Children’s Literature- A Motivation towards Reading
Dr. Elizabeth Prakash Christian, Trainer, Cambay Institute of Hospitality Management,
Thaltej, Ahmedabad
Abstract
“Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb,
science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill.” Barbara W. Tuchman
Children's literature is any literature that is enjoyed by children. Children's literature is also
called juvenile literature which consists of the stories including in books and poems which
are enjoyed by or targeted primarily at children. In addition to books, children's literature also
includes magazines intended for pre-adult audiences. Modern children's literature is classified
in different ways, including by genre or the intended age of the reader.
Children's literature has its roots in the stories and songs that adults told their children before
publishing existed, as part of the wider oral tradition. Due to this it can be difficult to track
the development of early stories. Indian English children’s literature as a distinct branch of
literature struggled to find its footing in India. The struggle is interconnected to the problem
of the English language itself and the dominance of western children’s literature in India.
Simultaneously, the publishing scenario plays a significant role in the development of the
literature. Prominent authors like Rushdie have taken up the sticks of bringing this literature
to the forefront and focus on the realization and reflection of India in their works. There has
been much literature aimed specially at children, often with a moral or religious message. To
some extent the nature of children's fiction, and the divide between older children's and adult
fiction became blurred as time went by and tales appealing to both adult and child had
substantial commercial success. More specifically, children's literature comprises those books
written and published for young people who are not yet interested in adult literature or who
may not possess the reading skills or developmental understandings necessary for its perusal.
In the paper, the authors intend to present some of the benefits of reading children literature
which highlights a linguistics approach in children.
1 Introduction
The age range for children's literature is from infancy through the stage of early adolescence,
which roughly matches with the chronological ages of twelve through fourteen. Between that
literature most appropriate for children and that most appropriate for adults lies young adult
literature. Generally young adult literature is more mature in content and more complex in
literary structure than children's literature.
Most of the literary genres of adult literature appear in children's literature as well. Fiction in
its various forms–contemporary realism, fantasy and historical fiction, poetry, folk tales,
legends, myths, and epics–all have their counterparts in children's literature. Nonfiction for
children includes books about the arts and humanities; the social, physical, biological, and
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earth sciences; and biography and autobiography. In addition, children's books may take the
form of picture books in which visual and verbal texts form an interconnected whole. Picture
books for children include storybooks, alphabet books, counting books, wordless books, and
concept books.
The word "linguistics" is derived from the Latin word for tongue. Linguistics is
the scientific study of human language and language is about communication. Linguistic
communication is a system of sounds, gestures and written symbols. It bears specific
meaning and significance within a particular social group. These understandings differ
significantly between different people, based upon region, developmental age and cultural
practice. The study of these bodies of communal knowledge is called languages and is known
as linguistics. Linguistics also looks at the broader context in which language is influenced by
social, cultural, historical and political factors. This includes the study of evolutionary
linguistics, which investigates into questions related to the origins and growth of
languages. Historical linguistics explores language change. Sociolinguistics looks at the
relation between linguistic variation and social structures. Psycholinguistics explores the
representation and function of language in the mind. Nuro-linguistics looks at language
processing in the brain, language acquisition, on how children or adults acquire language.
Discourse analysis involves the structure of texts and conversations.
2 Children’s literature by genre
A literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by
technique, tone, content, or length. Anderson lists six categories of children's literature with
some significant subgenres:
1. Picture books including board books, concept books (teaching
an alphabet or counting for example), pattern books, and wordless books.
2. Traditional literature, including folktales, which convey the legends, customs,
superstitions, and beliefs of people in past times. This genre can be further broken
down into myths, fables, legends, and fairy tales.
3. Fiction including fantasy, realistic fiction, and historical fiction.
4. Non-fiction.
5. Biography and autobiography.
6. Poetry and verse.
3 Relevance of children literature
Literature written specifically for children began to be published on a wide scale in the
seventeenth century. Most of the early books for children were moralistic instead of artistic
which meant to teach letter sounds and words or to improve the child's moral and spiritual
life. However in the mid-1700s, British publisher John Newbery (1713–1767) influenced by
John Locke's ideas that children should enjoy reading, began publishing books for children's
amusement. Since that time there has been a gradual transition from the deliberate use of
purely moralistic literature to inculcate moral, spiritual, and ethical values in children to the
provision of literature to entertain and inform. This does not imply that suitable literature for
children is either immoral or amoral. On the contrary, suitable literature for today's children
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is influenced by the cultural and ethical values of its authors. These values are frequently
revealed as the literary work clarifies, but they are a means to an end, not an end in
themselves. Authors assume a degree of intelligence on the part of their audience that was not
assumed in the past. In this respect, children's literature has changed dramatically since its
earliest days.
Another dramatic development in children's literature in the twentieth century has been the
picture book by presenting an idea or story in which pictures and words work together to
create an artistic whole. Many of artists and other equally illustrious artists helped to bring
picture books to their present position of prominence. Since 1945 many highly talented
illustrators have entered this field.
With the advent of computer-based reproduction techniques in the latter part of the twentieth
century, the once tedious and expensive process of full colour reproduction was
revolutionized, and now almost any original media can be successfully translated into picture
book form. Although many artists continue to work with traditional media for example
printmaking, pen and ink, photography, and paint, they have been joined by artists who work
with paper sculpture, mixed media constructions, and computer graphics.
The changes in literature for older children have been equally important. Many writers,
however, considered adults their major audience; therefore, they directed only some of their
literary efforts toward young readers. Today, large numbers of highly talented authors have
turned to younger readers for an audience and direct most, if not all, of their writings to them.
Not only are there larger numbers of talented writers and artists from many cultures at work
for children, but the range of subject matter discussed in children's fiction has also been
extended remarkably. Topics that were considered taboo only a short time ago are being
presented in good taste. Young readers from ten to fourteen can read well-written fiction that
deals with death, child abuse, economic deprivation, alternative life styles, illegitimate
pregnancy, juvenile gang warfare, and rejected children. By the early twenty-first century it
had become more nearly true than ever before that children may explore life through
literature.
4 Linguistics Approach in the Lives of Children
“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary
competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts
that our lives have already become.” C.S. Lewis
Literature serves children in four major ways:
1 It helps them to better understand themselves
2 It helps them to better understand others
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3 It helps them to better understand their world
4 The aesthetic values of written language.
When children read fiction, narrative poetry, or biography, they often assume the role of one
of the characters. Through that character's thoughts, words, and actions the child develops
insight into his or her own character and values. Frequently, because of experiences with
literature, the child's modes of behaviour and value structures are changed, modified, or
extended.
When children assume the role of a book's character as they read, they interact vicariously
with the other characters portrayed in that particular selection. In the process they learn
something about the nature of behaviours and the consequences of personal interaction. In
one sense they become aware of the similarities and differences among people.
Because literature is not subject to temporal or spatial limitations, books can figuratively
transport readers across time and space. Other places in times past, present, or future invite
children's exploration. Because of that exploration, children come to better understand the
world in which they live and their own relationship to it.
Written language in its literary uses is an instrument of artistic expression. Through prose and
poetry children explore the versatility of the written word and learn to master its depth of
meaning. Through literature, too, children can move beyond the outer edges of reality and
place themselves in worlds of make-believe, unbound by the constraints of everyday life.
5 Reading is important
“What is wonderful about great literature is that it transforms the man who reads it towards
the condition of the man who wrote.” E. M. Forster
“The only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a
little farther down our particular path than we have yet got ourselves.” E. M. Forster
Getting children to read is an important aspect of preparing them for success in school. While
there are many different philosophies about how children learn language, most agree that
exposure to diverse usage of language is an important part of the developmental process.
Children's literature is important because it enhances development of language skills and
other critical thinking skills that provide the foundation of learning. The five major elements
are each should be represented in the curriculum:
1 Linguistic competency
2 Pragmatic competencies
3 Discourse competencies
4 Strategic competencies
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5Fluency
However, focusing only on literature's value in developing language skills overlooks other
contributions that reading adds to a child's development. Children read for fun, and in the
process, develop better reading skills and abilities to enjoy more reading. Because reading
children's literature stimulates a child's imagination and reading provides an important visual
experience. Books provide "windows" into worlds that many would never be able to
physically visit and see and encourage students to consider situations that would never have
even occurred to them. Reading is one of the four linguistic skills to be developed in English.
The different methods of teaching reading English to the beginners may be broadly classified
as
1 Alphabetic method /Synthetic method
2 Phonic method/ Synthetic method
3 The word method (Look and say method)
4 Sentence method/analytic method
Exposing these children to language is an important part of the primary school curriculum. A
great deal of research supports the correlation between language exposure and language
development later in life. Children's literature provides other valuable experiences as well.
Reading picture books to children introduces them to reading strategies that will be used
develop and extend reading skills. In general, these books are carefully written so that most
words can be sounded out. The pictures provide clues as to what the words mean.
Children enjoy making connections between pictures in the end the way those ideas were
represented with words. Getting children to enjoy stories is an important part of teaching
them to read because once children come to enjoy stories, they are more motivated to pick up
books and work their way through the words to enjoy the story. The factors that contribute to
quick progress on the part of pupils in reading at the beginning are:
1 Command of vocabulary
2 Background of experience in life
3 Physical health
4 Mental ability
5 Emotional stability
6 Attempts for promoting Children's Literature:
After Independence, the Government of India tried to encouraging good books for children,
introduced national competitions under the Ministry of Education through the NCERT is not
at all taken up. Some State Governments also started such competitions for encouraging
writers in regional languages, but these attempts were not adequate, as these competitions are
now not at all organized at the national level or State levels.
Another useful means of promoting children's literature is through various organizations both
at the national and State levels. Of course, international organizations like UNICEF, IBBY,
IYL & ACCU etc. are there but these are beyond the reach of most of the children's writers at
the national level. NCERT has been organizing national competitions and holding some
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seminars at the time of prize giving ceremony and this also only occasionally. That is why,
there is much to be desired from this organization. AIJLC is an old national organization. Its
activities are still limited. AICLF is a new organization aiming at improving children's
literature at the national level and has not so far acquired the all-India representation.
Similarly, AWIC is a national organization having its members mostly from Delhi and some
from other states. It is very active but its activities are mostly limited to Delhi or Delhi based.
The BBKS is also working at the national level and giving felicitations to the writers of
various states. But it has been limited to mostly UP and few neighbouring states. There are
also state level organizations in some states organizing programmes as and when they find it
convenient. On the whole, no national organization has so far elevated to the status of all-
India distinction.
Under the auspices of the Indian Council of Child Welfare, a new organization a new Forum
was set up particularly for promoting Children's Literature in the country. This may be named
as a "National/Indian Council for Literature" (NCCL/ICCL) and it must have an all India
representation with the following objectives.
(i) To hold meetings and conferences of writers, publishers and artists for discussing the
issues concerning Children's books and journals.
(ii) To organize workshops for writing suitable books and illustrations for children.
(iii) To organize national seminars for discussing the problems of children's literature.
(iv)To conduct status and surveys for identifying problems and to know the status of
Children's Literature in various states.
(v) To encourage writers, artists and also publishers for developing suitable materials for
children through felicitations and awards for their achievements and good work.
(vi) To publish materials as models at the national level to be translated into different
regional languages.
(vii) To bring out a journal as a mouthpiece of the council.
Finally, the required infrastructure according to resources available may be planned and
developed to realize the above objectives through various programmes. Particularly, proper
representation of all states need be made in the management and programme planning.
Adequate monitoring and follow-up should be made of all the programmes implemented.
7 Conclusion
In this paper, the authors tied to study of the sociological aspects of language. The discipline
concerns itself with the part language plays in maintaining the social roles in a community.
Reading is one of the linguistic features that are used in particular situations and that mark the
various social relationships among the readers and the significant elements of the situation.
Influences on the reading, grammatical elements, and vocabulary items may include such
factors as age, sex, education, occupation, race, and peer-group identification.
The idea of a language that caters to a large reading public is complacent in itself looking at
the ground reality of India. English as a language is accessible to a very small adult
population and to a yet smaller child population. The irony of the situation seems obvious
enough a supposedly link language for a literature meant for all children remains a very
exclusive one.
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The ‘English medium’ education that creates a group of children who could read and
understand the language remains available only to the upper and middle classes of the
society. The ghost of Macaulay’s minute still haunts the Indian educational system. More
than encouraging these children towards a literature which reflects their own culture, the
English education actually creates a covering where children are happy in the world created
by the authors Ruskin Bond “The lost child”. The actual language meant to perpetuate
nationalism all the more acts as an ideal medium for propagation of Western hegemonic
notions.
The problem persists of authors dishing out old tales in a new format and for this newer
avenues should be explored so that the child can find something exciting to look forward to
on a book. Indian English children’s fiction will need much boost to get out of the middle
class mind-set to evolve itself into a pan-Indian literature. The initiatives taken by the likes of
Bond and Dutta are commendable but at the same time more and more accomplished authors
like Rushdie need to take the onus on themselves. India needs authors whose names can be
recognised on an international field through their works on children’s literature.
8 References
Berry, Nita. “Value-Based Writing” Children’s Literature in India: Ed. Navin Menon
and Bhavana Nair. New Delhi: CBT, 1999.167-184.
Bhatnagar, Meera.“Western Influence on Children’s Literature in English 1979-1991”
:Writer and Illustrator, 12.1, 1992: 19-21.
Desai, Anita. “From the cave to the bazaar”: Graphiti 2 Dec, 2007: 7
Jafa, Manorama. “The Indian Subcontinent” The International Companion Encyclopaedia of
Children’s Literature: Ed. Peter Hunt, London, Routledge, 2004. 798.
Khorana, Meena G. “The Indian Subcontinent in Literature for Children and Young
Adults: An Annotated Bibliography of English Language Books.” Westport: Greenwood
Press, 1991.
Leela, Preetha. “Gulmohor Trees and Cream Teas: The Influence of British Children’s
Fiction upon the Indian Psyche” East Meets West in Children’s Literature: Ed. Pat Pinset.
Shenstone: Pied Piper, 2005. 25-29.
Mukherjee, Meenakshi. “The Beginnings of the Indian Novel”: An Illustrated History of
Indian Literature in English: Ed. Arvind Krishna Mehrotra. New Delhi: Permanent
Black, 2003. 92-102.
Shankar, Ravi. “Profile of a Publishing House”: Children’s Literature in India: Ed.
Navin Menon and Bhavana Nair, New Delhi: CBT, 1999. 259-267.
Presented by:
Dr. Elizabeth Prakash Christian
C-204 Arjun Ratna Apartments,
Nr. C.P. Nagar Part-1 Opp. Vardhman Flats
Bhuyangdev, Ghatlodia Ahmedabad-380061.
(M) +91-98240-29976
(E-mail) [email protected]
