Historical Perspectives on the Genres of Fantasy, Folktales and Picture Books
Fantasy
Today's children, like children always, have vivid imaginations, beginning with daycare and (sometimes at home) when they have stories read to them about Peter Cotton Tail, The Three Little Pigs and the favorite, Little Red Riding Hood. In the case of developmentally disabled students, such stories can still appeal, but now the focus will be on teaching literacy instead of just for entertainment. In fantasy one often finds the magical aspects of characters such as talking animals, together with strong story lines. The stories must have striking features to capture their attention. Stories such as the Curious George series hold children's attention and teach a moral lesson. Fantasy stories may also hold children's attention with humor. Stories that are now considered classics have not lost their power to entertain, and have pictures by many great illustrators. All classroom libraries should have a selection of fantasies by early authors like Hans Christian Andersen, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Lloyd Alexander. Their books provide humor, talking animal heroes, beauty, and magic. These are the sorts of stories I will draw upon. Lukens (1999) says, "… fantastic stories are about characters that are not people but are represented as people because they talk or live in houses like ours, have feelings like our own, or lead lives like those of human beings; these we might call stories of personification" (p 21-22). For developmentally disabled students who are at the stage of emergent literacy orientation, this type of literature provides first steps in the reading and writing processes. The progressive approach to instruction for the students included at this stage should focus on connected stories with short paragraphs, short sentences, few words, and simple letters, as in the alphabet books.
MacCann wrote, "One of the most characteristic features of fantasies for children is their sense of play. Although a feeling of mystery and foreboding can be the predominant mood (as in The Jungle Book…), more often the tone is one of playfulness" (137). Examples of playful books include Alice Adventures in Wonderland, Tom's Midnight Garden, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Children have enjoyed these books over the years and have found them to bring feelings of excitement and pleasure.
Folktale
Folktales are fast moving oral stories that have good characters and bad characters. They have provided satisfaction for adults and children for many years. The element of conflict is usually the substance of the story, and it is often between humans and personified animals. Folktales are usually retold stories that have the effect of recalling the words of an earlier teller. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ear is a West African folktale featuring animals that in the picture book are illustrated with bold lines and vivid colors. The People Could Fly and Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings are very popular American black folktales.
Picture Books
Picture books are the first stage for young readers acquiring literacy. Picture books overlap two categories, literature and art. The pages of picture books are rich in color and carefully laid out (illustrations have to be reproduced multiple times; therefore they must be of excellent quality). Arrangement on the page is an important consideration as well. Some pictures are best at the top of a page; others work better on the bottom or the side. Some illustrations cover the entire page, while others have borders. Kuffner (2001) says, "Good picture books maintain high literacy and artistic standards" (p 4). She gives the following points to use when evaluating picture books:
A good picture book has brief text written in a simple and direct style; retains a child's interest after many readings, has solid characters; combines actions, wordplay, humor, and poetry; includes few concepts and only those a child will comprehend; contains high-quality art that perfectly complements the text mood and subject matter. A picture book's illustrations are very important; because young children usually pay more attention to its pictures than to its words, and the picture book stands the test of time by continuing long after its publication (p.4).
Some talented illustrators have made their mark in young children's picture books: Kate Greenaway, Jerry Pinkney, Ernest Shepard, Randolph Caldecott, Arthur Frost, and Howard Pyle, just to name a few. Their work is recognized as classic. Their life experiences influenced the way they represented illustrations, as I shall explain to the students. Some of them worked in black and white while others used delicate or vibrant colors.
"It is sometimes claimed that the picture book is the one genuinely original contribution that children's literature has made to literature in general," writes Peter Hunt in Children's Literature, "all its other genres being merely imitative" (288). There are many reasons to teach picture books. The pre-school child only recognizes the pictures, so their placement is important. Only after they get older do they begin to focus on the text. Children with disabilities are more like preschoolers and resemble preschoolers also in being willing to be educated through pictures. Young children enjoy looking at picture books that focus on families, so books about birthday parties, picnics, babies, and pets hold their attention. Picture books about school activities are also popular with young children. Picture books are also helpful for coping with the painful aspects of life, such as the death of elder family members. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and older neighbors are vital parts of the child's life and they need help to understand such relationships. This process should start before a situation occurs requiring the need. Picture books that help the child relate to events outside the family are also instrumental in the growth process. The pictures can be of real people or fictional characters depending on the age of the child. Another important area is play time. Children can be taught teamwork through picture books featuring children in cooperative activities. Diversity is another of concern for teachers, and during classroom instruction picture books can help children to understand themselves as well as others.
I can think of numerous ways in which picture books can help developmentally disabled students overcome or understand difficulties. Friendship can be taught using picture books. The old saying, "Pictures are worth a thousand words" is true. Picture books can provide entertainment for hours on end. Children enjoy looking at animals, and colorful illustrations can bring them to life. But while enjoying the pictures, they can start getting interested in the words. With daily intensive academic, developmentally disabled children can learn and appreciate the text as well as the pictures.
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