Appendix 2: Where to Find the Readings, Explanations of Symbols, and Instructions for Using Reserves

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Catalog Description
Examination and evaluation of both print and nonprint materials for children, birth to age twelve. Emphasis on literary and artistic interpretations of picture books and other visual media, including the World Wide Web.

Course Objectives
Students will acquire a basic knowledge of:

• The structure of the contemporary children's literature field,
• Major contemporary authors and illustrators of children's books and their works,
• Current trends and issues in children's literature,
• Children's reading interests and abilities, and
• Library approaches to children's literature, including evaluation and selection issues.

Course blog: http://jill547fall08.livejournal.com
Course listserv: information at https://email.rutgers.edu/mailman/listinfo/547_fall08, email the list at 547_fall08@email.rutgers.edu
This syllabus itself is also available online at: http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~jratzan/547fall08/fall08syllabus.html

Instructor: Jill S. Ratzan
email: jratzan@scils.rutgers.edu (best contact method)
phone: 732-932-7500 x8463 (use sparingly; this is a voice mailbox, not an actual phone)
website: http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~jratzan
office: SCILS 336
office hours: Mondays 5:00pm-6:00pm, 9:00pm-10:00pm, or by appointment
mailbox located in card catalog drawers on SCILS third floor, opposite Faculty Lounge

Sept. 8
Let the Wild Rumpus Start!
Introduction to the course
Case study: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Sept. 15
Some History and Background
Awards, Organizations, and Selection Sources

1. Read the following picture books. If you've read some or all of these books before, please revisit them. We'll be looking at them in ways that may be new to you.

How a Book is Made by Aliki (HarperCollins, 1986)
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. Clement Hurd (Harper and Row, 1947)
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel* by Virginia Lee Burton (Houghton Mifflin, 1939)
Make Way for Ducklings* by Robert McCloskey (Viking, 1941)

2. Examine the illustrations in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J.M. Barrie, illus. Arthur Rackham (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925). A print copy of this book may be difficult to find, but illustrations can be viewed online here.

In-class activity: Awards, Organizations, and Selection Sources

Sept. 22
Words and Pictures
Please bring a pair of scissors to class, and wear a smock or old clothes.

1. Read Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang (Chronicle, 2000). An older edition of this book, Picture This: Perception and Composition* (Little, Brown, 1991), is also acceptable.

2. Read as many as possible of the following picture books. Each exemplifies an element of art, composition, or design.

color: When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... by Molly Bang (Scholastic, 1999)

tone (shading): Jumanji* by Chris Van Allsburg (Houghton Mifflin, 1981)

shape: Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley (Little, Brown, 1992)

words and pictures together: Officer Buckle and Gloria* by Peggy Rathmann (Penguin Putnam, 1995)

pictures alone: Flotsam by David Wiesner (Houghton Mifflin, 2006)

frames: The Mitten by Jan Brett (Penguin Putnam, 1989)

some illustration media:
watercolor: Owl Moon* by Jane Yolen (Philomel, 1987)
collage: Actual Size by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin, 2004)
pulp paper: In the Tall, Tall Grass* by Denise Fleming (Henry Holt, 1991)
computer-generated: Alphabet Adventure by Audrey Wood, illus. Bruce Wood (Scholastic, 2001)

4. Read Not a Box by Antoinette Portis (HarperCollins, 2006) and answer the following Challenge Question on your blog (we will discuss student blogs on the first day of class). Your response should be approximately 250-500 words long. Please post your response by 9am, Monday September 22.

Challenge Question: What elements of art, composition, book design, and/or word-picture relationships can you identify in this book? (You should be able to identify at least three elements, although more is great!) Please draw on the elements exemplified by other picture books you've read this week, but do not feel limited by them if you feel that other elements are present as well. How does the presence of each element add to (or subtract from) your experience of the picture book as a whole? How do the elements work together (or not) to create an overall experience for you, the reader?

Sept. 29
International Materials and Banned Books
Guest Speaker: Marianne Martens, Doctoral Student, Rutgers SCILS
Celebrate Banned Books Week, September 27 - October 4, 2008!

Read/watch as many as possible of the following book/commentary pairs:

a. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, illus. Henry Cole

"Tale's Theme Too Adult for Kids, Patron Says"** by Keith Reid, The Record (Stockton, CA), May 5, 2007. Please read and/or skim the comments to get an idea of the various points of view presented.

b. It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health by Robie H. Harris, illus. Michael Emberley (Candlewick, 1994)

Video: "Sex Book for Children" by Michael Hitchborn, American Life League, Nov. 2007, YouTube.

c. The Story of Little Black Sambo: The Only Authorized American Edition* by Helen Bannerman (originally published Stokes, 1900, republished HarperCollins, 2003). Several editions of this book are available; please read this one. A print copy of this edition may be hard to find, but an online version can be read here (scroll about halfway down the page).

Sam and the Tigers by Julius Lester, illus. Jerry Pinkney (Dial, 1996)

"Sambo, Babaji, and Sam"** by Barbara Bader, Horn Book Magazine, Sept./Oct. 1996, 72:5, pp. 536-545.

d. My Heart is On the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl, Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880 by Ann Rinaldi (Scholastic, 1999)

"Books to Avoid: My Heart is on the Ground" by various contributors, Oyate.

Oct. 6
Tales from Around the World

1. Read the following two articles:

"Cite the Source: Reducing Cultural Chaos in Picture Books, Part One"** by Betsy Hearne, School Library Journal, July 1993, pp. 22-27.
"Respect the Source: Reducing Cultural Chaos in Picture Books, Part Two"** by Betsy Hearne, School Library Journal, Aug.1993, pp. 33-37.

2. Read Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark retold by Alvin Schwartz, illus. Stephen Gammell (Scholastic, 1981)
A copy of this book is available in the Horace G. Richards Novels Collection, Special Collections, Alexander Library.

3. Read as many as possible of the following picture book folktales:

Bruh Rabbit and the Tar Baby Girl by Virginia Hamilton, illus. James Ransome (Scholastic, 2003)
Coyote Steals the Blanket: An Ute Tale* by Janet Stevens (Holiday House, 1993)
Golem* by David Wisniewski (Clarion, 1996)
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story From China* by Ed Young (Penguin Putnam, 1989)

4. Come to class prepared to discuss your views on one or both of the following statements from Betsy Hearne's articles. You do not need to bring anything in writing - just your thoughts, and notes if you like.

a. "Children's literature has become, to many folklorists' horror, one of the primary tradition-bearers of the twentieth century." - Cite the Source, p. 24

b. "What defines an authority in creating or evaluating [or sharing aloud] picture-book folklore? A well-read expert? Someone raised in the culture represented by the story? Can only members of an ethnic group truly represent the lore of that group?" - Respect the Source, p. 34

Interview a Child assignment due

Oct. 13
Books for Emergent Readers and "Chapter" Books

1. Read Ch. 1, "Why Read Aloud?"** from The Readaloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, 6th ed. (Penguin, 2006).

2. Read as many as possible of the following books for emergent readers:

a. First successes:

More Spaghetti, I Say! by Rita Golden Gelman, illus. Mort Gerberg (Scholastic, 1993)
Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire (Random House, 1960)
Hop On Pop by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1963)

b. Another step:

Why Do Snakes Hiss?: And Other Questions About Snakes, Lizards, and Turtles by Joan Holub, illus. Anna DiVito (Dial, 2004)
Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways by Laura Mcgee Kvasnosky (Candelwick, 2006)
Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel (HarperCollins, 1970)

3. Read one or more of the following beginning chapter books:

The Stories That Julian Tells+ by Ann Cameron, illus. Ann Strugnell (Pantheon, 1981)
Vacation Under the Volcano+ by Mary Pope Osborne, illus. Sal Murdocca (Magic Tree House series) (Random House, 1998)
Junie B. Jones and That Meanie Jim's Birthday+ by Barbara Park, illus. Denise Brunkus (Junie B. Jones series) (Random House, 1996)
While you may choose to read another book in the Junie B. Jones series in lieu of this one, please do not choose any of the Junie B.: First Grader books.

4. Optional: Read "You Are Not the Boss of My Words: Junie B. Jones, Language, and Lingustics"** by Jill S. Ratzan, Children and Libraries 3:3, Winter 2005, pp. 31-38.

5. Answer the following Challenge Question on your blog. Your response should be approximately 250-500 words long. Please post your response by 9am, Monday October 13.

Challenge Question: Think about the books you read in parts 2a and b above. Based on these, and any other knowledge you may bring to the discussion, make a list of attributes that you feel characterize an excellent book for emergent readers. Your list should include at least five attributes. We will use everyone's lists to assemble a master list in class.

Oct. 20
School, Family, and Friends
Vandegrift Literary Criticism Model

1. Read All But Alice* by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Atheneum, 1992)

2. Read one or more of the following books:

Rules by Cynthia Lord (Scholastic, 2006)
Becoming Naomi León by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Scholastic, 2004)
Frindle by Andrew Clements, illus. Brian Selznick (Simon & Schuster, 1996)
Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything+ by Lenore Look, illus. Anne Wildorf (Atheneum, 2006)

In-class activity: Vandergrift Literary Criticism Model

Oct. 27
Glimpsing of Otherworlds
(-J.R.R. Tolkien, "On Fairy-Stories")

1. Read pages xv-xxvii from "Introduction"** from Fantasy Literature for Children and Young Adults: A Comprehensive Guide by Ruth Nadelman Lynn, 5th ed. (Libraries Unlimited, 2005).

2. Read The Giver* by Lois Lowry (Houghton Mifflin, 1993).

3. Read one or more of the following books:

The Dark is Rising* by Susan Cooper (Atheneum, 1973)
Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce (Atheneum, 1983)
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex (Hyperion, 2007)
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Hyperion, 2005)

Nov. 3
Poetry
Booktalking

1. Read Ch. 1, "Why Make Poetry a Priority?"** from Poetry Aloud Here!: Sharing Poetry with Children in the Library by Sylvia M. Vardell (ALA Editions, 2006)

2. Read (at least part of) as many as possible of the following poetry books and excerpts:

A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems ed. Paul B. Janeczko, illus. Chris Raschka (Candlewick, 2001)
A Maze Me: Poems for Girls by Naomi Shihab Nye, illus. Terre Maher (Greenwillow, 2005)
Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson (Penguin Putnam, 2003)
The New Kid on the Block*,** by Jack Prelutsky, illus. James Stevenson (Greenwillow, 2004).
A selection of poems can be found on electronic reserve (listed under "Selections - The New Kid on the Block"), and the book itself can be found at the Graduate Reserve Desk. Please read Prelutsky's poems aloud - either to yourself or to someone else!

In-class activity: Booktalking

Nov. 10
Nonfiction

1. Read "Originality in Nonfiction"** by Marc Aronson, School Library Journal, Jan. 2006, pp. 42-43.

2. Read books as chosen for nonfiction assignment - see details below.

Nonfiction assignment due

Nov. 17
In lieu of class tonight, we will be attending a talk by Carlie Webber of BCCLS, who will be speaking about book reviewing and blogging. Class will begin with Carlie's talk at 7pm, and will meet in the Faculty Lounge.

Nov. 24
Testing Boundaries, Challenging Limits
Today's class, our last one that focuses on books, will echo our introductory discussion in what will hopefully be interesting ways.

1. Read as many as possible of the following books (try to choose one from group a and one from either group b or c):

a. Picture books with unusual content, treatment, or form:

Uncle Bobby's Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen (Putnam, 2008)
Black and White* by David Macaulay (Houghton Mifflin, 1990)
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka, illus. Lane Smith (Viking, 1992)
The Three Pigs* by David Wiesner (Clarion, 2001)

b. Fiction with unusual content and form:

The Ersatz Elevator+ by Lemony Snicket (A Series of Unfortunate Events) (HarperCollins, 2001)
The audiobook version of the Snicket book is especially recommended. Also, while you may choose to read another book in the Series of Unfortunate Events in lieu of this one, please do not choose either the first book (The Bad Beginning) or the last book (The End).

c. Who knows?: Books that are difficult to categorize

The Adventures of Captain Underpants+ (Captain Underpants series) by Dav Pilkey (Scholastic, 1997)
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Scholastic, 2007)
Hugo Cabret is not as long as it looks - it can be read in one sitting!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (Amulet, 2007)

Dec. 1
Other Materials: Magazines, Graphic Novels, Online Resources, Music, and DVDs

1. Read "Miles of Magazines"** by Susan Patron, School Library Journal, March 2004, pp. 52-57.

2. Browse through recent issues of the following magazines, and/or any other children's magazines that you can find:

American Girl, Ask*, Babybug*, Cricket*, Click*, Dig*, Highlights*, Muse*, Nintendo Power, New Moon, Shonen Jump, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Stone Soup, Ranger Rick*

3. Read one or more of the following graphic novels:

Babymouse: Queen of the World!+ by Jennifer Holm, illus. Matthew Holm (Babymouse series) (Random House, 2005)
To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel, illus. Mark Siegel (Atheneum, 2006)
Bone: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books, 1996)

4. Investigate ALSC's Great Web Sites for Kids site. Come to class prepared to discuss your thoughts on their Selection Criteria - do you agree or disagree with how ALSC defines a "great web site"? You do not need to bring anything in writing - just your thoughts, and notes if you like.

5. Listen to a children's music sampler CD, to be distributed in class. Artists will include Putumayo Kids, They Might Be Giants, Mr. Ray, and others.

In-class activity: DVDs for Children
We will be watching parts of the following DVDs:
Baby Einstein: World Animals (Baby Einstein series), created by Julie Aigner-Clark, 2002
My Neighbor Totoro, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, 1988
High School Musical, directed by Kenny Ortega, 2006

Dec. 8
Final Presentations

Dec. 15
Final Presentations and Celebration of Fall Graduates

Readings, activities, and schedules may be updated or modified as the semester progresses.

Class Participation
My aim is to build this class into a scholarly and professional community in which we can all learn, both from the course material and from each other. To this end, you are invited to support, modify, or challenge the ideas expressed in our readings and in class discussions, and to agree or disagree with the points of view presented. Respect for all ideas, and for the people presenting them, is expected. Please help your fellow students feel comfortable asking questions, expressing diverse viewpoints, and exploring new ideas.

To quote children's literature scholar Perry Nodelman, children's literature is not a spectator sport. Participation in class discussions, while not an explicit part of your grade, will help enrich the class experience for both yourself and your classmates.

Citations, Spelling, and Grammar
The concepts of copyright and fair use may be evolving in the age of participatory media. For this class, traditional rules of academic integrity apply: if you use other peoples' words or ideas, be sure to credit your sources. (Any citation format is acceptable.) The Rutgers University policy on academic integrity is available here.

As information professionals, and especially as current and future role models for young people, please pay particular attention to language mechanics in your work. A casual style is perfectly acceptable, and there is no need to concern yourself with prescriptive grammatical "rules" (splitting infinitives, etc). However, error-free writing demonstrates that you care enough about your work to take the time to proofread. Also, library catalogs can be unforgiving, so getting into the habit of spelling author names and titles correctly is a good idea.

If you're unsure of correct usage, your local public library as well as the Rutgers Libraries have many resources you can consult. A number of online resources can be found here.

Course Blogs
Throughout the semester, I will be posting news, announcements, and other items of interest on our course's LiveJournal blog, http://jill547fall08.livejournal.com. Please visit this blog at least twice a week (or set a feed to it via an RSS reader, to be discussed) to keep up with information as it appears. In addition, each student will set up their own blog on LiveJournal. Blogs will be used to post answers to assignments (Challenge Questions and Interview a Child), and as a forum in which to post links to additional resources, continue conversations from class, and expand on areas of particular interest. You are highly encouraged - although not required - to set your classmates as LiveJournal "friends," and to read and comment on each others' blog posts. We will discuss the details of this in class.

Assignments and Grading
The primary purpose of taking this course should be to learn. Grades are an obligatory part of the university system, but should not be the main focus of your attention.

Your grade in this course will be based on the following assignments:

• Two Challenge Questions - due Sept. 22 and Oct. 13, 15% each (30% total)
• Interview a Child assignment - due Oct. 6, 20%
• Nonfiction assignment - due Nov. 10, 20%
• Final Project - due Dec. 8 or 15, 30%

Challenge Questions (due Sept. 22 and Oct. 13):
The purposes of the two Challenge Questions are to challenge you to synthesize and apply what you read, to allow you reflect on a topic prior to class discussion, and to create a space for your initial thoughts to grow. Responses will not be graded except for participation, although I will comment on every response. Responses are due by 9am on the date specified, to allow me time to incorporate them into notes for class discussion.

Interview a Child assignment (due Oct. 6):
The purpose of this assignment is to allow children's voices to speak for themselves on the topic of materials for children. For this assignment, please interview a child (of any age up to and including twelve) about their reading, viewing, listening, and other habits and preferences.

You must acquire permission from the child's parent or caregiver before interviewing them. Depending on the age of the child and the circumstances of your interview, it may be appropriate for the child's parent or caregiver to help answer the interview questions. In addition, it is considered good research practice to allow the child and/or caregiver to look over your writeup (see more on this below) to make sure you have accurately represented their words.

In the past, students have asked whether they should interview an acquaintance, or whether they should choose a child who they know well. On one hand, an acquaintance might be inclined to give truer answers, since he or she is less likely to be embarrassed by their choices; on the other hand, a child you know well may have a better rapport with you, and therefore be likely to provide longer answers. The choice is therefore up to you.

If you have trouble finding a child to interview, please let me know and I will help match you with someone.

Choose at least five of the questions below to ask your child. (Because the age range for this assignment is so broad, feel free to rephrase the questions as needed.) You may, of course, add any additional questions of interest as well.

1. Do you have any favorite books, authors, series, or characters? What are they, and what do you like about them?
2. Is there a particular type (or types) of book that you like to read (such as scary books, funny books, drawing books, books about dinosaurs, etc)?
3. What's the WORST book you've read - either for school or on your own?
4. Do you like to read any magazines? If so, which ones?
5. Do you have a favorite song, rhyme, or musical artist/group? What kind of music do you like to listen to (or participate in)?
6. Do you have any favorite television programs, movies, or DVDs?
7. Do you like to play video games, either on a computer or a video game system (Wii, XBox, etc)? If so, which games, and systems, do you like?
8. What are your favorite websites? [for children who use the Internet; otherwise, consider rephrasing the question to ask about child-related sites visited by parents or caregivers]
9. Approximately how often do you visit a public library? your school library?
10. What types of materials - besides books, magazines, CDs, and DVDs - would your ideal children's library include?

Finally, be prepared to give a short (approximately 5 minutes) informal report to the class about the results of your interview.

Nonfiction Assignment (due Nov. 10):
The purpose of this project is to help you gain knowledge of one area of children's nonfiction, and familiarity with children's nonfiction in general.

Each student will be assigned a Dewey class (000-999, plus biography). A general description of each Dewey class will be provided. For this assignment, please choose one book for children which you feel best exemplifies your assigned class. (Alternately, you may choose a book that you feel is the worst example you can find.) Your chosen book may be targeted to any age group from birth to age twelve.

Please do not choose a book that already appears on our syllabus - be sure to look ahead to avoid overlap! In addition, if you work in the 300's please do not choose folktale books, and if you work in the 800's please do not choose poetry, since these topics are covered elsewhere in the course.

Bring a copy of your chosen book to class, and be prepared to explain briefly (in approximately 5 minutes) why you feel that your book is an excellent (or terrible) example of children's nonfiction. This is not a formal booktalk; you are not "selling" this book to potential readers, but are sharing your thoughts about it with your colleagues.

Like the Books for Emergent Readers Challenge Question, we will use everyone's input to assemble a master list of what qualities constitute excellence in this area.

In the past, students have often found choosing just one book to be difficult. If more than one book in your Dewey class catches your eye, feel free to bring multiple choices to class; however, time will most likely only permit talking about one.

The best way to find books for this assignment is to use the collection of a school or public library. In addition, you may wish to consult review journals, ALA award lists, databases, and other resources (see Appendix 1).

Final Project (due Dec. 8 or 15):
The purpose of this project is to practice selecting children's materials, justifying your selections, and connecting these materials with interested readers.

First, choose a topic or type of material that you would like to focus on. You may choose any topic, genre, or format that you feel child readers of any age (from birth to age twelve) would be interested in. Some ideas include materials in a genre of interest (mysteries, historical fiction, animal stories), materials that have special appeal to a particular group (boys, reluctant readers, readers of a particular ethnic or religious background), materials that meet curricular needs in some area, and materials created by a particular author or illustrator. This project is also a great opportunity to focus on non-book materials for children - past projects have looked at topics ranging from musical theater to gaming.

Second, choose five materials on this topic that you feel children (and/or their caregivers) would especially like to know about. These materials may include any combination of fiction books, nonfiction books, picture books, graphic novels, and nonbook materials (magazines, websites, DVDs, etc). Please do not include any materials already on our syllabus, any materials discussed in the Nonfiction assignment, or more than two materials by any author/illustrator or in any series (except if you choose to focus on the work of a particular creator or team). See Appendix 1 for some possible sources to use in choosing materials.

A thorough understanding of your materials may help make you a more accurate and more convincing booktalker, and a better matchmaker between materials and readers. To this end, please make sure that you have read, viewed, etc the entire content of every material that you choose.

Next, do some research about your topic. What makes it important, or worthy of librarians' attention? Look in the LIS and related scholarly and professional literature for academic studies, best practices pieces, and other articles, statistics, anecdotes, and data which you feel support the inclusion of your materials in a school or public library collection. (Appendix 1 contains a list of relevant databases and catalogs, and we will talk in class about how to access and use these resources.)

Either working independently or in a group of up to three students, prepare the following three items to share with the class:

1. A list of your materials, arranged to be friendly to your target audience. (For example, if your books are likely to appeal to 10 year old boys, create a booklist that a 10 year old boy might pick up.) Include the title, author, publication/creation date, and a brief annotation for each of your materials. Be creative! Consider using graphics, eye-catching layouts, and other features that will draw attention to your list. Please bring enough copies to share with the class.
2. A one-page summary of the research you found, including citations to at least three scholarly or professional sources. Unlike your booklist and booktalk, please address this summary to your colleagues and/or potential supervisors. Like any research project, your task here is both to present the information you found and to interpret, analyze, and combine it into a coherent whole. Your summary should include the equivalent of one full page of double-spaced text as well as a bibliography (any citation style is acceptable). Again, please bring enough copies to share with the class.
3. A booktalk of your materials. Unlike the Nonfiction assignment, your target audience for this booktalk should be child readers themselves; pretend you are speaking to an audience made up of children (and their caregivers, as appropriate), rather than your colleagues. Your presentation should be 15-20 minutes long, must mention all five of your materials, and must include two presentation strategies besides just talking. Some ideas for presentation strategies include props, costumes, music, flannelboards, puppets, videos, slides, themed snacks, items to hand out (homemade only please), audience participation, or alternative formats such a newscast or game show...use your imagination!

You are highly encouraged to rehearse your booktalk ahead of time, especially if you plan to work in a group, since 15-20 minutes may go by faster than you think.

Some possible sources for finding children's materials include:

• School Library Journal and other review journals
• A to Zoo, Books in Print database, and other selection resources
• listservs, blogs, and social networking sites, to be discussed in class
  You may monitor listservs or search their archives, but it is considered poor etiquette to ask them for help with school assignments.
• ALA awards and lists (Caldecott, Notables, etc)

Some possible sources for researching issues related to children's materials (for Final Project) include:

• Main Rutgers Libraries catalog: IRIS (Integrated Rutgers Information System)
• Academic Search Premier database
• Library Literature and Information Science database
• ERIC: Educational Resources Information Center database

Some sources of ideas for booktalking (for Final Project) include:

• Blass, Rosanne J. (2002). Booktalks, Bookwalks, and Read-Alouds: Promoting the Best New Children's Literature Across the Elementary Curriculum.* Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited/Teacher Ideas Press.
• Paone, Kimberly. (2004). "Talking up the Books!"** Knowledge Quest, Sept./Oct., 33:1, pp. 22-23.

Readings are listed under the week that they are due.

Your local public or school library is an excellent source for finding copies of our children's texts. An exception is Picture This by Molly Bang, which is hard to find in public libraries; you may wish to purchase a copy. As of this writing, several copies of Picture This: Perception and Composition (the older but equivalent edition) were available on Amazon.com for under $5.

Copies of all children's books, magazines, and other materials will be available in my office, SCILS room 336. If you cannot find a copy of a book or other material, you are invited to borrow one of my office copies.

A note on audiobooks: Several of our juvenile fiction selections are available as books on tape or CD, and you are encouraged to explore these. Listening to a book can be a particularly good option if you have a long commute or tend to learn best aurally. If you listen to any our selections on audiobook, think about what qualities you think make up an excellent audiobook recording. How much do/does the reader(s) impact your understanding of the story? Do you find that listening and reading are similar, or different, sorts of experiences? What technical features do you think characterize a good audiobook?

Explanations of Symbols, and Instructions for Using Reserves

Readings marked with a + are materials in series.
If you cannot find the particular title listed, you may substitute another material in that series instead (with exceptions as noted).

Readings marked with a * are on reserve at the Alexander Library Graduate Reserve Desk (third floor of Alexander Library).
These materials may be borrowed for in-library use with your Rutgers ID card. Materials circulate for four-hour periods.

Readings marked with a ** are available through Rutgers Libraries Electronic Reserve.

To access electronic reserve materials:

1. Visit the Rutgers University Libraries website.
2. If you are not on campus, click on the words "Not logged in" on the top left of the page. This will take you to a screen where you can log in to the library system, using your Rutgers NetID and password. If you are using a computer on the campus network, you are automatically logged in.
3. Once you are logged in, click on "Find Reserves" in the grey bar on the left of the Rutgers Libraries page, then on "Connect to: Reserves," then enter either instructor name with last name first (Ratzan, Jill), course number (17:610:547), or course name (Materials for Children). You will be taken to a menu where you can select the correct course from a list of choices.
4. Within the course reading list, articles and book chapters are arranged in alphabetical order by title. Please note: The list for this course is several screens long, so if you do not see the article you want, click on "Next" at the bottom of the page to view the next screen. When you have found your target article, and click on the button to its left that says "Details."
5. A record for this article will come up; click on the provided hyperlink to access the article.






Materials for Children Fall 2008 syllabus by Jill S. Ratzan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License.