MONASH UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOKS

Arts Undergraduate Handbook 1996

Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996

ENH2991

Children's literature: a comparative study

Proposed to be offered next in 1997

H Scutter

Synopsis A study of contemporary literature for children by major Australian, American and British writers. The subject explores a range of modes, including humour, fantasy, picture story books, realistic and historical novels. Specific issues examined include the construction of national identity, cultural variations in thematic and formal emphasis, changing notions of childhood and the child figure, and the notion of the implied child/adolescent reader. Students will be encouraged to consider the ideological implications of the adult interests vested in the production of texts for children.

Assessment Seminar presentation and participation: 20% + Short essay (1500 words): 30% + Long essay (2500 words): 50%

Prescribed texts

• Burningham J Come away from the water, Shirley Harper Collins
• Cormier R The chocolate war Collins
• Doherty B Dear nobody Collins
• Heide F P The shrinking of Treehorn Puffin
• Klein R Hating Alison Ashley Puffin
• Mahy M The catalogue of the universe Magnet
• Mark J Handles Puffin
• Park R Playing Beatie Bow Puffin
• Paterson K Bridge to Terabithia Puffin
• Pearce P Tom's midnight garden Puffin
• Rubinstein G Beyond the labyrinth Omnibus
• Sendak M Where the wild things are Harper/Collins
• Wagner J The bunyip of Berkeley's Creek Puffin
• Walsh J P A parcel of patterns Puffin
• Westall R The machine-gunners Puffin
• Wheatley N The blooding Puffin
• White E B Charlotte's web Puffin
• Wilder L I Little house on the prairie Puffin

Recommended texts

• Hunt P Criticism, theory and children's literature Blackwell
• Niall B Australia through the looking glass MUP
• Stephens J Language and ideology in children's fiction Longman