Relationship between Children’s

LESSON 2 Development and their Literature

PART I
Children and Children’s Literature
Lesson 2
Relationship between Children’s Development and their
Literature
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
• recognize how language development can be achieved through the use of
children and adolescent literature.

What is Child and Adolescent Literature?

Genre

• The works appropriate both in terms of the theme, construction, image,

language, presentation, the mode of presentation, with the needs,
interests, experiences and abilities of children and adolescents to
understand and read.

Child

• It refers to the person who can at least understand the images or texts
from the books. The age range continues until the ages of fourteen or
fifteen.

Adolescence

• The fundamental socio-cultural changes in global societies regard

adolescents older than the age fifteen are in the study of works for
adults.

Importance of Studying Literature

Literature is a body of ideas that need to be explored. It helps readers see the world
differently and develop a better perspective. It offers a deeper perception of life. It
enables understanding of personal and human emotion, issues in society, history, and
culture. It also allows readers to unlock the world of imagination. creativity, and
inspiration. It helps them develop essential skills in connecting with the global
environment. It gives them a chance to discover the world through stories, poetry,
and plays.

Qualities of a Good Story

Good children's literature induces strong emotion; it can make children or readers
laugh, cry. It offers a sense of joy and satisfaction. It entertains, instructs, and inspires.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 Relationship between Children’s
LESSON 2 Development and their Literature

Relationship between Children's Development and Literature

Literature plays an important role in the development of children. Exposure to

literature, including books, stories, poems, and other written works, can have a
significant impact on children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 Relationship between Children’s
LESSON 2 Development and their Literature

According to Anfara (2014), these are some of the ways that literature can influence
children’s development:

1. Language development: Reading books and stories to children can help to build
their vocabulary, improve their grammar and syntax, and enhance their ability
to understand and use language effectively.

2. Cognitive development: Exposure to literature can improve children’s cognitive

abilities, including their ability to reason, think abstractly, and solve problems.

3. Social development: Literature can help children to develop social skills, such
as empathy, compassion, and respect for others. Through reading, children
can learn about different cultures and perspectives, and develop a greater
understanding of the world around them.

4. Emotional development: Literature can help children to develop emotional

intelligence, including their ability to identify and express their own emotions,
and understand the emotions of others.

Children literature contribute towards creative development of children.

1. It can stimulate children to write for themselves.
2. Vocabulary building
3. Skill building
4. Sensitivity

References:

Caskey Anfara (2014). Development Characteristics of Young adolescence.

https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/supporting-adolescent
learners/0/steps/46451

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvt.tiktok.com%2FZS8q2sn4H%2F
&h=AT3v-
v4hExfwU6mRJmhMMGLKV6oQ5SAt8b0ePaOCl8PorLGp5C4KtXowAkmfSDjIVVrAQmu
8hXwu1r8tBAlB5jeyXVf-
xwfBj80nOXzsuip5npLTVA4fbbtpxpbAUiii8EGIX6PSrjZvIw&s=1

https://youtu.be/ciJeRWXBacs

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 Historical Background of
LESSON 3 Children’s Literature

PART I
Children and Children’s Literature
Lesson 3
Historical Background of Children’s Literature
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
• expound knowledge on children and adolescent literature and its historical
development relation to today’s rich repertoire.
•
Classical Period

Storytelling is the foundation of all literature. In actuality, narrative plays a significant

role in all major world cultures. Literature for adults and children were not always
separated in the past. The same tales that children's parents had heard. the heroic
stories that Homer repeated in The Iliad and The Odyssey, as well as the stories of
gods, demons, and talking animals. They can be found everywhere in the world.

Ancient Rome and Greece, which were at their height between 500 BC and 400 AD,
are where Western civilization had its start. The Classical Period was then. The terms
"Archilles' heel," "the Midas touch," and "Pandora's box" are frequently used in our
culture to refer to classical tales. Galaxy, planets, and stars... furthermore to Tiger
Woods jerseys, track shoes, and stars, too... additionally to Tiger Woods jerseys, track
shoes, and... all have names of ancient deities and heroes. They are woven into the
fabric of our culture.

• Literary works share common elements.

• The writing styles includes figurative languages such as metaphors, symbolism,
hyperbole, simile, personification, irony and juxtaposition.
• Stories are both stimulating and fascinating.
• It serves as a vessel for readers to be transported to the very distant past and
view different perspectives.
• It helps readers connect to nature, discover the cultural orientation of the past
including beliefs, traditions and practices.

(Aesop Fables)

• All of Aesop's fables contain a lesson or a moral.

• Although they are popular with children, and make good moral teaching aids,
they weren’t originally intended for children at all!
• Most of the fables are about animals, although not all of them.
• One of the most famous non-animal fables is about ‘the belly and the members’
(the hands and feet).
• In the fable, the hands and feet get angry that they work hard to get the food
that the belly eats without getting anything in return. They decide to stop
providing food for the belly and let him starve. They soon find that they in turn
are weakened, but it is too late: the woodcut shows an emaciated man so
weakened with hunger that he is lying on the ground.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 Historical Background of
LESSON 3 Children’s Literature

Aesop’s Fables in Print

• Aesop's Fables were among the first illustrated books to be printed.

• The earliest known example was published in Bamberg, Germany, in 1461.
• They were first published in English by William Caxton in 1484. Caxton had
introduced the printing press to Britain just eight years earlier. He translated
the fables into English from French translation by Julien Macho, printed by J
Rousset in 1482. Caxton’s woodcut illustrations also follow Rousset.
• Some of the images in Aesop's fables are rather disturbing and gory.
• You may need to decide how appropriate they are for a child's tale.
• The English translation of Aesop's Fables, printed by William Caxton, was one
of the earliest non-religious books to appear. Illustrations interspersed
throughout the text made for more pleasurable reading.

Aesop’s Famous Fables

The Tortoise and the Hare: Never Give Up!

The Story: A Hare is boasting about his speed in front of the other animals and
challenges any one of them to race him. A Tortoise accepts his challenge. At first the
Hare thinks it’s a joke, but the Tortoise is being serious. So, soon after they begin the
race. The Hare runs full speed ahead and to make fun of the Tortoise, he decides to
take a nap. The Tortoise keeps slowly going and going. When the Hare wakes up, he
notices that the Tortoise is near the finishing post and fails to win the race.

The Ants and the Grasshopper: Work Hard and Play Hard!

The Story: A Grasshopper spends his summer singing and dancing, while a team of
Ants have worked hard all summer collecting food for the winter. He doesn’t
understand why the Ants work so hard. When winter comes, the Grasshopper finds
himself dying of hunger and see’s the ant serving up food to survive. He then
understands why the Ants were working so hard.

The Dog and the Shadow: Be happy With What You Have.

The Story: A Dog is walking home with a piece of meat in his mouth. On his way home
he crosses a river and looks into the water. He mistakes his own reflection for another
Dog and wants his meat also. But as he opens his mouth, the meat falls into the river
and is never seen again.

The Two Crabs: Lead by Example!

The Story: Two Crabs, a mother and a child are walking across the sand. The mother
Crab scolds her child for walking wrong and tells him to walk more gracefully. The
child Crab explains that he doesn’t know how to and asks his mother to show him. The
mother Crab is unable to walk right herself.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 Historical Background of
LESSON 3 Children’s Literature

The Lion and the Mouse: No act of kindness is Ever Wasted.

The Story: A Lion is fast asleep until a Mouse wakes him up. The Lion opens his big
jaw to swallow him. But the Mouse begs the Lion to think again, as he may become
useful in the future. The Lion laughs the idea off and lets him go. Sometime later, the
Lion is caught in a trap by some Hunters. At that moment the same little Mouse walks
by and notices the Lion trapped. He walks up and chews the rope to free the Lion. The
Mouse smiles and says, was I not right?

Medieval Period

Most medieval literature for children was intended either to educate or entertain.
Those books dedicated to education taught medieval children everything from how to
read, to what good behaviour looked like, to history, science, and philosophy.

Children’s Literature in the Middle Ages

Children experienced literature in the Middle Ages in two ways: orally and in written
form. The oral tradition was probably way more extensive and was accessible to every
child, no matter their social status. Not every child could read, but most children could
listen to stories, songs, and rhymes told to them by parents and nurses.

The manuscript tradition is somewhat less extensive. There are not a huge number of
surviving examples of children’s books because books were expensive and less widely
available. Also, children tend to read books to death so its probable that a lot of the
material is lost.

Both oral and written books were available to children during the Middle Ages. Every
youngster, regardless of social rank, had access to the oral tradition, which was likely
much more extensive. While most kids could listen to stories, songs, and rhymes told
to them by parents and caregivers, not all kids could read.

The tradition of manuscripts is somewhat less widespread. Because books were more
expensive and scarce, there aren't many surviving examples of children's literature.
Also, kids devour books, so it's likely that a lot of the information is lost.

So what kind of books did youngsters in the Middle Ages read? The majority of
medieval children's literature was written to either instruct or amuse.

• Literature is characterized as religious and highly biblical and romantic with

embedded realism and fantasy.
• People used stories in teaching morals.
• Religion was a huge influence in terms of education due to domination and
influence of the Roman Catholic church.
• Biblical stories were popular with children.
• Heroic adventures were also familiar in the search for places to spread Catholic
teachings.
• Beowuld and Grendel were two of the prominent characters during the
medieval period.
• Recording of literature commenced.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 Historical Background of
LESSON 3 Children’s Literature

• Written literary works started with the monk's lesson books for young people
during the old English period.

ABC Books

Also called abecedario, abcee, abcie, or absey books, ABC books contain, in addition
to the alphabet, depending on their historical function, a selection of illustrations,
rhymes, a syllabarium, prayers, biblical texts, or stories.

Hornbooks

Developed before the advent of moveable type printing, circa 1450-1455, hornbooks
were used to teach children letters, numbers, arithmetic, poetry, and bible
verses.Many feature

clear sheets of mica to permit teachers and parents to change lessons which were
written or printed on vellum, parchment, and paper.

"Be who you are and say how you feel because those who mind don't matter, and
those who matter don't mind." —Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

References:

Imagine Forest (2017).12 Life Lessons From Aesop’s Fables.

Retrieved from https://www.imagineforest.com/blog/life-lessons-aesops-fables/

Interesting Literature (N.D). The Best Fables by Aesop Everyone Should Know.
Retrieved from https://bit.ly/402tWOF

Significant Publications (N.D.). History of Children Literature.

Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3Jy1E7Y

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 4 Puritan and Didactic Periods

PART I
Children and Children’s Literature

Lesson 4:
Elements of Children Adolescents Literature: Other Stylistic Elements
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
• expound knowledge on children and adolescent literature and its historical
development , in relation to today’s rich repertoire.

Puritan Period

History

The Puritans were members of a religious reform movement known as

Puritanism that arose within the Church of England in the late 16th century.
They believed the Church of England was too similar to the Roman Catholic
Church and should eliminate ceremonies and practices not rooted in the Bible.
Some Puritans favored a presbyterian form of church organization; others,
more radical, began to claim autonomy for individual congregations. Still, others
were content to remain within the structure of the national church but set
themselves against Catholic and episcopal authority.

Literary History of the Puritan Period

• Puritans believed children were wicked and needed to be saved.

• Children’s books were written to indoctrinate children with social values.
• The Literatures that were made for this era were intended for adults,
but children read them anyway.
• The key characteristics of Puritan Literature include the use of the First-
Person Point of View, a focus on religious themes such as predestination,
a simple writing style, incorporation of many Biblical allusions, and an
instillment of fear in the reader.
• Puritan Literature (1620-1750) was a literary movement started by
Puritans that reached its peak in the 17th century and focused on guiding
others to follow the word of God and uphold the Bible.
Children’s Literature in Puritan Period

The Bay Psalm Book (1640)

• The Bay Psalm Book was printed in 1640 in the colony of Massachusetts.
• The Bay Psalm Book was a translation of the Book of Psalms from
Hebrew into English.
• The Bay Psalm Book was worked on by many Puritan authors and
leaders, including Richard Mather and John Eliot.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 4 Puritan and Didactic Periods

• The purpose of the Bay Psalm Book was to provide the everyday reader
access to the many traditional poems and hymnal prayers found in the
Book of Psalms.

Of Plymouth Plantation (1630-1651) by William Bradford

• Of Plymouth Plantation is the personal journal kept by William Bradford,

who was the leader of the Plymouth colony.
• Of Plymouth Plantation is regarded as a key piece of Puritan Literature
because it gives an intimate and detailed account of the early lives of
pilgrims in the Massachusetts colonies.
• It reveals many aspects of the Puritan way of life, such as what was
considered virtuous and what was considered sinful.
"To My Dear Beloved Husband" (1650) by Anne Bradstreet

• Anne Bradstreet was a Puritan pilgrim living in the colony of

Massachusetts and was known for her Puritan poetry.
• Her poem "To My Dear Beloved Husband" provides a glimpse into an
aspect of Puritan life not often seen in Puritan literature.
• It allows the reader to see the relationship between a husband and wife
and how that is shaped by Puritanism.

Didactic Period

Definition

Didacticism is a literary movement encompassing written works that both

instruct and entertain.

Origins of Didacticism

Didacticism began before the written word. Early cultures dispersed knowledge
and entertainment through oral storytelling. Spoken fables, parables, and
myths were a means to educate as well as amuse.

Fairy tales are an early example of didacticism. They started as an oral tradition
and eventually passed from culture to culture, with each society putting their
own spin on the tales to ensure they captured their community’s norms. The
first written fairy tale, believed to be “The Smith and the Devil,” dates to 1300
BCE.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 4 Puritan and Didactic Periods

Types of Didactic works

Didacticism defies literary genres. Didactic text appears in virtually every kind
of writing, including:
• Children’s literature
• Essays
• Fables and fairy tales
• Fiction
• Mythology
• Nonfiction
• Plays
• Poetry and verse

Examples in of Didacticism in Literature

1. Aesop, Aesop’s Fables

The fables created by Greek storyteller Aesop are the most enduring examples
of ancient didactic literature. They started out as popular tales in the oral
tradition and weren’t written down until some 300 years after Aesop’s death in
564 BCE. There are 725 fables in total.

2. Mark Twain, “Advice to Youth"

“Advice to Youth” is an 1882 essay by Mark Twain, intended as a satire of

various adult mores and institutions. The style is intentionally overly didactic to
emphasizethe essay’s satirical nature.

3. Herman Hesse, Siddhartha

It is a story about a young man named Siddhartha, who lives during the time
of the Buddha and undertakes a similar journey of self-discovery. He meets
many people during his adventures, each of whom teaches him a big lesson
about life, death, human nature, enlightenment, or a similar mystery. Though
inspired by Buddhism, Siddhartha is on a path uniquely his own that ultimately
presents him with the reality of the separateness of the human experience—
and how, paradoxically, the commonality of our separateness is something that
connects us.

Other Examples:
• The Bible
• Grimm’s Fairy Tales
• Alice Adventures in Wonderland
• Into the Looking Glass
• Cook Books
• Works and Days

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 4 Puritan and Didactic Periods

References:

SuperSummary. (n.d.). SuperSummary.

https://www.supersummary.com/didacticism/

Onion, A., Sullivan, M., Mullen, M., & Zapata C. (2019, July 30). The Puritans.
Retrieved from: The Puritans - HISTORY

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 5 VERBAL ELEMENTS

PART II
Elements of Children and Adolescent’s Literature
Lesson 5:
Verbal Elements
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
• identify the elements of children and adolescent’s literature making it a unique
genre of its own.

I. Writer’s Purpose

Reading comprehension, or understanding your reading, comes from identifying and

studying key elements of a text, such as the author's purpose.

The author's purpose is the reason or motivation for writing a text. Why does the
purpose matter? Knowledge of the author's purpose allows readers to respond to the
text and to match appropriate texts to specific needs.

• To Inform mostly presents information or explains, like in a textbook or

news story.
• To Persuade mostly argues a point or tries to convince, like in an editorial or
advertisement.
• To Entertain mostly provides entertainment, like in a poem or funny essay.

What are the literary, verbal, and visual elements of child and adolescent literature?
The following discusses verbal elements of Child and Adolescent Literature:

I. Plot is the sequence of events showing characters in action.

Sequence is chosen by the author as the best way of telling the story.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 5 VERBAL ELEMENTS

Three Elements of Plot

Narrative Order is the way or the order in which the writer chooses to unfold
the story to the reader.

Chronological Events are related in the order of their happening.

Flashbacks is the writer disrupts normal time sequence to recount some past
event.

Conflict are the struggles of the protagonist of the story faces.

Person-against-self: Character typically faces an internal conflict which pulls

her/him toward two courses of action.

Person-against-person: involves a struggle between two or more characters.

Person-against-society: involves a struggle between a character, or characters

and either social mores, cultural values or sometimes the law.

Person-against-nature: involves a conflict between a character and some force

or forces of nature Pattern of Action: the pattern that the action of the story takes
place.

Suspense is the state of uncertainty about what events will happen in the story-
cliffhanger, foreshadowing, and sensationalism

Climax is the peak and turning point of conflict, point at which the reader knows the
outcome of the action

Denouement is the resolution or tying together of the plot that gives the reader a
sense of completeness at the end.

Point of View is the side of the story the reader sees as revealed by the author
through the characters. Point of view is seen through the eyes and minds of characters
as the plot unfolds.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 5 VERBAL ELEMENTS

Types of Point of View:

First Person is the Story told through first-person narrator "I" whose
actions and feelings influence story. This character is limited in
perspective because she/he cannot tell what another character thinks
unless told by the other character.

Objective Point of View is where the Author lets actions speak for
themselves. Author describes only the characters' actions; the reader is
left to infer characters' thoughts and feelings.

Omniscient Point of View is the Story is told in the third person with
author talking about "they, he, or she". Author is not restricted to the
knowledge, experience and feelings of one character.

Feelings, thoughts and even motives of any or all characters can be

revealed to give the reader helpful information

Limited Omniscient Point of View is the combination of first-person

and omniscient. Story is told through the eyes of a single character,
usually the protagonist, but is not told in first-person

Theme is the idea that holds the story together or the author's message to the reader.
It is the main idea or the central meaning of the story.

Themes often deal with society, human nature, the human condition, social issues,
and good versus evil Authors reveals theme explicitly as well as implicitly
Stories usually have a cluster of themes which are often related.

II. Characters

In children's literature, character is used to mean a person or personified

animal or object.

- the mental, emotional, and social qualities to distinguish one entity from
another (people, animals, spirits, automatons, pieces of furniture, and
other animated objects)

- Main Characters: Antagonist & Protagonist

- Supporting Characters

Character Development are the collection of features that bring the character to
life, inner and outer qualities.

- is the change that a character undergoes from the beginning of a story to

the end.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 5 VERBAL ELEMENTS

Types of Characters

Round Characters are those the reader/listener/viewer gets to know well. They
have a variety of traits that make them believable.

Central characters are well developed in good literature.

Flat Characters are the less important characters, but essential to the action

Character Change:

Dynamic Characters is the changes in the course of the action.

Static Characters are the characters are no change in the course of the story-
flat characters, stereotypes and foils (a minor character whose traits are in
direct contrast to the main character)
:
III. Setting is the time and place where the story occurs.

• It is an element of literature used to state time and place

• The backdrop of the story
• Time can be historical or modern
• It can be drawn from imagination or based historical events

Three types of setting

Temporal Setting
• When the story is taking place
• Period when the action unfolds
• Time can be historical or modern
• Can be fictional or world to real time periods

Environmental Setting
• Can also be fictitious
• Forces of nature such as weather climatic condition affect the
setting

Individual Setting Surrounds the mood and life of the character

Characteristics of setting

• Time identified as past, present or future

• Setting is developed through text or illustrations

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 5 VERBAL ELEMENTS

IV. Style is the Author's choice and arrangement of words in order to

create plot, characterizations, setting, and theme.

How author writes rather than what author writes.

Devices of Style:

Connotation: Associative or emotional meaning of a word; usually used to

describe a character or situation.

Imagery: the appeal of the senses; helps to create setting, establish mood
and character

Figurative Language: Words used in a non-literal way, giving meaning

beyond the usual sense. Ex) personification, simile, or metaphor.

Hyperbole: exaggeration used for humor or to make a point

Understatement: opposite of exaggeration; used to play down a happening

or situation.

Allusion: tends to have more meaning for mature readers; relies on a

reference to something in our common understanding, our past, or our
literature.

Symbol: something that operates on two levels of meaning, the literal and the
figurative levels.

To analyze the author style, the readers must look into the following:

• The word used as well as the structures of the sentences

• The mood created
• The tone of the story
• The effect that the author wants to achieve
• The symbolism, imagery, details, and
• The use of the literary devices.
• Puns and Wordplay

References:

Kauffman, S., (2005) STORY ELEMENTS: WHICH IMPACT CHILDREN'S READING.

Ree, H., (2017) Literary Elements of Children's Literature. http://hye-ree-

park.blogspot.com/2012/08/literary-elements-of-childrens.html

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 7 Visual Elements in Literature

PART II
Elements of Children and Adolescent’s Literature
Lesson 7
Visual Elements
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
• interpret the meaning suggested in literature through visual elements such as
lines, color, shape, texture, styles and illustrations.

Visual Elements

The Visual Elements are Line - Shape - Tone - Color - Pattern - Texture - Form. They
are the building blocks of composition in art. When we analyze any drawing, painting,
sculpture or design, we examine these component parts to see how they combine to
create the overall effect of the artwork. Each of the elements may also be used
individually to stress their own particular character in an artwork. Different elements
can express qualities such as movement and rhythm, space and depth, growth and
structure, harmony and contrast, noise and calm and a wide range of emotions that
make up the subjects of great art.

Line

Line is the foundation of all drawing. It is the first and most versatile of the visual
elements of art. Line in an artwork can be used in many different ways. It can be used
to suggest shape, pattern, form, structure, growth, depth, distance, rhythm,
movement and a range of emotions.

We have a psychological response to different types of lines:

• Curved lines suggest comfort and ease

• Horizontal lines suggest distance and calm
• Vertical lines suggest height and strength
• Jagged lines suggest turmoil and anxiety

The way we draw a line can convey different expressive qualities:

• Freehand lines can express the personal energy and mood of the artist
• Mechanical lines can express a rigid control
• Continuous lines can lead the eye in certain directions
• Broken lines can express the ephemeral or the insubstantial
• Thick lines can express strength
• Thin lines can express delicacy

Color

Color is the visual element that has the strongest effect on our emotions. We use color
to create the mood or atmosphere of an artwork.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 7 Visual Elements in Literature

There are many different approaches to the use of color

• Color as light
• Color as tone
• Color as pattern
• Color as form
• Color as symbol
• Color as movement
• Color as harmony
• Color as contrast
• Color as mood

Shape

Shape can be natural or man-made, regular or irregular, flat (2-dimensional) or solid

(3-dimensional), representational or abstract, geometric or organic, transparent or
opaque, positive or negative, decorative or symbolic, colored, patterned or textured.
The Perspective of Shapes: The angles and curves of shapes appear to change
depending on our viewpoint. The technique we use to describe this change is called
perspective drawing.

The Behavior of Shapes

• Shapes can be used to control your feelings in the composition of an artwork

• Squares and Rectangles can portray strength and stability
• Circles and Ellipses can represent continuous movement
• Triangles can lead the eye in an upward movement
• Inverted Triangles can create a sense of imbalance and tension

Texture

Texture is the surface quality of an artwork - the roughness or smoothness of the

material from which it is made. We experience texture in two ways: optically (through
sight) and physically (through touch).

Optical Texture: An artist may use his/her skillful painting technique to create the
illusion of texture. For example, in the detail from a traditional Dutch still life above
you can see remarkable verisimilitude (the appearance of being real) in the painted
insects and drops of moisture on the silky surface of the flower petals.

Physical Texture: An artist may paint with expressive brushstrokes whose texture
conveys the physical and emotional energy of both the artist and his/her subject. They
may also use the natural texture of their materials to suggest their own unique qualities
such as the grain of wood, the grittiness of sand, the flaking of rust, the coarseness
of cloth and the smear of paint.

Ephemeral Texture: This is a third category of textures whose fleeting forms are
subject to change like clouds, smoke, flames, bubbles and liquids.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 7 Visual Elements in Literature

Style

Illustrators use different styles to create different moods and feelings in illustrations.
For example, a cartoonish style may be used to create a lighthearted, humorous mood,
while a realistic style may be used to create a serious, realistic mood.

The elements, or principles, of style include:

• Contrast
• Balance
• Emphasis
• Movement
• White Space
• Proportion
• Hierarchy
• Repetition
• Rhythm
• Pattern
• Unity
• Variety

These principles of design work together to create something that is aesthetically

pleasing and optimizes the user experience.

Illustration

Illustration is used to create a visual representation of the story being told. Illustrations
can be realistic or abstract, and can be used to enhance the story, provide visual cues,
or simply add interest to the text.

Need to represent Something Abstract, Use Illustrations

Sure, many ideas, stories, can be told via just copy/text. However, they should be
paired with some sort of visual representation. The more abstract or complex an idea
becomes, the more important it becomes to incorporate an illustration into the design.
Even something as little as illustrating numbers or bullet points can convey that the
text has an order or important list of items. Or, something even more abstract, such
as the planets in the solar system, is much easier to understand when paired with an
illustration to show what each planet looks like, size differences, and the order they
are in.

If the Subject is too Ambitious to Photograph, Use Illustrations

If you’re working on a project that involves futuristic concepts or characters, definitely

find a way to use illustration. Rather than setting up an overly complex and expensive
photoshoot that will need to be Photoshopped, simplify the process with an illustration.
At ocreations, we recently created an illustration for the Pittsburgh Irish Festival. The
festival has been held at the same location for years, and is going to be at a new
location this year. Since it is in a new location, people may have a hard time visualizing
what it will be like.

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 LESSON 7 Visual Elements in Literature

If You Want to Tell a Story, Use Illustrations

Think about the stories you’ve read or heard over the years. There are often characters
or a journey that you can imagine in your head. Bring these imaginations to life in your
design projects when they need to tell a story. No, the illustrations do not have to look
“cartoony” or “childish” – there are different stylistic ways to approach illustrations,
depending on the type of story, brand, or client you work with. The idea of creating
characters or other elements to tell a story is a fundamental part of storytelling, and
can be applied to many different situations.

Illustrations Add Personality to Words

Depending on the context of the information that needs visual representation,

illustrations can help determine the personality of the design at hand. They can convey
moods or emotions present in the text, or brand as a whole. For instance, designs that
express happiness, sadness, humor, charm, etc. are stimulants to the viewer, and can
ultimately strengthen a message.

References:

Arty Form (2022). THE VISUAL ELEMENTS. Retrieved from

https://tinyurl.com/4v4vd6ws

Creations (n.d.). The Importance of Illustrations in Design. Retrieved from

https://tinyurl.com/4352btnb

Designers (n.d.). The Principles of Design and Their Importance. Retrieved from
https://tinyurl.com/bdky6ckp

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 Elements of Children Adolescents
Literature: Other Stylistic Elements
LESSON 7

PART II
Children and Children’s Literature

Lesson:
Elements of Children Adolescents Literature: Other Stylistic Elements
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
• analyze the verbal, visual, and other stylistic elements of literature in suitable
children and adolescent texts.

OTHER STYLISTIC ELEMENTS

• Music Quality
• Action
• Story Interest
• Variety of Subject Matter

Music Quality:
- refers to the use of rhythm, meter, sound patterns, and
repetition of sounds or words to create a musical effect in the
language of a written text. This musical quality in literature is
significant because it can make the text more engaging and
memorable for young readers.
- Children are captivated by their sound, rhymes, and rhythms.
Examples:
1. Nursery rhymes - “Itsy Bitsy Spider”, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”,
“Baa, Baa, Black Sheep”

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

2. Songs = “You Are My Sunshine”, “Happy Birthday”

You Are My Sunshine My only sunshine.

You make me happy When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear, How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away
The other night, dear,
As I lay sleeping I dreamed I held you in my arms.
And now that you’re here,
My dreams are waking
© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)
 Elements of Children Adolescents
Literature: Other Stylistic Elements
LESSON 7

And I will keep you from all harm.

3. Chants = “1,2, Buckle My Shoe”, “B-I-N-G-O”

One, two, Buckle my shoe;

Three, four, Knock at the door;
Five, six, Pick up sticks;
Seven, eight, Lay them straight:
Nine, ten, A big fat hen.

It can enhance language development, create emotional connections,

and make literature more enjoyable for children and adolescents.

Action:
• Acting refers to a character's bodily actions and activities in a
work of literature.
• Action, in some form, occurs in every narrative. Gustav Freytag
(1816-95), a 19th-century German writer, proposed breaking
down a plot into five key stages:

• Antecedent action/exposition = refers to the actions that

occur before the major action of the story.
Example: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

• Rising action = a storyline point where the primary conflict

of the story gradually builds in tension.

Example: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

• Climax = the climax of the mounting action and the pivotal

scene in the story.

Example: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K.

Rowling (final confrontation between Harry Potter and Lord
Voldemort), The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien (Final Battle)
and The Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (the moment
when Romeo and Juliet tools their lives.

• Falling action = the section of a plot after the climax where

the tension lessens and the conflict moves towards resolution.

Example: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 Elements of Children Adolescents
Literature: Other Stylistic Elements
LESSON 7

• Dénouement/Résolution = the section of the novel where

everything is explained and the characters feel as though their
problems have been settled.
Examples: The Lion King movie and The Lion and the
Mouse by Aesop

Action broadly speaking relates to characters' motions and activities.

Story Interest:

9 Fun Ways to Keep Kids Interested in Reading and Storytelling

by Marjorie Ingall

1. Storytelling doesn’t just mean reading!

2. If your kid doesn’t like to read, don’t give up.
3. You can’t go wrong with funny.
4. Dedicate time to reading.
5. Let kids choose their own books.
6. Harness peer pressure.
7. Get your kid into series books.
8. Kids see through “do as I say, not as I do.”
9. Pro Tip: “Two truths and a lie” is a good way to get sullen tweens
to tell a story.

Variety of Subject Matter:

• Children enjoy the variety of fiction topics

Example:
MYSTERY
• Example: Zootopia
HORROR
• Example: IT
ROMANCE
• Example: The Enchanted Princess
DYSTOPIAN

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)

 Elements of Children Adolescents
Literature: Other Stylistic Elements
LESSON 7

• Example: Hunger games

HISTORICAL
• Example: The Impossible (2012)
FANTASY
• Example: Alice in the wonderland
SPY THRILLER
• Example: SPY x FAMILY
SCIENCE FICTION
• Example: The Avatar

Reference:

© 2022 Caraga State University EL 105 (Children and Adolescent Literature)