitions, length of chapters, headings and chapter titles, preface, endnotes, prologue, epilogue, length
minor or secondary characters
partial or incomplete characters
shifting point of view
permits the reader to see events from different characters' POV (difficult for young readers - needs a cue)
picture books for older readers
picture books that are generally more sophisticated, abstract, or complex in themes, stories, and illustrations, and are suitable for children age 10 and older
interactive books
picture books that invite a child's verbal or physical participation as the book is read
episodic plot
plot which ties together separate short stories or episodes, each an entity in itself with its own conflict and resolution [see fig. 3.2 p. 36]
progressive plots
plots in which the first few chapters are the exposition (characters, setting, and basic conflict established) and following this the story builds through rising action toward a climax [see fig. 3.1 p. 35]
complex multiple plots
plots in which the traditional chronology is replaced by nonlinear plots that occur simultaneously (e.g. Louis Sachar's novel "Holes")
chronological plots
plots which cover a particular period of time and relate the events in order within that time period instead of moving back and forth across time
counting book
presents numbers, usually 1-10, to acquaint young readers with the numerals and their shapes, the number names, the sense of what quantity each numeral represents. and the counting sequence
alphabet/ABC book
presents the alphabet letter by letter to acquaint young children with the shapes, names, and, in some cases, the sounds of the letters; use a theme (e.g. animals, fruit), or device (e.g. finding objects in the illustration) to create cohesion
reading interest inventories
provide teachers and librarians with helpful information about students' current interests and introduce children to new genres, topics, and books
efferent reading
reading that focuses on taking knowledge or information from the text
aesthetic reading
reading that involves living through a literary experience and immersing yourself within the world of the story
historical fiction
realistic fiction set in a time remote enough from the present to be considered history
inference
reasoning to derive one idea from another
technique
refers to how an illustrator uses a particular material, like watercolor
space
refers to the distance from one point to another in illustrations (shallow v.s. deep)
characterization
refers to the way the author helps the reader to know a character
literature across the curriculum
refers to using literature as teaching materials in social studies and history, science, health, and mathematics
reading interest
suggests a feeling one has toward particular reading material
interior monologue
telling what someone probably thought or said to himself or herself based on known actions
biographical fiction
the known achievements of the person are reported accurately, but in other respects these works are as much fiction as fact; authors use invented dialogue, fictional secondary characters, and some reconstructed action
protagonist
the main character (round character)
artistic media
the materials and technical means used by artists to create pictures
reading choice
the materials that children select and read from a specific collection
style
the way an author tells the story; the writing itself as opposed to the content
person-against-society
this conflict is most often either about the environment being destroyed by new technology or changing times or about children caught up in a political upheaval such as war (e.g. Lois Lowry's "Number the Stars")
foreshadowing
this device gives clues to a later event, possibly the climax of the story
activity books
this format of informational book is organized around directions for activities, such as crafts, recipes, or experiments
international literature
to books that are set in countries outside of North America
Jingle
A catchy repetition of sounds heard in commercials.
Motif
A distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition.
Epic
A long poem or story, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation; grounded in mythology; setting is earthly but not realistic; characters are human and gods.
Retold Tale
A version of a tale written in a style that will appeal to a contemporary audience but otherwise remains true to the ancient tale.
Limerick
Five line verse; 1,2, and 5 rhyme and same length as 3 and 4
Religious Stories
Stories based on religious writings or taken intact from religious manuscripts; include parables.
Tall Tales
Stories that are highly exaggerated accounts of the exploits of persons, both real and imagined
Fairy Tales
Stories that contains elements of magic or enchantment in characters, plot, or settings.
Pourquoi Tale
Stories that explain a phenomena of nature.
Beast Tales
Stories that feature talking animals and overstated action with occasional human characters.
Folktales
Stories that grew out of the lives and imaginations of the people or "folk."
Myth
Stories that recount and explain the origins of the world and the phenomena of nature
Realisitic Tales
Stories whose characters, plot, and setting could conceivably have occurred.
first-person narrator
(the use of 'I'), generally the main character of the story
Fables
A simple story that incorporates characters, typically animals, whose actions teach a moral lesson or universal truth.
Legend
A story based on real or supposedly real individuals and their marvellous deeds.
Variants
A story that shares elements of plot or character with stories in the same "story family" but differs mainly by culture.
Parables
A succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles; type of analogy.
Hyperbole
An exaggeration. (ie. She was as big as a whale!)
Rhythm
Beat or regular cadence of a poem.
Jataka
Collection of tales from India
Panchatantra
Collection of tales from Persia
Simile
Comparison using "like" or "as." (ie. She was as quiet as a mouse.)
Oral Tradition
Cultural material and tradition transmitted orally from one generation to another.
reference books
Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and atlases serve as references and provide an overall coverage of a large topic with many facts
Nursery Songs
Heavily illustrated collections of traditional and modern verse with musical notation
Nursery Rhymes
Heavily illustrated collections of traditional verse.
Setting
Historical moment in time and geographic location in which a story takes place, and helps initiate the main backdrop and mood for a story
Ballad
Long narrative poem; popular; can be sung
Humorous Tale
Story that revolves around a character's incredibly stupid or funny mistakes; also known as noodleheads, sillies, drolls, and numbskulls
Metaphor
Implied comparison without a signal word. (ie. She was a mouse.)
Sound Patterns
Include rhyme, assonance, alliteration, consonance, and onomatopoeia.
Figurative Language
Includes simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole.
Climax
Peak of action in a story.
Choral Poetry
Orally interpreting the poem through your voice by saying a poem together as a group.
third-person narrator
POV in which the reader can know whatever the narrator knows about the events of the story; uses he, she, it
Lyric Poem
Poem that captures a moment, feeling, or scene.
Narrative Poem
Poem that tells a story or sequence of events.
Concrete Poetry
Poem written and printed in the shape of the subject of the poem.
fact books
Presentation of information in these books is mainly through lists, charts, and tables in almanacs, books of world records, and sports trivia and statistics books
photo essay
Presentation of information is equally balanced between text and illustration with excellent information-bearing photographs and a crisp, condensed writing style
Consonance
Repetition of the same consonant two or more times in short succession, as in "pitter patter" or in "all mammals named Sam are clammy."
Assonance
Repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming within phrases or sentences.
Falling Action
Resolving the conflict of a story.
Plot
Sequence of events inside a story which affect other events through the principle of cause and effect
Cumulative Tale
Story that uses repetition, accumulation, and rhythm to make an entertaining story out of the barest of plots. (ie. "The Gingerbread Man").
Verse
Simple thoughts or stories told in rhyme with distinct beat or meter (ie. Mother Goose)
Onomatopoeia
Sound words in writing; includes animal noises, "bang," "crack," and "burrr."
Alliteration
Stylistic literary device identified by the repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of multiple words, or the repetition of the same sounds of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables of a phrase
Theme
Subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic.
Anthropomorphism
The attributing of human characteristics and purposes to inanimate objects, animals, plants, or other natural phenomena, or to God.
Traditional Literature
The body of ancient stories and poems that grew out of the oral tradition of storytelling before being written down.
Poetry
The concentrated expression of ideas and feelings through precise and imaginative words, carefully selected for their sonorous and rhythmical effects.
Monogenesis
The theory that the first humans created stories and passed them along as they populated the earth; "single origin."
multigenre books
These books combine elements of both fiction and nonfiction and present accurate factual information alongside an entertaining ribbon of fiction or poetry
concept picture book
This type of picture book presents only one or two scientific or social concepts through brief, uncomplicated text accompanied by numerous large illustrations
Sijo
Three line poem, each 14-16 syllables, contains twist.
Haiku
Three line poem, syllable count of 5, 7,5; commonly about nature.
Free Verse
Unrhymed poem; light and rhythm; abstract and reflective.
Sense Imagery
When a poet plays with one or more of the five senses in descriptive and narrative language.
Rising Action
When events in a story rise by building suspense to a peak.
picture storybook
a book in which a story is told through both the words and pictures
round character
a character that is a complex individual with both good and bad traits, like a real person
flat character
a character that is described in a one-sided or underdeveloped manner
epilogue
a concluding statement telling events that occur after the story has ended
person-against-nature
a conflict usually found in survival stories in which the character struggles with the forces of nature (e.g. Gary Paulsen's "Hatchet": Brian v.s. the Canadian Wilderness)
character foil
a direct juxtaposition to another character (usually the protagonist) who serves to highlight the characteristics of the other individual
flashback
a literary device used to convey information that occurred earlier, often before the beginning of the first chapter [see fig. 3.3 p. 36]
biography series
a multivolume set of books with each book containing one separate biography
symbo
a person, object, or situation that represents an abstract or figurative meaning as well as literal meaning
concept book
a picture book that explores or explains an idea or concept (e.g. opposites), an object (e.g. a train), or an activity (e.g. working) rather than telling a story
doublespread
a picture that extends across the two facing pages and gives the effect of motion, grandeur, openness, and expansiveness
naming book
a type of concept book which presents simple pictures of people, animals, and objects that are labeled for young children to identify
authentic biography
all factual information is documented through eyewitness accounts, written documents, letters, diaries, and audio and video recordings
memoirs
although related to autobiographies, focus on the authors' reflections on the meaning of a particular set past experiences in their lives rather than on the events themselves
symbolism
an artistic invention that authors use to suggest invisible or intangible meanings by analogy through association, resemblance, or convention
readability
an estimate of a text's difficulty based on its vocabulary (common v.s. uncommon words) and sentence structure (short, simple sentences v.s. long, complex sentences)
frontispiece
an illustration facing the title page which is intended to establish the tone and to entice the reader to begin the story
prologue
an introductory statement telling events that precede the start of the story
textbook
book for the purpose of instruction, such as the basal reader used in many classrooms for reading instruction
trade book
book that is primarily for the purposes of entertainment and information
transitional books
books for children who can read but have not yet become fluent readers; feature uncomplicated writing style and vocabulary, illustrations on about every third page, and text divided into chapters
picture books
books in which both words and illustrations are essential to the story's meaning
global literature
books that are set in international contexts but are written in North America
predictable/pattern books
books that have repeated language patterns, story patterns, or familiar sequences that encourage children to chime in on repeating phrases (e.g. "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?")
easy-to-read books
books that help the beginning reader read independently with success; feature limited text per page, large print, double-spacing, short sentences, and words that are short and familiar
culturally expansive curriculum
builds from awareness of students' own cultural identities to considering points of view that go beyond their own
expressionistic art
communicates an emotional experience rather than an external reality; exaggeration and eliminating competing details
person-against-person
conflict between two characters (e.g. Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are": Max v.s. his mom)
person-against-self
conflict that occurs within the main character
informational book series
consist of multiple books that share a general topic, format, writing style, and reading level
partial biography
covers only part of the life of the subject; biographies for young children will often be of this type as are biographies of living persons
complete biography
covers the entire life of the subject from birth to death
perspective
creates the point of view from which an artist observes a scene and gives a sense of action
wordless book
depends entirely upon carefully sequenced illustrations to present the story
impressionistic art
depicts natural appearances, fleeting visual impressions, emphasis on light
attribution
interpretation of known actions to determine probable motives
culturally critical curriculum
disrupting the commonplace, considering multiple perspectives, focusing on sociopolitical issues to examine societal systems and unequal power relationships and to get at the root causes of social problems, and taking action and promoting social justice
informational books
give verifiable factual information or explain some aspect of the biological, social, or physical world
biography
gives factual information about the lives of actual people, including their experiences, accomplishments, and influences, and legacies
children's literature
good-quality trade books for children from birth to early adolescence, covering topics of relevance and interest to children through prose and poetry, fiction and nonfiction; reflect children's life experiences, understandings, and emotions
quality in writing and illustration
has to do with originality and importance of ideas, imaginative use of language and image, and beauty of literary and artistic style that enable a work to remain fresh, interesting, and meaningful for many years
Poetic Form
ie.couplets, tercets, quatrains, cinquains.
reading preference
implies making a choice from two or more options
collected biography
includes the life stories of several people in one book, organized into chapters
surrealistic art
juxtaposing incongruous dreamlike and fantasy images with realistic ones
literary vocabulary
literary terms that act as tools that students can use to initiate and sustain conversations about literature with each other
multicultural literature
literature by and about groups that have been marginalized and disregarded by the dominant European-American culture
limited omniscient narrator
narrator that can only provide the perspective of one character in the story; third-person POV
omniscient narrator
narrator that can see into the minds of all the characters and be at many places at the same time
conceptual difficulty
related to the complexity of ideas in the book and how these ideas are presented
indirect discourse
reporting the gist of what someone said without using quotation marks
folk art
representative of the artistic style prevalent in the culture of that story (varies)
realistic art
represents natural forms and accurate representations without idealization
integral setting
setting which is essential to the comprehension of the events; the story could not be the same in another setting (settings in historical fiction for example)
backdrop setting
setting which is vague and general; meant to convey a universal, timeless tale, one that could have happened anywhere and almost anytime but the present or very recent past (settings in folktales for example)
autobiography
similar to biography, except that authors tell about their own life
baby books
simply designed, brightly illustrated, durable picture books that are intended for use with children ages 0 to 2
composition
the arrangement of all of the visual elements and the way they relate one to the other and combine to make the picture
book design
the artful orchestration of all components of a book into a coherent whole
character development
the changes the character undergoes in the story
antagonist
the character or force in direct opposition to the main character
plot
the events of the story and the sequence in which they are told
cultural authenticity
the extent to which a book reflects the core beliefs and values and depicts the details of everyday life and language for a specific cultural group
verso
the reverse side of the title page; contains the publishing history of the book and copyright notice
conflict
the struggle found in a piece of literature that can arise from different sources
typeface
the style of print used throughout the book
texture
the tactile surface characteristics of pictured objects
setting
the time and place in which the story occurs
theme
the underlying meanings or significance; better expressed by a complete sentence than by a single word
informational chapter book
type of informational book that features a large amount of text that is organized into chapters along with graphics and illustrations
informational picture book
type of informational book that features brief text and large, uncomplicated illustrations that are integral to conveying the information
postmodern picture books
unpredictable picture books that feature multiple storylines, multiple perspectives and page planes, and irony and contradiction; reflect the fragmented and multimodal nature of modern society
engineered books/toy books
use paper that is cut, folded, constructed to provide pop-up, see-through, movable, changeable, foldout, or three dimensional illustrations (e.g. "The Tickleoctopus" by Audrey and Don Wood)