Children Respond Reflectively to Literature

Michigan Reading Journal

Volume 12 Issue 1 Article 4

January 1978

Patricia Cianciolo

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Recommended Citation Cianciolo, Patricia (1978) "Children Respond Reflectively to Literature," Michigan Reading Journal: Vol. 12 : Iss. 1 , Article 4. Available at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mrj/vol12/iss1/4

This Other is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Michigan Reading Journal by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FOCUS: LITERATURE CHILDREN RES POND REFLECTIVEL V TO LITERATURE Patricia Cianciolo Professor of Children's Literature Michigan State University

What does the reading of literature activity and the reading of literature will and responding to it have to do with provide exactly the kind of fare that will becoming a capable reader? Is this an help young readers to acquire the habit ambiguous question? Not at all! Actually, of engaging in reflective (critical) thinking it is very important that educators ask when they read. Let us consider a few this question of themselves and answer it, specific responses that suggest reflective too. To ignore the question is to do dis thinking to the printed word, responses service to the children we teach. Examina which can be expected of children at any tion of the second-cycle objectives for grade level. the next round of the ational Assess The reader should be able to under ment ofEducationalProgress1 in the areas stand and evaluate the author's use of of reading and literature will reveal, I words and sentences in context. Even think, the importance of this question primary grade children can respond and and might well offer an answer to it. evaluate literature in this way. Read Included among the objectives for both aloud or ask children to read Hide and reading and literature are those which Seek Fog by Alvin Tresselt and Emilio's focus on reflective or critical thinking in Summer Day by Miriam Bou me. Ask the response to language - be that language children to compare and contrast how in print, oral or enacted. Implementation the au tho rs of these picture books used of these objectives calls for providing words to help the readers to feel the learning experiences in which readers weather elements. Tresselt uses poetic must respond reflectively to the reading prose to help his readers feel the moisture of literary selections and share these and the cold, to create the eerie mood responses - their understanding, inter when one is playing in the mist and fog. pretations and evaluations of the pieces, Bourne expresses her thoughts about the be they fiction, poetry, factual writing, oppressive summer heat in language that short stories, essays and editorials, dramas, is direct, simple and forceful. Middle biographies or magazines. Space limita grade readers will easily recognize the tions allow for only a brief discussion of power of words to arouse intense emo the variety of ways that reflective respon tions and they may be able to appreciate ses to literature might contribute towards and respect diversity in writing style as children becoming more capable, thought they compare two accounts of animals' ful readers of all printed material. Perhaps behavior when they are caught in a forest the thoughts expressed here will convince fire. So dramatically yet so differently you that you are already doing a fine job do the au th ors and illustrators of Wildfire in using literature to help children become and The Death of a Wombat tell their the skillful, thoughtful and critic al readers stories. In Wildfire, Evans G. Valens, Jr.. that are reflected in the various objectives uses exqui ite poetic prose to tell his included in the reading and literature account of the animals' terror and Clem- components of the ational Assessment. Perhaps you will view the kinds of learn For information about , ational A ses ment ing experiences and specific publications and a detailed li t of the revised objectives and exemplifying content write to ational discussed here worth trying and will prove A e ment of Education Progre s, 700 Lin to be effective in helping the children coln Tower, 1860 Lincoln Street, Denver become skillful, thoughtful and crj tical Colorado, 80203. Reports of the results of the past National Assessment programs may readers. At best, it is hoped that even this be ordered from Superintendent of Docu brief discussion will help us to always ment , U.S. Government Printing Office, keep in mind that reading is a thinking Washington, D.C. 20402.

7 ent Hurd's sophisticated woodcut prints be red-eyed and worn when they finish on rice paper masterfully extend and reaqing this fine collection of five epi enrich the story. In contrast, The Death sodes. of a Wombat, Ivan Smith tells his story in language that sometimes simple and The reader should respond to and sometimes embellished and Clifton Pugh evaluate a work by relating it to one's illustrates the story with simple, action self, one's own culture or to cultures of filled, line drawings and expressionistic others. At times the reader will read to paintings; together Smith and Pugh per seek knowledge and insights about mat sonalize the dreadful, urgent sense of ters involving her - or himself primarily. tragedy felt by the animals caught in a Thus, for the child who views going to savage brush fire. bed as something s/he would rather avoid The reader should comprehend and or for the one who is convinced that the evaluate how the author combines images, worst part of going to bed is having to incidents, characters and ideas to create get up in the morning, Judi Barrett's an emotional effect and to state a theme picture book about the good and bad or message. This kind of reflective things about going to bed, I Hate to Go response can be evoked from children to Bed, will be comforting. The full page who read Mama by Lee Bennett Hopkins crosshatch overlay illustrations by Ray and My Twin Sister, Erika by Ilse-Marga Cruz contribute to the realism and humor ret Vogel. Both of these stories are short which is offered the readers of this in and easy to read; both are stories that sightful and simple text. Likewise, anyone one will think about long after the last who wants a dog but is told that, "The word is read and the books are returned city (9r apartment) is no place for a dog." to the shelves. I_n each story the author or "Tropical fish make an educational emphasize.s that one must be himself or pet, one that keeps the house neat." will herself and one must respect and appre delight in Sidney Offit's short story "A ciate uniqueness in people. Each story is Dog No Eyes Can See." Offit's story of based on the authors' own childhood how an affectionate puppy named Rudi experiences and is told as a first person (who had the droopy lids of a Saint narrative. Yet each story is so different Bernard, pointed ears, the body of a from the other. The readers will remember German shepherd and fine withers, the Mama! She is tough, forceful, cheerful, a forearm, knee and pastern resembling a bit gauche, apparently entirely without beagle) was made invisible by feeding feelings of guilt in her thievery and she is him magic elixir, endured a trial basis overflowing with love for her two father and eventually was accepted as a member less sons. Mama is an "up" story but it of the family. This is one of six original is one that will leave the reader (like the humorous short stories written by well narrator) feeling anguished, ambivalent known writers as Scott Corbett, Lloyd and very fond of Mama. Ms. Vogle's Alexander and Marilyn Sachs, gathered in story is thoroughly poignant and amazing Just For Fun and edited by Ann Durrell. ly simply stated, consisting of five epi Two books that are bound to alert the sodes involving twin sisters who are so readers to the beauty that surrounds close that only after one of the girls dies them in their here-and-now world should at age seven can the surviving twin say be mentioned. One of my favorites among that "Today I will be me ... I will be the books this year is Guess Who My myself' but promises also to love her Favorite Person Is written by Byrd Baylor mother " . . . as if I was still two." and illustrated by Robert Andres Parker Children will find comfort, security and with line-and-wash impressionistic paint genuine love in these episodes about ings. The readers will enjoy matching Erika and Inge. The girls were so much their favorite color, place to live, thing alike yet so very different from each to touch, smell, dream, thing to taste, other. The readers will get to know each thing to see moving and time of day with of the girls well but they will get them the favorites identified by the narrator mixed up too, as did their Uncle Max; and his young friend. Also worthy of they will enjoy the accounts of how the note is The Golden Circle. This is a little girls exchanged identities; they will involve gem consisting of twelve essays about the themselves in the girls' arguments and natural world around us - recording what wonderful projects. They, like I was, will nature is doing and how it looks from

8 month to month. Foremost botanical march" to Fort Sumner from Canyon de artist Ann Ophelia Dowden's illustrations Chelly in 1864; Anpao is a full length, are dainty, detailed, precise, vivid, realistic mature allegorical novel about an Ameri paintings (in full color and actual size can Indian's dangerous quest across and in natural settings). deserts, mountains and prairies and his encounters with the white man and his Children are instinctively curious and guns, horses and diseases. All three books questive; they soon become valuing in provide major ethical and human rights terms of their culture and the quality problems which the reader can ponder and variety of their personal and educa about. tional experiences. Gradually they become The short stories which Nicholasa Mohr less egocentric in their awareness and included in her two most recent books awakening; eventually they view them El Bronx Remembered and In Nueva selves in relation to an ever-expanding Yark offer young readers in the middle and more cosmopolitan world. They do grades and up a sensitive and intricate not see themselves in isolation but in statement about life among members of terms of an interrelation with everything the Puerto Rican community in ew on earth. When a reading teacher or York's Lower East Side called the El literature teacher asks the reader to Barrio or Spanish Harlem. In all of her . respond reflectively or critically s/he is stories Ms. Mohr emphasizes that the asking the reader to do more than sum human spirit gives one strength no matter marize a story, recall facts about an what the circumstances. Most readers will author or his writing or do more than be amazed that the people in her stories engage in literal interpretations of the are determined to survive in spite of hard printed word. A great many of the con and tragic lives. Ms. Mohr affirms in her temporary literary pieces offer fare that passionate and intensely personal stories will cause the reader to think critically that in life, these people find humor and about problems, situations and issues that pathos, excitement, hope and despair, are significant and relevant in society dignity and self respect. today, that cause the reader to realize that oftentimes there are pros and cons Like Nicholasa Mohr, James Lincoln to a social issue, that will lead the reader Collier addresses his writing to an element to evaluate book characters' behavior or among an oppressed people who accom authors' themes and messages in terms of plish great things in spite of the great an ethical or moral standard. In the pub odds against them. In a very fine collec lication Bear's Heart · one finds graphic tion of biographical studies entitled The documentation narrating how a Cheyenne Great Jazz Artists Mr. Collier provides an known as Bear's Heart and hundreds of interesting survey of the lives and music Plains Indians were hunted down in the of the great jazz musicians from its roots winter of 1874-75 by the United States in African music and early Black Ameri Army when the Indians left their reserva can work songs, to its birth in New tions in an attempt to regain their tradi Orleans, through the swinging bebop era tional way of life and sent to a large of the 1940s and to the improvised and military prison in Florida. The events of free jazz of the 1960s and 1970s. The this Indian experience are recorded in a monoprints in the expressionistic art text by Burton Supree and Ann Ross in a style by the well known water colorist series of colored pictures which Bear's Robert Andrew Parker contribute a great Heart drew in a school notebook given deal to this unique commentary about him by his captors. Middle grade and the contributions that the leaders of this junior high school pupils of history or enduring and influential form of music social studies might enjoy comparing have had on our society. Each full page Bear's Heart account with that offered by portrait would be worth framing and Scott O'Dell in his historical fiction Sing hanging in any jazz enthusiast's room. Down the Moon, a long time favorite Accompanying each biographical sketch among young people, or Jamake High is an annotated bibliography of books water's new odyssey entitled Anpao. Sing about each artist and the available records Down the Moon, a short and easy to of his or her music. Among the jazz read novel is a devastating narrative about artists studied are Bessie Smith, Scott a Navajo girl and her people's "long Joplin, Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter)

9 Blind Lemon Jefferson, Jelly Roll Mor the mountains, the waterfalls, the native ton, Bix Beiderbecke, Fats Waller, flowers, trees and shrubs. The teahouse, Fletcher Henderson, Lester Young, Char a bridge and low curly clouds which com lie Parker, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday plete the Chinese landscape give the and Louis Armstrong. viewer a sense of meditation, serenity, A reader should reflect on and evaluate peace, quietude, coolness and spiritual what s/he reads in comparison with other communion that suggests the mysticism works of literature, to other forms of art and contemplation so typical of the and/or to other modes of expression. traditional Chinese. The artist included All of us have known people who are the full moon in some of her pictures compulsive readers or compulsive viewers for she is obviously well aware that the of television or movies, but seldom in Chinese are a lunar people and believe their reading and viewing the media do that incidents of great importance seem they move to the point of comparing one to happen during a full moon. Intricate book with another, one program or film details are included in her portrayal of with another or even comparing a book the pagodas, the decorations on the vases, with a television or film version. Seldom walls, windows and staircases. On one do they evaluate their reading or viewing window one will note that what appears in terms of their artistic quality, authen at first glance to be mere decoration is ticity, depth or validity of the author's actually the word "longevity" written in theme or message. It is imperative that the Chinese characters. A detail like the the reading program and literature pro shaven heads of the infants is also in gram include learning experiences that cluded by this meticulous and scholarly will give pupils opportunities to think book artist. These details and so many about their reading and viewing of the more authenticate her interpretation of media in this. fashion. One could examine this well known fairy tale and will be Nancy Burkert's full-page paintings and noticed by the thoughtful and informed monocromatic sketches that illustrate Eva reader of words and pictures. Le Gallienne's translation of Hans Chris Readers of Vera and Bill Cleaver's tian Andersen's The Nightingale in terms junior novels (Trial Valley, The Whys and of how authentically she has interpreted Wherefores ofLittabelle Lee, The Memosa and adhered to the Chinese traditions, Tree, Where the Lilies Bloom, etc.) will mores, beliefs and symbolism. Consider recognize that these talented authors have some things I noticed and decided about amassed in their stories an amazing wealth her illustrations: The big black ant, the of knowledge about the life styles of ladybug, the butterfly and the grass mountaineers, the practice of herbal medi hoppers which on the petals of the cine and most important perhaps, the flowers on the book cover are there for human condition in general. a reason - a Chinese would not remove or kill that black ant or any other harm Few young people who have read less insect if s/he plucked a flower, for William Armstrong's Sounder or Alice the very presence of an insect on a Childress's A Hero Ain't No thin But a flower or fruit means that it is a very Sandwich will fail to respond to the film attractive, a very sweet flower or fruit; versions of these stories. The changes that therefore, the best and worthy of being were made in translating these novels into offered to the gods, the royality or a films are quite readily apparent and some loved one. The picture of the dragon people think the results serve to do an appears in the beginning and the end of injustice to the original story. On the the book. Why? It is the most awesome, other hand, although the film version of most powerful and most loved of the the Cleavers' novel Where the Lilies good luck bearing creatures. One sees Bloom is somewhat different from the dragons in about every design that is novel the result is the creation of a truly Chinese (frames of the lanterns, the pro artistic film story. Commercial film and trusions of the pagodas, on the pillars television versions of literary themes and stairways.) Thus it is right and proper abound and offer the reading teacher or that Ms. Burkert included them in her literature teacher fine vehicles for teach paintings, too. Her landscapes of the ing children to respond reflectively to Emperor's palace and environs are typical their reading and viewing of enactments Chinese scenes, complete with the seas, of literature on the media.

10 There are many beautiful retellings of BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BOOKS CITED folktales available for use in reading, Anderson, Hans Christian (Translated by Eva Le social studies and literature classes. These Gallienne.) The Nightingale. Illustrated by traditional tales can help children realize Nancy Ekholm Burkert. New York: Harper that people from different cultures are & Row, 1965. Armstrong, William. Sounder. Illustrated by much alike and very different from each James Barley. New York: Harper & Row, 1969. other. They can learn from these tales Barrett, Judi. I Hate To Go to Bed. Illustrated the traditions, the theological and psycho by Ray Cruz. New York: Four Winds Press, logical beliefs of people from different 1977. cultures. These stories can be used to Baylor, Byrd. Guess Who My Favorite Person help children realize that from the begin Is. Illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker. New ning of time to the present people of all York: Charles Scribners, 1977. Borland, Hal. The Golden Circle, A Book of cul tu res have been asking the basic Months. Illustrations by Anne Ophelia Dowden. humanities questions, that oftentimes New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1977. they express their thoughts and answers Bourne, Marian. Emilio's Summer Day. Illus about these questions in literal terms and trated by Ben Sheeter. New York: Harper & by way of symbolism. Two retellings of Row, 1966. folktales which might be used to gain Childress, Alice. A Hero Ain't Nothin But a insight into the thinking and values of Sandwich. New York: Coward, McCann and Geoghegan, 1973. people from different cultures might be Cleaver, Vera and Bill. Trial Valley. Philadel cited. Cricket Boy, retold by Feenie Ziner phia: J.B. Lippencott. 1977. and illustrated by Ed Young with full Cleaver, Vera and Bill. The Mimosa Tree. Phila color paintings suggestive of the classic delphia: J.B. Lippencott, 1969. Chinese art form is an excellent book! Cleaver', Vera and Bill. Where the Lilies Bloom. Attention to some of the questions asked Philadelphia: J.B. Lippencott, 1969. by Scholar Hu will surely evoke consider Cleaver, Vera and Bill. The Whys and Where able thoughtfulness to the basic humani fores of Littabelle Lee. New York: Atheneum, ties questions: "How can great things 1973. Collier, James Lincoln. The Great Jazz Artists. grow from small ones?" "How does power Illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker. New spring from weakness?" "How is that York: Four Winds Press, 1977. some crickets are naturally shy, and Durrell, Ann (editor). Just For Fun. New York: others are born fighters? What happens E.P. Dutton, 1977. to the spirit of a cricket when summer Highwater, Jamake. Anpao. Illustrated by Fritz ends and its body dies?" Another retelling Scholder. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippencott, 1977. of a folktale, this one a myth of Ancient Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Mama. New York: Alfred Egypt entitled the Voyage of Osiris and A. Knopf, 1977. McDermott, Gerald. The Voyage of Osiris. Illus is retold and illustrated by Caldecott trated by Gerald McDermott. New York: Wind award winner Gerald McDermott. In this mill/E.P. Dutton, 1977. story one finds a key to understanding Mohr, Nicholasa. El Bronx Remembered. New the Egyptian belief in Life after Death, York: Harper & Row, 1975. reincarnation and spiritual re birth. The Mohr, Nicholasa. In Nueva York. New York: opaque watercolor illustrations contain Dial Press, 1977. many authentic Egyptian graphic symbol O'Dell, Scott. Sing Down the Moon. Boston: isms. The paintings are done in an art Houghton Mifflin, 1970. Smith, Ivan. The Death of a Wombat. I llustra style suggestive of the ancient Egyptian ted by Clifton Pugh. New York: Charles Scrib art form yet are distinctively those which ners, 1972. are always done by Gerald McDermott Supree, Burton and Ann Ross. (Afterword by in his own unique form. Jamake Highwater). Bear's Heart. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1977. Tresselt, Alvin. Hide and Seek Fog. Illustrated by Roger Duvoisin. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1965. Val ens, Evans G. Jr., Wildfire. 1llustrated by Clement Hurd. Cleveland: World Publishing Co., 1963 Vogel, Ilse-Margaret. My Twin Sister, Erika. Illustrated by Ilse-Margaret Vogel. New York: Harper & Row, 1976. Ziner, Feenie. Cricket Boy. Illustrated by Ed Young. New York: Doubleday, 1977