Exploring Genres and Text Formats in Children's Literature: Supporting Students' Engagement and Understanding

This children’s literature textbook is based on the textual response framework which recognizes that, while readers’ personal experiences and knowledge shape their understanding of literature, readers’ knowledge of format and genre conventions is equally important in reading literature.

Historically, children’s literature textbooks have focused largely on introducing readers to quality literature (and criteria for evaluating literature) and building readers’ knowledge of different genres of children’s literature. These are important goals that this textbook will also address. However, we recognize that textual knowledge includes more than genre knowledge; it also includes knowledge of what is distinctive about different formats of literature. In particular, this book helps preservice teachers understand the distinctive features of picturebooks, chapter books, novels in verse, and graphic novels, and what these distinctive features mean for engaging and supporting students as they read different formats. The book:

·introduces preservice teachers to quality literature, including the rich array of diverse literature that is being published for children

·provides preservice teachers with knowledge of major genres of children’s literature―fiction, nonfiction, and poetry

·provides preservice teachers with knowledge of different formats of children’s literature including picturebooks, chapter books, novels in verse, and graphic novels

·offers preservice teachers strategies for using textual knowledge (both genre and format) to support readers’ engagement with and understanding of literature.

Miriam Martinez is Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas at San Antonio where she taught children’s literature for more than 30 years. Her research focuses on diverse formats of children’s literature, the nature of children’s literary responses, and instructional strategies to support children’s reading of literature.

Rebecca Stortz is an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at San Antonio where she teaches courses focused on children’s literature and writing development in the educator preparation program. Her research interests include children’s literature from diverse perspectives, culturally responsive and socially just teaching practices, the importance of textual knowledge for reading instruction, and the encouragement of teacher commitment via early-career experiences.

Janis Harmon is Professor Emeritus of Literacy Education at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She taught both undergraduate and graduate literacy courses for educators interested in teaching at the middle school and high school levels.