English 324: Children's Literature
Professor Melissa D. Aaron

Email:maaron@csupomona.edu

• Course Description
• Course Requirements
• Attendance policy
• Plagiarism
• Syllabus

Required texts
Perry Nodelman and Mavis Reimer. The Pleasures of Children’s Literature, 3rd edition.
E.B. White. Charlotte’s Web.
Louis Sacher. Holes.
Philip Pulman. The Golden Compass.
James Barrie. Peter Pan.
J. K Rowling. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Course description
This course is an introduction to reading children’s literature critically, and a re-introduction to reading children’s literature for pleasure. You will be reading five texts for class, creating your own reading list by reading outside of class, and reflecting on various issues connected with children’s literature: literary theory, assumptions about the implied reader, the market, ideology, and characteristics of children’s literature.

Do not be surprised that I will be asking you to read aloud in class. I recommend that you read it this way at home, too. Children's literature is meant to be read aloud as entertainment, and it is much easier to understand this way.

Course requirements

Participation—includes reading aloud in class at least twice per quarter and one very short presentation—20%

A portfolio, (80%) containing
1. entries (more or less weekly) on Nodelman and Reimer’s explorations, 2-3 thoughtful pages each --30 %
2. an annotated reading list of 65-90 books not assigned for class. Approximately two-thirds of these should be picture books and one-third chapter books. The aim is to build up a book list you can use later.--20%
3. one elaboration of one of your explorations into a fuller 6-8 page paper.—30%

The portfolio will be due at several times in the quarter. Please keep everything you do in class and hand it in, typed, in a small ring binder or flat pocket folder.
All the assignments must be completed in order to receive a passing grade.
For extra credit: arrange to read two times to a group of children and keep a short report of each session—see me for details.
All work handed in to me must be typed and double-spaced in ten or preferably twelve point font. The font I'm using for this, Times New Roman, is nice and easy to read. Please type your name, the class and section number, my name and the date in the upper-right hand corner, and the title centered at the top of the first page. Do not have a title page, and please, please staple your papers together.

Attendance policy
You can't participate if you're not here, obviously. Here are some reasons you don't want to be absent:
More than three absences and your grade will be lowered. Six or more and you will fail the course. Extreme tardiness (more than ten minutes late) counts as an absence.

Besides, you will miss out on story time, and that's the best part.

I don't distinguish between excused and unexcused absences, and here's why. If you miss class, you'll miss discussion, my commentary on the texts, homework assignments, etc. In a remarkably short period of time, you'll find yourself terribly behind, and it will be next to impossible for you to catch up. The attendance policy is to help you succeed, not to punish you. If you are faced with illness or emergency, please let me know right away, and the same applies if you want questions answered or additional help. I check my email very regularly and you can also always come to my office hours.

Assignment Policy

• It is your responsibility to read the assignment and follow the instructions. If it asks for a first person process narrative, turn in a first person process narrative. If it asks you to attend a performance or watch a film of a play on the syllabus, you may not turn in a paper on a play not on the syllabus.
• It is your responsibility to turn in your papers on time, in the correct place, in the correct format and in the correct manner. I will not accept papers shoved under my door. I will not accept papers that are emailed to me as attachments. If you are asked to submit a paper online, submit it online. If you are asked to submit it in person, submit it in person.
• Any exceptions—an extension, submission by alternative method—must be cleared with me in advance and must be for a good reason, such as illness, family emergency. Those of you who know me may be reassured that I have not changed in essential character; those of you who do not know me yet may be assured that I will listen patiently.
• Papers that do not meet these guidelines are turned in At Your Own Risk. Emailed attachments may be deleted; papers shoved under the door may be recycled; late papers may not be accepted; any and all of the above may simply not be graded and the paper writer may receive no credit.

Plagiarism
Did you know that "plagiarism" comes from the Latin word for "kidnapper?" That's because it's theft, and the University and I will treat it that way. I don't want to go into all the dire consequences that will ensue; so don't do it. Enough said. You might want to check my plagiarism statement on my “courses” page, and also the relevant section on “Academic Integrity” in the Cal Poly catalog. If you need some clarification, please email me, ask me in class, or post a question to the discussion board.

If you use someone else's ideas or words, you have to credit them. Here are two rules to help you with this: are you giving credit where credit is due? If someone wanted to find out more about the information you cited, or look up the quote, do they have enough information to do it? I would like you to use MLA documentation. On my Resources page, under Writing resources, there is a direct link to a handout on MLA style, as well as many other helpful writing resources.

Course syllabus

(See Blackboard for updated course syllabus)

Dr. Aaron's Course Page.

Dr. Aaron's Home Page.