This course is a General Education course for Upper-Division Theme T: The Child. The course will take advantage of two different ways the word "of" (as in "literature of the child") can be interpreted. First, there’s the possessive sense of the word. We will study literature belonging to or harking from the world of children: children’s literature. These are texts that are targeting children as their audience. But "of" can also mean "about" or "concerning," so we will also read some literature that features childhood or a concept of "the child" prominently, but whose target readers are adults, not children. As we read the various texts, we will examine the implications they have for various conceptualizations of childhood. How do texts construct identities and expectations of what it means to be a child? In what ways do time periods and cultures play a role in thinking about childhood? How do scholars interested in such questions go about finding answers? These are some of the critical issues we will address in this class. It will require you to read, think about, and write critical responses to a wide variety of texts and text forms--everything from novels, poems, and plays to films and even toys--that will help us think about the idea of "the child."

Required Texts

• Baum, Frank. The Wizard of Oz
• Black, Jonah. The Black Book Vol I: Girls Girls Girls
• Cabot, Meg. The Princess Diaries
• Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland
• Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
• Dahl, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Dunn, Katherine. Geek Love
• Holt, Kimberly. When Zachary Beaver Came to Town
• Hornby, Nick. About a Boy
• Rowling, JK. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl
• Course Packet #143 available from Mr Kopy (119 Main Street, next to the 7-11)
• One children’s picture book of your own choosing
• One children’s/young adult novel series of your own choosing

Assignments and Grading

• 50%: Written Work (see details below) 
• 10%: Presentations & Associated Written Work 
• 30%: Exams 
• 10%: Attendance & Participation 

I expect regular attendance for the entire class period. In-class work (including tests and presentations) missed due to absence cannot be made up. I do not differentiate between "excused" and "unexcused" absences; I assume that you are the best judge of where you need to be on any given day. However, any student missing six or more classes will automatically fail the course.

I am under no obligation to read work turned in after a due date has expired. I may, at my discretion and on an individual basis, make special arrangements regarding late work.

Unless otherwise noted, all work for this class must be original work written specifically for this class. When sources are quoted or paraphrased, they must be documented using the conventions set up by the Modern Language Association (MLA). Failure to adequately document sources is plagiarism; its consequences are outlined in section IV-A of the University Code . Any instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the university’s administration.

Assignments

Writing (50%; 200 points)

• Reading Responses.
Four (4) ~2 page reading responses are due over the course of the term. They have no fixed due dates. However, no more than one may be turned in per week, and you must write at least one response on each of the following: children’s novel, young adult novel, adult novel. Details on the expectations of reading responses can be found on the course web page. (10 points each)
• Novel Series Journal.
You will choose and read a series of novels for children or young adults and keep a reading journal of your experience reading the texts, drawing some conclusions about the books after the reading is completed. By "series" I mean a set of novels by a single author that uses a central collection of characters or other method of continuity. Examples include C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books, Baum’s Oz series, R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps , Rowling’s Harry Potter, Pilkey’s Captain Underpants, Cabot’s Princess Diaries, Snicket’s Unfortunate Events, Pullman’s Golden Compass, and Block’s Weetzie Bat. This is, of course, a mere sampling; a visit to any bookstore can provide hundreds more from which you may choose. Please note that finding and buying these books is your responsibility; they have not been ordered at the campus bookstore. Details on this assignment can be found on the course web page. (80 points)
• Analysis Paper.
This paper will ask you to choose a topic related to the course’s set texts (that is, the ones we all read as a class), and write a paper which critically examines the ways that the topic manifests within those texts. You may address this assignment by writing either a traditional critical essay or a multigenre paper. Details will be provided via a handout as well as on the course web site. (80 points)

Presentations (10%; 40 points)

• You will be assigned a presentation date early in the semester; approximately five presenters will go each week for seven weeks, beginning on week four. You will present to the class a children’s picture book of your own choosing. The five-minute presentation might include information about the author, a brief summary of the book’s plot, an assessment of the book’s audience (to whom would this book appeal?), a brief analysis of the author’s apparent intent, and/or a comment on the writing style; a reading of an excerpt from the book is required. No "reruns" allowed.

Exams (30%; 120 points)

• Two exams will be given: a midterm on October 15, and a cumulative final on December 22. Exams will include objective items (multiple choice, matching, etc.) as well as short answer, identification, and essay items. (60 points each)

Course Schedule (Subject to Change)

Readings are noted by author’s last name; "CP" = Course Packet