Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2025 - EDUC 465 D100

Children's Literature (4)

Class Number: 5291

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 12:30–4:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

  • Prerequisites:

    60 units.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Historical, sociological and literary perspectives on literature for children.

COURSE DETAILS:

In this upper-division seminar, students apply a range of theoretical perspectives to children’s literature, including early readers, middle-grade novels, picturebooks, and film. This is a participation-heavy course. Students will be required to attend one author/illustrator talk. They will also visit libraries to research children's texts on a weekly basis.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

  • Read and analyze picture books, novels, films, and comics as literature with its own critical tradition
  • Review various types and genres of children’s literature, from picture books to middle-grade novels to non-fiction film to graphic novels to animated shorts.
  • Identify the unique characteristics of children’s literature as cultural artifacts, including its history and development
  • Understand the social and political uses of "childhood" and children's literature 

Grading

  • Engagement 5%
  • Quizzes 20%
  • Something you Should Know Presentation 5%
  • Daily Assignments 35%
  • Last Day Middle Grade Book Class Assessment 10%
  • Prep (library visits, book selection) 20%
  • Child Lit Talk Reflection 5%

NOTES:

The course includes a heavy weekly reading load, weekly academic writing assignments (2-5 pages), small & whole-group discussions, a presentation to the class, and weekly visits to public libraries or book stores to research texts for the course. There will be an in-class quiz the first day. This quiz cannot be made up.

Other texts will be required. Students should be prepared for 1-2 hours a week at a library researching children's books.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Bang, M. (2016). Picture This: How pictures work. Revised and expanded 25th anniversary edition. Chronicle books. 
*Buy or check out before the beginning of class. 
ISBN: 978-1452151991

Lam, T. (2020). The paper boat. Owl Kids.
*Buy or check out from the library before class begins. 
ISBN: 978-1771473637

Gaiman, N. (2002). Coraline. Any edition. 
*Please buy or check out from the library before class begins. 

Richardson, R. and Parnell, P. (2015). And Tango Makes Three. Little Simon. 
*Please buy or check out a copy from the library before class.
ISBN: 978-1481449946

Gorey, E. (1963). The Gashlycrumb Tinies. Simon & Schuster. *originally sold in the Vinegar Works collection. 

Middle-Grade Book of your choosing 
Final day assessment 

Hallet, M. & Karasek, B. (Eds.). (2018). Folk and Fairy Tales. Broadview Press. 

RECOMMENDED READING:

Other texts will be required. Students should be prepared for 1-2 hours a week at a library researching children's books.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.