This course will explore various forms of children's literature, including domestic and historical fiction, the picture book, fantasy and realism, and the young adult novel. We will analyze children's literature using the same critical standards we apply to literature for adults, while at the same time recognizing the unique needs and responses of the child-audience. In addition, we will consider what it means to be a "reader" of children's literature; how we define a "classic"; the lack of representation in children's literature and publishing; the changing landscape of children's literature; our cultural assumptions about and fictional representations of childhood, home, and family; and the truths we offer children through literature. The class will follow a discussion rather than a lecture format.
- Teacher: Barbara Tannert-Smith