For this first analysis, you will be locating 2-3 children’s books and providing a thoughtful analysis for each text. Your analysis should demonstrate an attention to detail as well as personal reflections on the text itself, what you believe the author’s intentions were, as well as what you took away from it. Respond to the following questions and topics, and feel free to broach additional topics and questions:
What was the title of your selected text, and who is the author?
Summarize the story you read
Why did you choose to analyze this story? Where did you locate this book?
Is this a story you read before?
What age group would you say this book is written for? What is the length of this book?
Describe the use of language/word choice in this story. Were the words simple and familiar or were they more unusual and archaic?
Did you notice anything unusual or remarkable about the flow of language in this story? Did the author(s) employ a rhyme strategy at any point in the story? If so, provide specific examples.
What was the theme (or themes) in this story?
Can you draw parallels between this story and any other stories/texts you have read? (Parallels can include, but are not limited to, personality traits of the characters, story themes and locations, illustration types, flow of language, and more.) Describe these parallels, if applicable.
Was there a lesson or moral to this story, and if so, what was it? Why do you feel this was the lesson/moral? (Be specific)
Describe the use of color in this text – were specific colors dominant, and if so, what significance do you ascribe to that?
Did this story include images/illustrations? What were the illustrations? Do you think they would appeal to child readers, and why or why not?
Did you read the story aloud or silently? If you read it silently, take some time and re-read it aloud. Did you notice any changes in the way you read it aloud and the meaning you took from the text? Why do you think this may be?
You must use at least two (and up to three) children’s books for this analysis. Answer each of the questions above for each of the books you read.
This analysis should be written in MLA format and presented in a formal manner which means it should include complete sentences (avoid sentence fragments), should be written in a clear and coherent manner, should provide thoughtful personal insights into the literature being analyzed, and should include attention toward proper grammar and punctuation.
This assignment must include a cover letter that briefly introduces your audience (instructor) to your approach to the assignment, any areas in which you felt particularly confident or unsure, what you learned from the assignment, how your perspective on reading children’s literature may have changed, and any other relevant issues you’d like to discuss.
