1. Children’s Literature Study
Why we read kid’s books to understand humanity

2. Consider the audience
When one writes, knowing your audience is integral. Is it an adult, a teacher, a friend, a child, a boss? Your writing is then formal, informal, complex, simple, etc.
Children’s literature has two audiences. Because young children are still learning to read, the parent is usually the one reading the story. This means that the author can possibly use bigger words or more complex ideas as they assume the reader may expand or explain the content
Also, the adult is buying the book in the first place; therefore, the story must appeal to the adult.
Adults like to buy books that have a “moral” (lesson on right or wrong) so they can teach the child about life
But it has to be colourful and interesting so the child actually wants to read it

3. How to improve your reading skills
Reading Strategies
How to improve your reading skills

4. Reading skills -Visualization
Kids books use illustration to reinforce meaning.
This means that you can easily “visualize” the story whereas adult fiction forces you to make your own pictures. This can be good and bad….
The use of colour, facial expressions, background, objects, etc, all help the reader understand the story
Colour and texture can aid in understanding the mood of the story. Eg. Dark colours mean sadness or anger, light colours are happy and sunny.
The illustrations themselves may enhance or take away from the theme. That is your personal choice.
When you read novels, make a movie in your head. Create your own visuals. A good writer will be able to create that picture using poetic devices and sensory details.

5. Reading Skill- Connection
There are three types: Text to self, text to text, text to the world.
Connecting to a story deepens understanding and certainly increases knowledge (about self or others)
-A child is mocked at school. Have you ever been mocked? - -How does the child handle it? Can you learn a new strategy to handle someone mocking you?
-You have seen a movie or read a book with a similar idea to your new story. How did the characters act? By comparing and contrasting, you gain more understanding.
-Racism in the story- racism in the world. You have a broader understanding of the world OR the story because you have insight into this subject already, based on community and world events

6. Reading Skills- Questioning
When you read… question!!! It is the skill I find the most useful. It forces you to pay attention to details that may otherwise be missed.
Why did the character act that way?
What is the motivation behind those actions?
Why did the author include that random detail? Is it important to the overall theme or plot?
What kind of person would do such a thing?
Can that happen today?

7. Reading Skills- Inference
Inference is an educated guess based on observations and knowledge. Think of it as “reading between the lines”.
When we read a graphic novel or a comic, we need to INFER what has happened between each box based on the words and illustrations
In novel/short story, we make inferences based on the words only which makes it a bit more difficult. We have to make educated guesses based on the characters actions, the author’s intent, and your own knowledge of humanity.
To infer, be aware of the facts (The wolf is flying towards the pigs)
Then ask a question (Why did he use a sling shot to get them?)
Answer with a “maybe”. (Maybe he has been playing Angry Birds)

8. Devices to consider when reading books
See prose terminology for concepts to reinforce:..\Short Stories\Prose-Fiction-Terminology-updated .pdf
Characterization (flat, round, static, dynamic)
Plot profile (intro, rising action, climax, denouement)
Setting
Moral
Theme (theme statements)