Children’s literature is complex in nature and can be difficult to define because personal perceptions shape this definition. When considering my own knowledge of children’s literature, it is difficult to determine how far back to go. I have been immersed in literature as far back as I can remember. I have grown up with familiar authors, just as some children grew up with Harry Potter, and have always had an affinity with old favourites, such as Roald Dahl, Judy Blume, Enid Blyton, Mem Fox and C.S. Lewis. THen developed some new favourites as a teacher, parent, aunty and teacher librarian, such as Julia Donaldson, Aaron Blabey, Matt Cosgrove, Michael Pfister, Stephen Michael King, and J.K. Rowling…just to name a small few of course! Considering children’s literature is like considering my life itself. Listening to reading and sharing the written form and feeding my imagination through fiction texts to entertain, amuse and capture a sense of escapism. The lines are definitely blurred between children’s and adult literature (Huck et. al. 1987), picture books in particular, though have children as the intended audience, adults must want to read them to children too. Who is to say what a child enjoys reading and what an adult enjoys sharing with children? Simply put, if literature provides enjoyment, then its audience is negligible.
So then, how is our professional knowledge about children’s literature obtained and increased?
Here are some strategies that can be used:
- network with other professionals
- network with local authors and illustrators
- connect with local libraries
- connect with local publishers
- read professional journals (eg, SCAN, INCITE, Connections)
- join organisations that promote quality literature (eg. CBCA, NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge, National Simultaneous Storytime)
- follow book awards (eg, CBCA Book of the Year Awards, YABBA)
- use current syllabus documents
- Engage with literature
- Read to children
