Children's Literature is defined as material written and produced for the information or

entertainment of children and young adults .

1. Traditional Literature It is a literature that has no known author and stories that have been
handed down orally from one generation to the next , with each storyteller adding slight
variations . These stories often tell of a culture's customs , values and beliefs . They are meant to
entertain .
- Folktale and fairy tale
 are the most popular sub - genres of traditional Literature . They are similar in a way that
both have magical elements and happy endings .
 Folktales are stories from the common folks and sometimes talking animals and usually
happen in a village , cottage and forests .
 Fairy tales on the other hand have characters of nobility and royalty and they occur in
the palaces or kingdoms .
 A myth expresses and confirms society's religious values and norms . It is closely linked
to religion and explains an occurrence of a phenomenon like creation .
 Pure myth talks about gods and goddesses like Zeus of the Greeks , Odin of the Norse ,
Amun Ra of the Egyptian and Bathala of the Filipinos .
 Epics are heroic tales of extraordinary mortals . It generally features humans as their
main characters doing extraordinary deeds to save humanity or protect mankind .
 Legends are stories that talk about origins . A pourquoi story ( " pourquoi " means " why
" in French ) , also known as an origin story , is a fictional narrative that explains why
something is the way it is .
 Fables and parables are paired - up as well because of similarities .
 A parable however is taken from the bible specifically the New Testament . It was used
by Jesus Christ to teach . –
 The fables on the other hand was said to have originated with from the Panchatantra ,
which are stories with moral standards taught to the young princes of India .
 Tall tales are stories that are told as if they were true but contain exaggerated or
unbelievable parts .
 Folk songs are songs sung by common folks . It is used as human expression in order to
describe one's way of life ( Forcucci , 1984 ) . –
 A riddle is a statement or question or phrase having a double or veiled meaning , put
forth as a puzzle to be solved .
 Chants can express devotion , gratitude , peace , compassion and call in light into
someone's life .

2. Poetry
is a type of Literature , or artistic writing that attempts to stir a reader's imagination or
emotions . The poet does this by carefully choosing and arranging language for its meaning ,
sound , and rhythm .

Types of poetry
  Nursery rhymes - Typical children's poetry has its roots firmly planted in Mother Goose
rhymes . *
 limerick - is a five line humorous poem , with the first , second and fifth lines rhyming
and the third and fourth lines rhyming .
 Narrative poems tell stories in verse . Many of them are ancient and originally intended
to be recited to audiences , such as Homer's " The Iliad " and " The Odyssey . "
 Lyric poetry - typically describes the poet's innermost feelings or candid observations
and evokes a musical quality in its sounds and rhythms and uses symbolism rather than
relating a story.
 Haiku - a lyric , unrhymed poem of Japanese origin with seventeen syllables divided into
three lines .
 A cinquain is five - line stanza apparently of medieval origin , often with two , four , six
, eight and two syllables respectively in the five lines .
 Acrostic poems encourage children to think creatively within a structure . An acrostic
poem takes as its structure the letters of a word representing the theme of a poem .
 Concrete poetry is described as having words of a poem arranged to form a pictorial
representation of the poem's subject .
 Free verse - adheres to no predetermined rules , but usually with its intricate patterns of
rhyme and rhythm . It requires the same thoughtful choice of words and rhythmical
patterns as the more rigid stanza forms . *
 A didactic poem - usually preaches . It gives a serious and formal tone . It usually has
four - line stanza with abab , aabb , abba patterns .

3. Fiction
is a deliberately fabricated account of something . It is a literary work based on imagination
rather than on fact , like a novel or short story . - The Latin word fictus means " to form , " which
seems like a good source for the English word fiction , since fiction is formed in the
imagination .
Parts of Fiction
 Adventure fiction is a story that usually presents a danger , or gives the reader a sense of
excitement .
 Action in which the primary feature is the constant slam - bang of fights , chases ,
explosions and clever one - liners . - Action stories typically do not explore complex
relationships between human beings or the subtleties of psychology and philosophy
 Fantasy fiction - is a genre of fiction that concentrates on imaginary elements ( the
fantastic ) . This can mean magic , the supernatural , alternate worlds , superheroes ,
monsters , fairies , magical creatures and mythological heroes .
 A mystery thriller is a genre of Literature , film and television whose primary feature is
that it induces strong feelings of excitement , anxiety , tension , suspense , fear and other
similar emotions in its readers or viewers - in other words , media that thrills the
audience.
 Science fiction , often called " sci - fi , " is a fiction literature genre whose content is
imaginative but based on science .
  Historical fiction presents a story set in the past , often during a time .
 Realistic fiction is a genre consisting of stories that could have occurred to people or
animals in a believable setting . These stories resemble real life and fictional characters
within these stories react similarly to real people .
 Growing - up stories can be classified under realistic fiction yet can also be considered
as a stand - alone . They show us painful challenges and hopeful futures .
 The romance story is another subgenre of fiction . they are meant for young adult .
 Animal stories . They have animals as characters , which can be grouped into three types
; animal as an animal , animal as talking animal and animal as people .

4. Non- fiction
is content that purports in good faith to represent truth and accuracy regarding
information , events , or people . Nonfiction content may be presented either objectively or
subjectively and may sometimes take the form of a story . A nonfiction book is one that tells you
facts and information about the almost any topic , from wild animals to Vikings . world around
you .

Some sub - genres of nonfiction are the following :

 Biography is a literary genre that portrays all the events occurring in a person's life ,
mostly in chronological order .
 Autobiography is one type of biography , which tells a life story of its author , meaning
it is a written record of the author's life .
 A memoir is a written factual account of somebody's life . It comes from the French
word mémoire , which means " memory , " or " reminiscence . "
 An essay is generally a short piece of writing outlining the writer's perspective or story
. - Formal essays are generally academic and tackle serious topics . There are other
kinds of essays . - The personal essay illustrates the writer's opinion on a topic . -A
formal essay is more objective than a narrative or personal essay because it is usually
based on provable facts and examples .
 The documentary genre has radically evolved in recent years. - A documentary is a
broad term to describe a nonfiction movie that in some way " documents " or captures
reality . There are 6 different suggested modes of the documentary : poetic , expository ,
observational , participatory , reflexive and performative .
 How- to - do - it books are self - help books that instruct how to do something . It is
written to teach its readers on solving personal problems . "Concept books are meant for
the very young . They are best as board books for infants and toddlers and are meant to
teach concepts like letters , numbers , colors and shapes .
 Creative nonfiction may also be considered a subtype especially when it is crafted
through digital print .
 Infographics are graphic visual representations of information , data , or knowledge
intended to quickly and present information .
Lesson 1: History of Children's Literature in the WESTERN FRONT

Anglo - Saxon Period Aldhelm ( 640-709 ) , an abbot of Malmesbury and bishop of Shernone was
the first man who wrote lesson books for children . Lesson books were the first books that began in
churches where the monks used to teach children ( Parayno , 1997 ) .

15th Century –
 John Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1458 .
 William Caxton of England published the Boke of Curtayse in about 1477 , which talks
about proper manner and morals .
 16 " Century
The ABC books or primers were used at the hour of prime as a book of private
devotions .
 Hornbooks were not real books but made of a wooden paddle with lessons tacked on and
covered by a piece of transparent horn which is easy to handle or hung around the neck of the
children . The lessons consisted of different combinations of the following things : - the
alphabet , - vowel and consonant combinations , which is found on the top and the Lord's
Prayer , a form of a cross and praise of the Trinity , which is located at the bottom
 Chapbooks were " corruptions of cheapbooks " sold by itinerant peddlers called chapmen .
*The New England Primer or the " The Little Bible of New England " contained pages of the
alphabet , each representing a biblical concept . It is not only popular in New England but
also throughout colonial America and parts of Great Britain .
 Orbis Sensualium or Orbis Pictus ( The World in Pictures ) was the first illustrated
children's books written in 1637 in German and Latin by Johann Amos Comenius , a
Czechoslovakian bishop and educator . He is recognized for introducing several concepts of
modern education .
 In 1686 , Divine Emblems was written by Paul Bunyan , which contained rough but kindly
natural history verses and vigorous morals .
 Charles Perault is a French author who compiled 80 fairy tales of France and published in
1697 in his book entitled Histories on Contes de temps passe or Tales of Mother Goose . He
also translated fairy tales to English
 17 and 18th Century
Battledores succeeded the hornbook in 1746. They were flimsy wooden or cardboard
tablets , sometimes with gilt - edged Dutch paper on one side to teach children to read
alphabets and numerals . It was printed on a double fold of stiff cardboard , with an extra
piece lapping over one edge in the old - pocket - book fashion .
 In 1744 , John Newberry published a book entitled Little Pretty Pocket Books and was
considered as the first child's book for the appreciation and enjoyment of children . He was
known as the father of children's literature .
 Emile was published in 1762 by Jean Jacques Rousseau to express his new ideas on
education . He emphasized freedom for the child to grow and experience life as he finds it .
He advocated that the classical methods of teaching must be ignored .
 History of Sandford and Merton , written by Thomas Day , was published in 1773. This
was one of the first novels written about children and for children .
 In 1812 , Johann David Wyss , a Swiss author , wrote Swiss Family Robinson . Daniel
Defoe's Robinson Crusoe inspired him . He wanted to write a story with important lessons to
teach his children .
 Grimm's Fairytales is a collection of old German stories and was collected by Jacob and
Wilhelm Grimm .
 In 1823 , these stories were translated into English and were called Grimm's Popular Stories.
 Hans Christian Andersen is a Danish author who published Fairy Tales in 1846. He was a
great master of the literary fairy tales
 Edward Lear developed a Book of Nonsense and first published in 1846 under the
pseudonym ' Derry down Derry ' .
 Another best known for nonsense poems was Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards , an
American writer of the late 19th century . Eletelephony was her famous poem .
 Alice in Wonderland was created by an Oxford mathematics professor named Charles
Dodgson , better known as Lewis Carroll in 1865. The book is full of fantasy , light and
happiness . Its sequel was Through the Looking Glass in 1871 .
 Randolph Caldecott was an English artist and illustrator in 19th century and one of the
pioneers of children's book illustrations . He illustrated John Gilpin's Ride ( 1878 ) and
numerous other poems and nursery rhymes for children.
 Little Women was written by Louisa M. Alcott , a famous domestic novelist , in 1868.
 Samuel L. Clemens , known as Mark Twain , wrote Tom Sawyer ( 1876 ) and Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn ( 1884 )
 In 1883 , Treasure Island was written by Robert Louis Stevenson . It became the
quintessential pirate story that captured the adults as well as children to return to it . He also
wrote A Child's Garden of Verse in 1885. The story is about the vision of childhood as seen
through an adult's eyes .
 Frances Hodgson Burnett is a British - American novelist and playwright who wrote Little
Lord Fauntleroy ( 1886 ) .
 American fantasy that was famous in children's literature was written by L. Frank Baum in
1900. It was initially named " The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . Baum stated in his book that "
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written solely to please children today .
 In 1902 , Beatrix Potter was one of fantasy's earliest writer - illustrators who created The
Tale of Peter Rabbit . It is a talking animal tale written for children in simple and direct
language .
 In 1904 , J.M. Barrie wrote Peter Pan , which was originally a play written in a prose story
entitled Peter and Wendy . It is a story about a boy who did not grow up and became popular
because of the imaginative power of its characters .
 In 1908 , Kenneth Grahame wrote one of the most enduring animal fantasies entitled The
Wind and the Willows . It is a story about the adventures of Rat , Mole , Badger and Mr.
Toad .
20th Century
 A.A. Milne or Alan Alexander Milne is an English author who wrote Winnie the Pooh
in 1926. Pooh is a bear who considered the best children's literature protagonist because
he thinks , talks and reasons like a kid . Its sequel is The House at Pooh Corner ( 1928 ) .
 In 1932 , Laura Ingalls Wilder , an American best - known writer who wrote Little
House in the Big Woods , began a series of nine books based on her childhood and young
adult experiences .
 In 1937 , J.R.R. Tolkien , or John Ronald Reuel Tolkien , is an English writer and
scholar who achieved fame with his children's book , The Hobbit in 1937 and his epic
fantasy , The Lord of the Rings in 1954-1955 .
 In the 1950's , C.S. Lewis published The Lion , The Witch and The Wardrobe , the first
of seven fantasy novels of the Narnia chronicles . It is considered a classic piece of
children's literature and a best - selling work . Other book series include Mary Norton's
The Borrowers ( 1952 ) and sequels ; Lucy Boston's The Children of Green Knowe ( 1954
) and sequels ; - Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles ( The Book of Three ) ( 1954 ) and
sequels ; Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle ( beginning with A Wizard of Earthsea in 1967
 In 1951 , Enid Mary Blyton is a British author who wrote over 700 books published in
United Kingdom . She became famous worldwide that her works were translated into
several languages . Her best - known work was The Magic Faraway Tree which was
published in 1943.
 In 1951 , J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye , is a realistic book for adolescents . This
story depicts the trend towards greater realism , harsher language and a willingness to face
the problems of growing up .
 In 1952. Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl , also known as Diary of Anne Frank ,
was published in America . Originally this book was published in 1947 , two years after
Anne's death . The International Board on Books for Young People ( IBBY ) iBbY was
founded by Jella Lepman in Zurich , Switzerland , in 1953.
 In 1968 , Eric Carle wrote and illustrated The Very Hungry Caterpillar , a children's
picture book that features a caterpillar who loves to eat , became a pupa and eventually
turned into a butterfly .
 In 1972 , Francelia Butler founded the journal of Children's Literature . This journal
and the Foundation of Children's Literature Association by Anne Devereaux Jordan of
Western Michigan University , Kalamazoo , were linked in 1973 .
 In 1979 , Leonard Clark published the Tales from the Panchatantra , which are
ancient Indian fables passed into European folklore .
 In 1993 , Lois Lowry , an American writer , won two Newberry medals with her works ,
Number the Stars ( 1990 ) and The Giver ( 1994 ) .
 In 1997 , J.K. Rowling published Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for the U.S.
title , Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone . It is the best - selling quest fantasy series .
 In 2003 , Mo Willems published Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus ! It is a story about
the bus driver who instructed the reader not to allow the pigeon to drive the bus .
 In 2004 , The Tale of Despereaux was written by Kate DiCamilo . It is a story about a
mouse's adventures to rescue the beautiful human princess from the rats . This book was a
Newberry Medal awardee in 2004 .
 In 2008 , Neil Gaiman , an English author , published a young adult fantasy novel
entitled , The Graveyard Book . It is a story of a boy who was adopted and reared by the
graveyard's supernatural occupants after his family was brutally murdered .
21st Century
 In 2010 , The Search for Wondla was published by Toni Diterlizzi . It is a children's
science fiction fantasy novel . It is dedicated to enhancing the reading experience of the
book on a website that include interactive features using a webcam .
 In 2015 , Mariko Tamaki is a Canadian artist who wrote This One Summer . This is a
story of two friends , Rose and Windy . It happened during their summer in a small beach
town in Awago . This story received distinguished awards .
 In 2016 , Matt de la Peña was the first Latino author to win the Newberry Medal . His
work was entitled , Last Stop on Market Street .

Timeline of Children's Book Awards

 1956 - Hans Christian Anderson Prize by the international ; Board for Books for Young
People
 1956 - American Library Association Notables
 1960s - Mildred L. Batchelder Award ; Coretta Scott King Award
 1900 - Orbis Pictus Award by NCTE for nonfiction writing *
 1921- Newberry Awards by American Library Association *
 1971- Newberry Honors
 1937- Caldecott Awards by American Library Association *
 1971- Caldecott Honors
 1977- Excellence in Poetry for Children by National Council of Teachers of English
( NCTE ) lifetime achievement award ( to honor a living American poet for his / her entire
body of work for children ) .