Language in Children’s Fiction-Overview
Kathleen AhrensHong Kong Baptist UniversityClass #1 & 2 – January 17 & 24, 2011
Your Background
Focus of area in children’s literature? Visited Bookstore in past month? Own English picture books? Interest in teaching English?
Picture books – for language teaching For beginning and
intermediate learners – to engage and stimulate interest in learning the language
For advanced learners – to practice oral proficiency and to offer opportunities for discussion
Overview: Children’s Fiction Board Books Toddler Picture Books Early Picture Books Picture Books Easy Readers Chapter Books Mid-grade Novels Young Adult novels
Baby Books/ infant board booksInfant - 2 years
Length varies Little or no text Bright art Nursery rhymes Includes novelty books such as bathtub
books and lift-the-flap Use: Teaching colors, shapes, object
names Example: Freight Train
Toddler Picture Books Under 300 words – 12 pages Read-alouds that can be completed withi
n ten minutes Bright art that tells the story Repetitive language Happy endings
Example: The Very Hungry Catepillar
Early Picture Books Average 24 - 32 pages – 1000 words Art gives details of story Simple story with beginning, middle,
and end Present tense Some repetitive language
Example: Where the Wild Things Are
Picture Books Average 32 pages – up to 1500 words Up to 48 pages and 2000 words for nonfic
tion Sentences ten words or under Simple prefixes and suffixes Possessives and past tense are okay Art supports the text Example: Weslandia
Easy Readers 32 to 48 pages – up to 1500 words As few as 3 – 5 sentences per page Vary sentence length up to ten words. Color illustrations Trade trim size Characters have some trait that makes
them easy to identify Controlled vocabulary
Example: Railroad Toad
Easy Readers
Variety of levels Can be used at any stage, depending
on level Advantages: Inexpensive, well-
controlled vocabulary Disadvantages: smaller size, simpler
illustrations
Chapter Books
First novels Past beginning readers stage Wide vocabulary More complicated sentence structure Ages 5-8 Similar to easy-to-read (short
paragraphs, plenty of white space, pictures)
Chapter Books
Similar to novels: Chapter divisions, more extended time frame
May approach a standard 8-12 (mid-grade) novel in look and feel (but not in length
About 6,000-8,000 words Example: Sarah, Plain and Tall
Mid-grade Books
12,000 – 25,000 words 8-12 years 7-11 years or 9-13 years Read widely and deeply – not too
much homework just yet Bud, Not Buddy – Christopher Paul
Curtis
Young Adult/Teen Books
Teenage protagonist Range of genres: historical,
contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, romance, realism
40,000 – 80,000 words (about 100 pages shorter than an adult novel)
Example: Celine, Brock Cole