Sarah Alazzary

ENG 246
Dr. Kim
Childrens Booklist Library Assignment
Name of Genre: Traditional Literature
Definition: According to Norton, Traditional tales have been handed down from
generation to generation by word of mouth. In contrast to modern stories, traditional tales
do not have an identifiable author. (Norton 205) There are four types of traditional
stories folktales, fables, myths and legends. Folktales are deemed fictional, because they
are can be perceived as happening or not happening, and also they are not taken seriously.
Folktales usually tell the adventures of animal or human characters. They contain
common narrative motifssuch as supernatural adversaries (ogres, witches, and giants),
supernatural helpers, magic and marvels, tasks, and quests and common themessuch as
reward of good and punishment of evil. (Norton 205) Examples of traditional stories are
Cinderella, Rapunzel and Beowulf, these stories are extremely old but there have been
multiple variations of it varying from culture to culture. Now Folktales could be broken
further into subcategories, such as Cumulative Tales, Humorous tales, Beast Tales, Magic
and Wonder Tales, Pourquoi Tales, and Realistic Tales. The first subcategory is
Cumulative Tales are tales that sequentially repeat actions, characters or speeches until a
climax is reached, and they can be found in all cultures. The main character most
cumulative tales whether animal, vegetable, human or inanimate objectshave
intelligence and reasoning abilities. (Norton 205 - 207) These types of tales are often
told to children because they allow the children to interact with the story and easiest for
learning the repetitive lines and sayings. The second subcategory is a humorous tale,
which is a type of folktale that is relatively funny and has the audience laughing
alongside the characters. The third subcategory would be Beast Tales that are Among
the most universal folktales, being found in all cultures. (Norton 207) The fourth
subcategory would be Magic and Wonder Tales, which is a tale that generally instills an
element of magic within the story. For example a common tale that would fall into this
category would be Cinderella. The fifth subcategory would be Pourquoi Tales which
according to Norton, Why Tales, which in the English translation of the French word,
means answers a question or explains how animals, plants or humans were created and
why the have certain characteristics. (Norton 207) The last subcategory would be
Realistic Tales, which are tales with a realistic plot in which it could have real people,
and real occurrences happening. The second type of traditional literature is Fables.
According to Norton, Fables are brief tales in which animal characters that talk and act
like humans teach a moral lesson or satirize human conduct. (Norton 208)The third type
of traditional literature is Myths, and as stated by Bascom (1965), Myths are prose
narratives which, in the society in which they are told are considered to be truthful
accounts of what happened in the remote past. They are accepted on faith; they are taught
to be believes and they can be cited as authority in answer to ignorance, doubt or
disbelief. Myths are the embodiment of dogma; they are usually sacred; and they are

often associated with theology and ritual. (P.4) (Norton 208) The fourth and final type of
traditional literature is Legends and as stated by Bascom, Legends are prose narratives
which like myths are regarded as true by the narrator and his audience, but they are set in
a period considered less remote, when the world was much as it is today. Legends are
more often secular than sacred, and their principal characters are human. (P.4) (Norton
208)
Sarah Gibbs, Rapunzel is chosen because it is like the story Cinderella, a folktale and a
magic and wonder tale. The story has been rewritten numerous amounts of time, yet the
moral of the story remains the same. Rapunzel instills the same concept in all adaptations,
that good will overcome evil. The strongest element in the tale is magic.
Younger (Grades K-3)
1. The Lion and the Mouse. Jerry Pinkey. Same. Little, Brown Books. 2009 (Pre
Kindergarten)
2. Three Little Kittens. Paul Galdone. Same. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: 2009
(Kindergarten)
3. The Boy Who Cries Wolf. B.G. Hennessy. Boris Kolikov. Simon and Schuster.
2006. (First Grade)
4. The Ugly Duckling. Hans Christian Andersen. Jerry Pinkney. Morrow Junior
Books. 1999. (Second Grade)
5. Rapunzel. Sarah Gibb. Same. Albert Whitman. 2010. Publishers Weekly 2011.
(Third Grade)
Older (Grades 4-8)
1. Paul Bunyan and Other Tall Tales. Jane B. Mason. Same. Scholastic. 2002.
(Moderate Difficulty for 4th and 5th Grade)
2. The Frog Princess. E.D. Bakes. Bloomsbury Publishing. 2002. (Advanced 4th and
5th Grade)
3. Beowulf. Nicky Raven. John Howe. Candlewick Press. 2007. (Moderate
Difficulty for 6th and 7th Grade)
4. The Hero Perseus: A Mad Myth Mystery. Robyn Ditocco & Tony Ditocco.
Brainstorm Publication, Inc. 2002. (Advanced for 6th and 7th Grade)
5. A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens. Prestwick House Inc. 2005. (8th Grade)
Name of Genre: Fantasy
Definition: In the book, Norton states that, Authors create modern fantasy by altering
one or more characteristics of everyday reality. They may create entirely new worlds, or
they may give their characters extraordinary experiences in the real world. (Norton 262)
When writing modern fantasy, authors according to Norton, Use basic literary elements
to create stories that are interesting, engrossing and believable. (Norton 263) The criteria
to look for when attempting to evaluate a modern fantasy story are, the suspending belief
in the plot, suspending disbelief in characterization, creating a world in the setting, the
universality of the theme, and suspending disbelief in point of view. In order for a story
to be believed, even in the sense of modern fantasy, the story author needs to suspend
disbeliefs and have the reader accept that the story could have happened. The difference

between modern literary folktale and traditional folktale as stated by Norton are,
Modern fantasy stories are direct descendants of the folktales, fables, myths, and
legends of the oral tradition. Tales about talking animals, wise and foolish humans,
supernatural beings, heroic adventures, and magical realms are as popular with children
and adults today as they were hundreds of years ago. (Norton 266) In a sense modern
fantasy is based of traditional folktale that once was told orally. Modern fantasy is a
valuable form of literature. It helps children to expand their curiosity, become observers
of life, learn to be sensitive to rules and variations within the rules, and open their minds
to new possibilities. (263) The bridges between traditional fantasy and modern fantasy
are evident in many contemporary tales of wonder, but they are especially strong in
literary folktales, allegories and tales about mythical quests and conflicts. (Norton 266)
JK Rowlings, Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone is a great modern fantasy book for
children because it has realistic and relatable traits with a sense of fantasy. Harry losing
his parents, as a kid is something many kids could relate too and understand the pain and
longing Harry has. The magical elements open the childs mind to so many different
possibilities, which can result in their creativity widening.
Younger (Grades K- 3)
1. Miss Maples Seeds. Eliza Wheeler. Same. Penguin Young Readers Group. 2013.
(Pre- Kindergarten)
2. Journey. Aaron Becker. Same. Candlewick Press. 2013. Caldecott Medal.
(Kindergarten)
3. A Tiny Family. Norman Bridwall. Same. Scholastic Inc. 2003 (First Grade)
4. The Monster in the Backpack. Lisa Moser. Noah Z Jones. Candlewick. 2006.
(Second Grade)
5. The Magic Thief. Sarah Prineas. Antonio Javier Caparo. Harper Collins. 2008.
(Third Grade)
Older (Grades 4-8)
1. Bridge to Terabithia. Katherine Paterson. Harper Collins. 2008. (Moderate
Difficulty for 4th and 5th Grade)
2. Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone. J.K Rowling. Scholastic. 1998.
(Advanced for 4th and 5th Grade)
3. The Giver. Lois Lowry. Houghton Mifflin. 1993. John Newbery Medal.
(Moderate Difficulty for 6th and 7th Grade)
4. The Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins. Scholastic Press. 2010. (Advanced for 6th
and 7th Grade.)
5. The Scorch Trials. James Dashner. Delacorte Press. 2011. (Eighth Grade)
Name of Genre: Realistic Fiction
Definition: "The term contemporary realistic fiction implies that everything in a realistic
storyincluding plot, characters, and setting is consistent with the lives of real people
in our contemporary world." (Norton 356) Even though its called realistic fiction, it does
not mean it's a real story, rather it means it could have happened in reality. The
differences between modern fantasy and contemporary realistic fiction is, that modern

fantasy tries to make their stories as realistic as possible but in the sense that the
characters, plots, and setting are believable. Modern fantasy stories begin by introducing
a familiar reality before then introducing elements of fantasy. "Contemporary realistic
fiction on the other hand requires that plots deal with familiar, everyday problems,
pleasures, and personal relationships and that characters and settings seem as real as the
contemporary world we know." (Norton 356) Plot, Characters and Settings also differ
widely between the two divisions of fiction. Characters in Modern fantasy can be
anything from real people who have imaginary experiences, personified toys, and
supernatural beings whereas Realistic Fiction's characters are characters that act like real
people and animals always act like animals. Plot in modern fantasy can be anything from
conflict against supernatural powers to problems being solved through magical powers
but Realistic Fiction has to deal with problems such as growing up, survival, and family
issues. Lastly, Modern Fantasy's settings can be present, past, or future, imaginary world,
and may travel through time and space. Realistic Fiction's settings must be placed in the
contemporary world is as we know it. Both subcategories of fiction are appealing to
young readers in different ways. For example, as a child I was very imaginative and loved
to think of time traveling, and supernatural creatures so I tended to read a lot of modern
fantasy books, such as the Harry Potter series but as I got older I wanted to read more
relatable issues, such as going to high school, and losing a friend which made me turn
toward contemporary realistic fiction which dealt with such things. To know if a
contemporary realistic fiction book is well written, it means that the kids reading the
story could relate and the plot and characters are relatable. It is one of the reasons I
shifted to Contemporary Fiction when I got older, the characters were so relatable it felt
as if they were going through the same issues I was. Animal Realism is when the animal
is portrayed without personification, and the conflict is usually animal vs. Nature.
"According to Norton, when evaluating realistic animal stones for children, consider the
following questions. Does the author portray animals objectively, without giving them
human thoughts or motives? Does the behavior of the animal characters agree with the
information provided by knowledgeable observers of animals and authority on animal
behavior? Does the story encourage children to respond to the needs of animals of the
need of people to love animals without being too sentimental or melodramatic?" (Norton
386) The difference use of animals in modern fantasy and contemporary fiction is that in
modern fantasy animals could talk, think and act like humans, have magical powers but
in contemporary fiction the animals have a strong senses of reality and sometimes
tragedy.
Beverly Clearys, Dear Mr. Henshaw is such an amazing realistic fiction novel. It has
many elements, such as the characters being so realistic to the point that you as a reader
could imagine yourself as the little boy dealing with his parents divorce. The behavior of
his parents was very normal and could be possible in a real world. There were no fantasy
elements or elements that seemed impossible to occur in real life.
Younger (Grades K- 3)
1. A Chair for My Mother. Vera B. Williams. Same. Harper Collins. 2007. (Pre
Kindergarten)

2. * The Chinese Violin. Madeline Thein. Joe Chang. Whitecap Books. 2001.
(Kindergarten)
3. A Letter to Amy. Ezra Jack Keats. Same. Harper & Row. 1968. (First Grade)
4. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Beatrix Potter. Same. Warne. 1902. (Second Grade)
5. Diary of A Wimpy Kid. Jeff Kinney. Same. Amulet Books. 2007. (Third Grade)
Older (Grades 4-8)
1. * Dear Mr. Henshaw. Beverly Cleary. Paul. O. Zelinsky. William Morrow &
Company. 1983. John Newbery Medal. Dorothy Canfield Fisher Childrens.
(Moderate Difficulty for 4th and 5th Grade)
2. Dream of a Night. Heather Henson. Atheneum Books. 2010. (Advanced for 4th
and 5th Grade)
3. Holes. Louis Sachar. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 1998. (Moderate Difficulty for 6th
and 7th Grade)
4. The Outsiders. S.E. Hinton. Viking Press, Dell Publishing. 1967. (Advanced for
6th and 7th Grade)
5. Thirteen Reasons Why. Jay Asher. Penguin Young Readers Group. 2011. (Eighth
Grade)
Name of Genre: Poetry
Definition: According to Norton, Poetry is not easily defined, nor is it easily measured
or classified. (Norton 311) Although there are many definitions, they are not particularly
defining poetry, but rather the characteristics or elements. In the book it is stated
perfectly, Overall, the various definitions of poetry highlight the importance of an
original combination of words, distinctive sound and emotional impact. Visual elements
are also significant in poetry. Some poems are like paintings. (Norton 313) Poetry can be
perceived in multiple ways, differently to multiple people. The elements of a poem play a
crucial part, Rhythm, Sound patterns, repetition, imagery, and shape. Poetry could be
defined very widely; there are kinds of poetry. For example, there are eight different
forms of poetry; Lyric, Narrative, Ballads, Limericks, Concrete, Haiku, Sijo and
Nonsense and Humor. Lyric poetry is the earliest and well known form, and according to
Northrop Fry, Sheridan Baker, and George Perkins, A lyric poem is a brief and
discontinuous, emphasizing sound and picture imagery rather than narrative or dramatic
movement. (Norton 318) An element of Lyric poetry is that they accentuate musical,
illustrative, and emotional qualities. In the book, Norton indicated that, The musical
roots of lyric poetry are indicated by the fact that the words of songs are now termed
lyrics. (Norton 319) Lyric poetry in my opinion would be the most enjoyable for
children because a good amount of children grow up having these poems sung to them,
such as Hush Little Baby, and Mother Goose Rhymes. Narrative Poetry is a poem that
tells a story. Narrative poems are quick action filled and usually chronically ordered.
Ballads are defined by Norton, As A form of narrative folk song or verse popular in
Europe during the middle ages. (Norton 321) Limericks are defined as short witty
poems. According to Norton, Limericks have a five basic structure, They are five line
poems in which the first, second and fifth line rhyme and have three pronounced beats

each and the third and fourth lines rhyme and have two pronounced beats each. (Norton
322) I remember limericks were very fun to write as children, my teachers would always
encourage us to be as creative as possible when writing limericks. Limericks are
humorous and entertaining for children because of the rhyming and rhythm of them.
Concrete Poems based on Nortons definition is A poem that can be seen or touched,
something that is physically real. When a poet emphasizes the meaning of a poem by
shaping it into the form of a picture, concrete poetry results. (Norton 322) A haiku is a
very old form of Japanese poetry and a traditional Haiku has three unrhymed lines; the
first line has five syllables, the second line has seven and the final line has five. (Norton
323) Humorous poetry, although closely related to nonsense poetry, deals with amusing
happenings that might actually befall a person or an animal. (Norton 325) Nonsense and
Humor poem that are introduced to children in the form of Mother Goose Rhythms,
riddles or superstitions. I feel like Nonsense and Humor poems are so appealing to
children because they allow childrens imagination run wild and be creative. Poems help
improve literacy because the different Rhythm, Sound patterns, repetition, imagery, and
shape. The different techniques help a childs mental capacity evolve and improve.
Younger (Grades K-8)
1. Wiggle Waggle Fun. Margaret Maya. Individuals Credited. Alfred A. Knopf.
2000. (Pre Kindergarten)
2. Big Earth, Little Me. Thom Wiley. Kate Endle. Scholastic, Inc. 2008.
(Kindergarten)
3. The Book of Boys (For Girls) & The Book of Girls (For Boys). David T.
Greenberg. Joy Allen. Little, Brown and Company. 2006. (First Grade)
4. Listen my Children Poems for Second Graders. Susan Tyler Hitchcock. Core
Knowledge. 2001. (Second Grade)
5. Put Your Eyes Up Here Kali Dakos. G. Brian Karas. Books Simon & Schuster.
2003. (Third Grade)
Older (Grades 4- 8)
1. Bing Bang Boing. Douglas Florian. Same. Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994.
(Moderate Difficulty for 4th and 5th Grade)
2. Whisper and Shout Poems to Memorize. Patrice Vecchione. Cricket Books. 2002.
(Advanced for 4th and 5th Grade)
3. * Fortune Bones: The Manumission Requiem. Marilyn Nelson. Front Street.
2004. Coretta Scott King Award for Authors. (Moderate Difficulty for 6th and 7th
Grade)
4. The Raven and Other Poems, Edgar Allen Poe. Childrens Press. 2006. (Advanced
for 6th and 7th Grade)
5. * The Braid. Helen Frost. Farrar, Straus, Giroux. 2006. (8th Grade)
Name of Genre: Non Fiction/ Informative Books
Definition: In chapter 12, Norton goes on to discuss informative, Books about subjects
such as history, space, animals, plants, geography, and how things work are among the

most-used books in school and public libraries. These are the books that students use
when writing reports and expanding their knowledge about subjects studied in the content
areas. (Norton 494) Informative books are basically what their name states,
informational books that help us learn and understand new material we may not know
ahead of time. Another value of informational books is introduction to the scientific
method. Through firsthand experience and reading about the work of scientists, children
discover how scientists observe, compare, formulate, and test hypotheses, and draw
conclusions or withhold them until they uncover more evidence. Children also become
familiar with the instruments scientists use. (Norton 495) Informational books also
encourage self- reliance, and help encourage children to develop critical thinking and
reading skills. Although, when evaluating an informative book, one must be careful and
look for accuracy, stereotypes, illustrations accuracy, analytical thinking, organization,
and style. According to Norton, The guidelines in the evaluation criteria are taken from
recommendations made by the National Science Teachers Association (1997) and the
American Association for the Advancement of Science (Johnston, 1991) (Norton 496)
The first thing to evaluate in an informational book is the accuracy of the book, Does the
author have the scientific qualifications to write a book on the particular subject? Are
facts and theory clearly distinguished? Are significant facts provided? Are differing views
on controversial subjects provided? Is the information presented without relying on
anthropomorphism? Is the information as up to date as possible? (Norton 497-498) The
second thing to search for when evaluating, is Stereotype, Does the book respect basic
principles against racism and sexism? As the preceding examples make clear,
informational books, like all books, should be without demeaning racist or sexist
stereotypes. (Norton 498) The third thing to search for is Analytical thinking, Do
children have an opportunity to become involved in solving problems logically? Many
informational books, particularly scientific ones, should encourage children to observe,
gather data, experiment, compare, and formulate hypotheses. Informational books should
encourage children to withhold judgment until enough data have been gathered or enough
facts that have explored. (Norton 499)
The novel Anne Frank is a well-liked informative book because it tells one of the tale of
the concentration camps many Jewish people had to face. It shows the gruesome history
and reign of Adolf Hitler and it allows readers a glimpse through an actual young girl
who had lived through the entire thing instead of just facts. The fact that it is written by
Anne Frank makes it more realistic, that Anne could have been any young girl, your
sister, your mother, aunt, cousin.
Younger (Grades K -3)
1.My Five Sense. Aliki. Same. Harper Collins. 2015. (Pre-Kindergarten)
2.What Comes in 2s, 3s, 4s? Suzanne Aker. Bernie Karline. Aladdine. 1992.
(Kindergarten)
3.Are You a Butterfly? Judy Allen. Tudor Humphries. Kingfisher. 2003. (1st Grade)
4. * The Giving Tree. Shel Silverstein. Same. Harper and Row. 2014 (2nd Grade)

5.Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and her Familys Desegregation. Duncan
Tonatiuh. Same. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2014. (3rd Grade)
Older (Grades 4 8)
1. Who Was Amelia Earhart. Kate Boehm Jerome. Nancy Harrison. Grosset &
Dunlap. 2002. (Moderate Difficulty for 4th and 5th Grade)
2. The Fairy Ring: Or Elsie and Frances Fool the World. Mary Losure.
Candlewick.2014. (Advanced for 4th and 5th Grade)
3. Helen Keller: The Story of My Life. Helen Keller. Dover Publications. 1996.
(Moderate for 6th and 7th Grade)
4. The Boy Harnessed the Wind Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope. William
Kamkwamba and Bryan Mwaler. Harper Collins. 2010. (Advanced for 6th and 7th
Grade)
5. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. Anne Frank. Bantam. 1993. (Eighth
Grade)