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Children's Literature

A Course for Adults

Eve Williams MMus

Do you want to walk through a wardrobe or jump down a rabbit hole?

Maybe you loved to read as a child and now as an adult you would like to find out a bit more and look more critically at the texts and authors that fired your young imagination. In doing so you will refine your critical reading skills, increase your language skills and learn about the progression of thinking in writing for children and how it is related to changing attitudes in society, as well as impacting social attitudes.

Read more

Do you want to walk through a wardrobe or jump down a rabbit hole?

Maybe you loved to read as a child and now as an adult you would like to find out a bit more and look more critically at the texts and authors that fired your young imagination. In doing so you will refine your critical reading skills, increase your language skills and learn about the progression of thinking in writing for children and how it is related to changing attitudes in society, as well as impacting social attitudes.

My name is Eve Williams and I hold a degree in English Literature and a Master's in Old English Literature from the Russell Group Queen's University of Belfast as well as lecturing in Belfast's C.S. Lewis Festival. Following the success of my English Literarure and World Literature courses, students asked for a specific course on Children's Literature and I was thrilled to rediscover the magic of

  • Nursery rhymes

  • Fairytales

  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

  • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

  • The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

  • Beatrix Potter

  • The Anne Books by L.M. Montgomery

  • The Little Women Books by Louisa May Alcott

  • Enid Blyton

  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

  • The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

  • Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian

  • Roald Dahl

  • The Harry Potter Books

  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

The course also comes with an inviation to the monthly Zoom Book Club where you can talk about literature with your fellow students.

If you would like to join me on this magical journey, you can do so risk free due to Udemy's 30 day money back guarantee. I'm looking forward to joining you.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Understand changing thinking in writing for children
  • Refine critical reading skills
  • Improve language skills
  • Open up your imagination
  • Learn about how history impacted children's literature
  • Identify how children's literature both impacted and was impacted by social change
  • Find out about the lives and times of several well known children's writers
  • You will be invited to join the monthly zoom book club exclusively for my literature students

Syllabus

Introduction
Nursery Rhymes
Reading: Do you remember these?
Nursery Rhymes and Real History
Read more
Resources
Fairytales: They Weren't Always Meant for Children
Introduction to Fairytales and Folk Tales
Grimm Brothers
Hans Christian Anderson
The Disney Effect
Reading: The Little Mermaid
Illustrations
Lewis Caroll: Alice in Wonderland
Children's Literature in the Victorian Era
Lewis Carroll
Alice's Story
Reading from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Frances Hodgeson Burnett: The Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Uncomfortable Issues
Reading from The Secret Garden
Kenneth Grahame: The Wind in the Willows
Reading from The Wind in the Willows
Who Was Kenneth Grahame?
Anthropomorphism in Children's Literature
Who was Enid Blyton?
Beatrix Potter
My Little Friend, Peter
Reading from Peter Rabbit
Who was Beatrix Potter?
L.M. Montgomery: The Anne Books
Reading from Anne of Green Gables
A Cosy Story, a Sad Reality
Why We Still Love Anne
Louisa May Alcott: Little Women
Reading from Little Women
Alcott, American Transcendentalism and Women's Writing
Is Jo March really Louisa May Alcott?
Why Little Women Is Still Read Today
Enid Blyton
Noddy
The Famous Five
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Hobbit
Tollers and Jack: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis
Writing for Tolkien's Own Children
Myth, Language and The Hobbit
Peter Jackson and the Revival of the Hobbit
Reading from The Hobbit
C.S. Lewis: The Chronicles of Narnia
Reading from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
C.S. Lewis: The Unlikely Children's Author
Influence
Michelle Magorian: Goodnight Mister Tom
Child Evacuees in World War II England and Literature
Goodnight Mister Tom
Reading from Goodnight Mr Tom
Roald Dahl
The Great Adventure of Roald Dahl
Reading: Revolting Rhymes
Reading: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Reading: Matilda
J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter
Reading from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Joanne Rowling: Lone Parent to Superstar Authro to Persona Non Grata
The Roots of Harry Potter
Why are we wild about Harry?
Mark Haddon: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
Who is Mark Haddon and Is This Really a Children's Book?
Mark Haddon and Frances Hodgeson Burnett: Portrayals of Disability
Conclusion
Facebook Group

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Children's Literature: A Course for Adults with these activities:
Review Key Literary Terms
Familiarize yourself with common literary terms to better understand the analysis and discussion of children's literature.
Show steps
  • Find a list of common literary terms.
  • Define each term in your own words.
  • Find examples of each term in children's books.
Read 'From Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children's Books' by Kathleen T. Horning
Develop a deeper understanding of how to critically evaluate children's literature.
View From Cover to Cover on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read 'From Cover to Cover'.
  • Take notes on the key criteria for evaluating children's books.
  • Apply these criteria to books discussed in the course.
Read 'A Little Princess' by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Gain a deeper understanding of Frances Hodgson Burnett's work and the themes explored in 'The Secret Garden'.
View The Secret Garden on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read 'A Little Princess'.
  • Take notes on the main themes and characters.
  • Compare and contrast it with 'The Secret Garden'.
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Create a comparative analysis of two versions of a fairytale
Deepen your understanding of the evolution of fairytales by comparing and contrasting different versions of the same story.
Show steps
  • Choose a fairytale with multiple versions (e.g., Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood).
  • Find at least two different versions of the fairytale.
  • Analyze the similarities and differences between the versions.
  • Write a report comparing and contrasting the versions.
Write a blog post: 'The Enduring Appeal of Fairytales'
Synthesize your understanding of fairytales and their historical context by writing a blog post that explores their continued relevance.
Show steps
  • Research the history and evolution of fairytales.
  • Identify key themes and archetypes in fairytales.
  • Write a blog post exploring the reasons for their enduring appeal.
Design a lesson plan for teaching a children's book
Apply your knowledge of children's literature to create a practical lesson plan for engaging young readers.
Show steps
  • Choose a children's book from the course reading list.
  • Identify the key themes and learning objectives.
  • Develop activities and discussion questions to engage students.
  • Write a detailed lesson plan.

Career center

Learners who complete Children's Literature: A Course for Adults will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Children's Literature: A Course for Adults.
Cover image
The Secret Garden
Save
While the course focuses on "The Secret Garden," Burnett's "A Little Princess" shares similar themes of resilience, imagination, and social class. Reading this novel alongside "The Secret Garden" provides a broader understanding of Burnett's literary style and her exploration of childhood experiences. is best used as additional reading to enhance the course's exploration of Burnett's works.
The Secret Garden
Paperback
Check
The Secret Garden
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
From Cover to Cover
Save
Provides a framework for critically evaluating children's literature, enhancing the course's focus on critical reading skills. It offers insights into the elements that make a children's book successful and impactful. This book is commonly used by librarians, educators, and reviewers. It valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding and analyzing children's literature.
From Cover to Cover
Paperback
Check
From Cover to Cover
Kindle Edition
Check

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Effort
9 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Eve Williams MMus
Language
English
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