Nancy L. Anderson

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon
Copyright: 2010
Format: Paper; 408 pp

ISBN-10:	0137151438
ISBN-13:	9780137151431

Our Price: £32.99
Status: Not Yet Published
Estimated Availability: 28 Mar 2009

Written in a personable tone, this literature methods text is filled with teaching strategies, technology applications, and discussion topics for teachers and parents of children from infancy to age 13.

Organized around genres, this student-friendly text presents the basic children's literature content as well as numerous book annotations. This exceptional textbook not only includes books about minorities in each chapter, but it also features a chapter written by minority literature specialists who provide annotations of quality works by minority authors and illustrators. Uniquely, Elementary Children's Literature offers curriculum tie-ins, discussion topics (current issues), and technology applications, woven throughout the text and featured in literature response boxes within each chapter. Chapters open with attractive book illustrations that are discussed within a chapter devoted to the art in children’s books.

• Includes an exclusive chapter (Ch. 7) devoted to animal fantasy, providing readers with information about the most popular genre for preschool and primary children.
• Features a special chapter (Ch. 14) on teaching reading through literature, preparing readers to apply their knowledge of literature to teaching children to read.
• Incorporates literature response boxes within the text where most relevant throughout each chapter. These can be used as in-class activities or out-of-class assignments.
• Devotes one full chapter (Ch. 4) to early childhood picture books, providing readers with background on the books designed for very young children. Other picture books are well represented in each of the genre chapters.
• Includes information on the Dewey decimal system of classification for library books in Chapter 1 as well as at the beginning of each genre chapter, providing readers with the skill to locate children's books quickly in school libraries.
• Offers a Companion Website that provides direct links for referenced Internet sites, an interactive activity, a self-test, and essay assignments for each chapter at www.ablongman.com/anderson3e.
• Contains a full chapter on the Art of Illustration (Ch. 3) in children’s books with information on the visual elements of artistic design, artistic styles, and artistic media and techniques, giving readers a deeper appreciation of the beauty of art in children’s books.
• Minority Literature Specialists have written the ethnic sections in the Multicultural Literature chapter, which provides readers with an inside view of the culture as well as books written and illustrated by members of the culture.
• Glossary of more than 200 literary terms appears at the end of the book.  It is easy for students to look up unknown words quickly while they are reading, thus enhancing their comprehension.

• End-of-Chapter Summaries recap the most important information in each chapter, enabling readers to check their understanding of key content. 
• A four-page insert of full-color illustrations from real children's books enables readers to better appreciate the art of illustration in children’s books.
• The author shares a list of her favorite books, selected over a 27-year career that included reading 1,000+ children’s books, guiding students in making reading selections.
• Outstanding authors in each genre are featured in boxes that highlight their works, guiding students in finding exemplary books for each genre.

[My] students felt overwhelmingly that this was one of the most readable and well organized textbooks they’ve encountered. They really benefited from the consistent boxes “Responding to Literature”, “Integrating Literature and Technology”, etc. in each chapter. Comments showed that these boxes really gave them “something to think about and helped them generate ideas for how to use books in their classrooms.” Those who responded said that this book would be one they’d keep for future reference. -- Jill Hughes, Casper College

Anderson clearly has extensive experience, and has read sensitively and well.  I’m impressed with the many practical and useable teaching ideas.  These ideas are particularly helpful because Anderson clearly has a broad and varied experience as a teacher, and she makes it clear that the ideas are based on this experience. Elementary Children’s Literature is practical and wise.  It’s clearly and concisely written, presents useful discussions of genres and specific texts in these genres, and suggests a variety of ways to share literature with children. -- Harold Nelson, Minot State University

One strength of this book is its ability to capture the students. I love the tone Anderson has chosen to impart her knowledge. It is written in a reader-friendly fashion. It is less “textbook-like”, less didactic, and feels more like a conversation with the author…In addition, Anderson uses her practical experience to support her facts.  --Traci P. Baxley,  Florida Atlantic University