English 305

English 305: Literature for Children is a six-credit senior course designed to introduce the student to children's literature, its history and development, and its rich variety of forms and techniques. The required reading does not aim to be exhaustive but to acquaint the student with some of the more important and representative forms, authors, and works of children's literature.

The course begins with a look at the historical background to children's literature. It then proceeds through a study of the folktale and its literary descendents, literary fantasy, the realistic novel, period and historical fiction, special interest fiction, non-fiction, poetry and nonsense verse, illustration and the picture book, to a discussion of the classics and contemporary phenomena. Required readings include works from England, the United States, and Canada, as well as a small number of European works in translation.

Because English 305 is a senior course, we expect students to have good reading and writing skills as well as the basic critical tools and knowledge of literary forms and techniques that are acquired in an introductory- level university English course like Athabasca University's English 211 and 212.

Note: Students who do not have the recommended credits in an introductory English literature course may experience significant difficulties with the required essay assignments and examinations.