ENGL2030: Children’s Literature Kirk Young Adult Novel Reading “Packet” Student’s Name: ____________________________________________________________ Title of Young Adult Novel: __________________________________________________ Author of Novel: _____________________________________________________________ Illustrator (if applicable): _____________________________________________________ DIRECTIONS: Please jot a few notes that address each of the questions asked below about the novel. Be prepared to discuss your answers in small groups and/or in class as a whole. Please staple your answers to the back of this packet directions sheet. You will receive 100 participation points for completing the packet! 1. Who is the protagonist of this novel? 2. Is there an antagonist? If so, which character is it? 3. What is the setting of the novel? How does it contribute to the story? 4. Is the novel realistic or a fantasy? How would the story change if told in the other genre (e.g. a fantasy told as a realistic story)? 5. What is the main conflict in the novel? Is this conflict relatable to young adults? Why or why not? 6. How does the main character change by the end of the novel? 7. Are social issues a noticeable feature of this novel? If so, please provide 2 examples with page numbers and explain how the author may have young adults in mind in writing about these issues. 8. Are there illustrations in the edition you read? If so, how or what do they add to the story, in your opinion? Please choose one illustration, giving the page number, as an example of your view. 9. What does the title of the novel tell us about the story? ENGL2030: Children’s Literature – Young Adult Novel, Reading Packet, 2 10. Considering the “young adult reader” (a young person in the broad age range of 12-18+, or in grades 6-12 in school), would you say this novel is appropriate for most readers in those ages, or is it better for the younger or older end of that spectrum? Why do you say this? 11. Cite a passage from the novel that particularly strikes you for whatever reason. What made you choose this passage to highlight? What are your thoughts about it? 12. How would you describe the author’s style? In what way (or ways) is the style appropriate for “young adults,” would you say? 13. Look at the structure of the novel – chapter breakdowns/titles, story arc, etc. Does the organization seem to address the interests of a “typical” young adult reader in any way? If so,how? Does it work for you as an adult reader? Why or why not? 14. What is one theme of this novel (there is usually more than one!)? Please state it in one sentence. What makes you see this as an overall theme? How might this theme benefit young adults, and is it one that adults could benefit from as well? 15. Please complete one (1) of the following in response to this novel: A.) Creative response: Write an imaginary “journal entry” in the “voice” of any character from the novel. The entry could be about events, etc. that take place inside the novel, or that you imagine outside the confines of the novel. Make your entry at least 250 words (or about 1-page, double-spaced, if typed). B.) Practical response: How would you “teach” this novel to a class of young adult students (jr. high or high school), if given that responsibility? E.g.: Would you have the class read the novel aloud in school, then answer a packet of questions for homework? Assign the novel for homework and answer questions in small groups &/or class discussions? Would you have projects related to the novel? Other activities? Please describe in at least 250 words. C.) Literary response: Research 1 to 2 critical responses to this novel and/or biographical background about the author. Write a working thesis statement and a working outline (about 3 bullet points/phrases w/ page numbers for ex., ok) for a sample paper that could be written about the novel (no need to write the paper to complete this response.). Prepare an annotated bibliography about the sources you find (a sentence or two about each source is ok), using MLA documentation format and include this at the end of your working thesis & outline. This material (working thesis + working outline + annotated bibliography) = about 1 page. ENGL2030: Children’s Literature Reading Journal Assignment You are assigned a Reading Journal for our class. The journal is made up of 15 brief “freewrites” that you write in response to quoted sentences, phrases, or passages that you select from our reading assignments (the literature only – not readings about literature). This writing is informal and on a subject mostly of your choice. There are a few parameters/requirements, however, and the journal will be graded very strictly on whether or not you have followed these directions. The specific directions relate to: The number of freewrites per kind of reading (see below) The minimum length of the freewrite portion of the entry The format of journal entries The fact that you must use 1 literary term each in at least 6 entries in the journal and must split these between fiction and poetry (3 + 3) • Due dates for a certain number of numbers of entries may be given during the semester for feedback; however, the complete journal is due at the end of the semester. • • • • Each Reading Journal entry has the following parts: • Title of work • Author & illustrator (if applicable) of work (just last names are OK) • Book -- If work comes from an anthology or other collection of picture books, etc. & page number where you found the quote • The quote (usually 1 sentence or poetic line or less – key phrases are best —if the quote is a longer passage, you may indicate ENGL2030: Children’s Literature, Reading Journal Assignment 2 where the passage begins and ends with the first few and last few words separated by ellipses…). • Your freewrite about the quote (minimum of 100 words) • For 6 of your entries: A literary term (from fiction and poetry lists provided in class). The term should be in ALL CAPS so it stands out. • Word count for the freewrite portion ONLY in parenthesis at the end of the freewrite. What do you freewrite about? • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A question or questions the quote makes you ponder What you like about the phrase, line, etc. How the quote illustrates the meaning of a literary term Why the quote stands out to you How you think the quote contributes to the work as a whole Memories/stories the quote triggers in you from your own life experience Creative response of your own – fiction or poetic response An explanation of what this quote means literally in the context of the work as a whole Comments about the accompanying artwork in the book that goes with the quote. Observations about how the artwork and the quote work together and to what effect How you think children will respond to the quote (or how you have experienced children responding to it) What puzzles you in or about the quote Your emotional (heart) or intellectual (head) response to the quote What other reading you’ve done that the quote reminds you of and why ENGL2030: Children’s Literature, Reading Journal Assignment 3 What Reading Journal entries are NOT: • Summary of what’s happening in the story or poem • All of the same style – for example, ALL questions, or ALL stories from your experience, or ALL poems of your own in response. Change things up! • A repeat of the quote or other portion from the book or poem = padding your response! • A rant about the reading! You need to have 15 total entries in the Reading Journal by the end of the semester. They get divided up this way*: (3) = 3 from fairy tales on our reading list (1) = 1 from Where the Wild Things Are (1) = 1 from Goodnight Moon (5) = 1 each from 5 poems of your choice from our reading list (5) = 5 from Charlotte’s Web _____ 3 + 1 + 1 + 5 + 5 = 15 entries total. *Remember to use 3 different fiction terms + 3 different poetry terms in ALL CAPS in the entries above. Total Word Count: Since each freewrite entry = 100 or more words, the total word count for the journal in the freewrite portion only (not counting the title, author, the quote, etc.) = a minimum of 1,500 words. This is roughly equivalent to 5-6 typed, double-spaced pages. ** ENGL2030: Children’s Literature, Reading Journal Assignment 4 Here is an example of an entry about a poem that uses a LITERARY TERM: SAMPLE READING JOURNAL ENTRY: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” By Taylor Anthology, p. 269. Quote: “For you never shut your eye,” I never thought of a star as having an eye before! This is a clever use of PERSONIFICATION in the poem. It’s funny, because I never actually knew this poem or song was so long and had so many verses! I wonder how many other works of children’s literature are like this – we know or have heard of parts of them, but they are actually much longer. I’d like to look up the background of this poem – did it start as a poem or song, for example? How old is it? In what context was it written originally? How I “wonder”! (101 words) ** Remember, the Reading Journal is about fairy tales, poems, picture books, and the novel on our list. Do NOT write entries about any reading you’re assigned about authors, illustrators, literary criticism, terms, articles about children’s literature, introductions in books, etc.
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