English 529,
Taught by Tina L. Hanlon and Morag Styles
T/Th 2-5, Swannanoa 209
| Syllabus page: Course Description | Required Texts | Course Requirements | Research Resources |
WEEK ONE
Introduction
Begin discussion of oral traditions and nursery rhymes, with some samples to listen to or read together
Introductory discussion of research topics
Read traditional and regional nursery rhymes for today as you have time, and/or begin the following criticism:
Chap. 4 in Styles, From the Garden to the Street. On Reserve
Other Criticism:
Goldthwaite, "The world three inches tall: the descent of the nursery rhyme," in The Natural History of Make Believe. Read the first section on nursery rhymes; sections on Dr. Seuss and other poets will be relevant later in the course. On Reserve
Nodelman, Perry. "The Nursery Rhymes of Mother Goose: A World without Glasses," in Touchstones: Reflections on the Best in Children's Literature. West Lafayette, IN: Children's Literature Association. In vol. 2, pp. 183-200. Book in children's lit. alcove (we made copies for everyone during class).
Also recommended: Rollin, Lucy. Cradle and all: a cultural and psychoanalytic reading of nursery rhymes. Jackson: UP of Mississippi, 1992.
READING NOTE: With large collections of nursery rhymes and I Saw Esau, don't feel obligated to read every rhyme if you don't have time. Just make sure you are becoming familiar with the different types of rhymes represented in the longer books.
Follow-up on June 19 after first class:
We listened to Cat Stevens sing "Morning Has Broken," lyrics written by Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965) as a hymn for children
We listened to Rita Dove read "First Book". from Poetry Speaks to Children, book and CD (Sourcebooks, 2005).
We discussed significance of and attitudes toward poetry in our society.
Handouts:
"Characteristics of Children’s Literature as a Genre," from Perry Nodelman's Pleasures of Children's Literature, 1st ed.
Page from Morag on topics and paper suggestions for weeks 4-6
Copy of Nodelman's Touchstones essay on nursery rhymes (see above)
Journal assignment: write about what poetry means to you/early experiences with poetry
For intro. to oral traditions, see AppLit's General Guidelines for Teaching with Folk Tales, Fairy Tales, Fables, Ballads, and Other Short Works of Folklore
Study at least one collection of traditional nursery
rhymes such as one of the following:
The Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose. New York: Knopf, 1986.
On Reserve [formerly
published in 1986 as The Random House Mother Goose ]
My Very First Mother Goose. Ed. Iona Opie. Illus. Rosemary Wells. Candlewick 1996. ISBN-10: 1564026205 ISBN-13: 978-1564026200.
On Reserve
The Helen Oxenbury Nursery Rhyme Book, 1974. Ed. Brian Alderson. Rpt. London:
Mammoth, 1998. ISBN: 0749735341 9780749735340
Kate Greenaway's Mother Goose, or, Old Nursery Rhymes. On Reserve Hollins has the complete facsimile sketchbooks from the Arents Collections, the New York Public Library / foreword by Bernard McTigue; introduction by Rodney Eugen. New York: H. N. Abrams, 1988.
Opie, Iona Archibald. The Oxford Nursery Rhyme Book, assembled by Iona and Peter Opie. With additional illus. by Joan Hassall New York: Oxford University Press, 1955. On Reserve
And required book of playground rhymes: Opie, Iona and Peter, eds. I Saw Esau. On Reserve
Read introduction to I Saw Esau and essay by John Langstaff:
Langstaff, John. "The Oral Tradition: Alive, Alive-oh." Innocence and Experience: Essays & Conversations on Children's Literature. Eds. Barbara Harrison and Gregory Maguire. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Shepard, 1987. 427-32. Also available in Crosscurrents of Children's Literature: An Anthology of Texts and Criticism. Ed. Stahl, Hanlon, Keyser, Oxford UP, 2007, in Part 3 on Oral and Written Literary Traditions (both books are in Hollins library).
Browse a little in reference book by Opies, The Oxford Dictionary of
Nursery Rhymes. On Reserve
See also Eclipse Web Site: Mother Goose: A Scholarly Exploration.
http://eclipse.rutgers.edu/goose
See also (now or in the coming week) Study Guide for Nursery Rhymes and Picture Books (for Tina's undergraduate course)
Regional Nursery Rhymes
Still, James. An Appalachian Mother Goose. Illus. Paul Brett Johnson. KY: Kentucky UP, 1998. On Reserve
In AppLit, see James Still's Books for and about Children: Bibliography and Study Guide and especially the link to Introduction to An Appalachian Mother Goose.
No hickory no dickory no dock: Caribbean Nursery Rhymes by John Agard and Grace Nichols. Illus. Cynthia Jabar. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 1995. On Reserve
From Mouth to Mouth: Oral Poems from Around the World by John Agard,
Grace Nichols, Annabel Wright. London: Walker, 2004.
On Reserve
Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes = [Ju tzu ko t?u]. Ed. Robert Wyndham. Illus.
Ed Young. New York: Philomel Books, 1982. On Reserve
Gill, Shelley. The Alaska Mother Goose and Other North Country Nursery Rhymes.
Illus. Shannon Cartwright. Homer, Alaska: Paws IV Pub. Co., 1987.
On Reserve
Turner, Ian N. Cinderella Dressed in Yella compiled and edited by Ian Turner, June Factor, Wendy Lowenstein; with an interpretative essay by Ian Turner. Richmond [Australia]: Heinemann Educational Austra, 1978. On Reserve
Follow-up on June 21 after class:
Handout: Letter from Morag with further details on suggested paper topics.
WEEK TWO
Tina's plans for catching up on June 26:
Examples of Nursery Rhyme Adaptations and Picture Books
Potter, Beatrix. Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes (You can listen online as well as read.)
Caldecott, Randolph. The House that Jack Built, online in Project Gutenberg (also in Hollins library).
Caldecott, Randolph. The Queen of Hearts and Sing a Song for Sixpence, online in Project Gutenberg
Caldecott, Randolph. Hey Diddle Diddle and Bye Baby Bunting, online in Project Gutenberg (also in Hollins library).
(Other "toy books" by Caldecott based on traditional rhymes are available at the same site.)
Also recommended: Maurice Sendak's essay on Caldecott in book of essays Caldecott & Co. Also reprinted in Crosscurrents of Children's Literature: An Anthology of Texts and Criticism. Ed. Stahl, Hanlon, Keyser, Oxford UP, 2007, in Part 6 on Words and Pictures (both books are in Hollins library).
Also recommended: L. Leslie Brooke: Ring O' Roses: A Nursery Rhyme Picture Book, 1923, in Project Gutenberg
Sendak, Maurice. We are all in the Dumps with Jack and Guy: Two Nursery Rhymes with Pictures. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. On Reserve
Also recommended: Sendak's Hector Protector, and, As I Went Over the Water: Two Nursery Rhymes with Pictures, 1965, in Hollins library
Brown, Ruth. The World that Jack Built. New York: Dutton, 1991. On Reserve
Mirriam, Eve. The Inner City Mother Goose. Illus. David Diaz. Intro. by Nikki Giovanni. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. On Reserve. NOTE: This is a book for young adults and adults.
Also recommended: "Contemporary Censorship of Mother Goose," page on this and other books in Eclipse Web site.
Addams, Charles. The Charles Addams Mother Goose. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2002, 1967. On Reserve
Also recommended if you are interested in illustrators from the Golden Age of children's literature: Susan Meyer, A Treasury of the Great Children's Book Illustrators. New York: Abrams, 1983 (in Hollins library and Tina has a copy).
Also recommended: Digitized Early Nursery Rhyme Books in Eclipse Web site
If you are interested in reading about a nursery rhyme spin-off that won the Carnegie Medal last week, see The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon.
Follow-up on June 26 after class:
Examples of Alphabet and Counting Rhymes in Picture Books
On required booklist: Sendak, Maurice. Nutshell Library (4 little vols.) On Reserve
Note: Remember that nursery rhymes books assigned above contain various examples of alphabets and counting rhymes.
Walter Crane, The Absurd ABC and An Alphabet of Old Friends, online at Project Gutenberg
(Crane's The Song of Sixpence is available in the same site.)
Greenaway, Kate. “A Apple Pie” and “Alphabet” (in The Kate Greenaway Treasury and her book A Apple Pie in library, in Project Gutenberg at this link), 1880s.
The Anti-Slavery Alphabet, 1847, in Project Gutenberg (other 19th-century alphabets available in same site)
Dr. Seuss. On Beyond Zebra. New York: Random House, 1966. On Reserve
Steig, Jeanne. Alpha, Beta, Chowder. Illus. William Steig. New York: HarperCollins, 1992. On Reserve
Viorst, Judith. The Alphabet from Z to A: (with much confusion on the way). Illus. Richard Hull New York: Atheneum, 1994.
Martin, Bill. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Illus. Lois Ehlert. New York: Aladdin, 1989. On Reserve
Clifton, Lucille. Everett Anderson’s 1-2-3. Illus. Ann Grifalconi. New York: Holt, 1977. On Reserve
Willard, Nancy. An Alphabet of Angels. New York: Blue Sky Press, 1994. In library special collections and general collection.
Gorey, Edward. The Gashlycrumb Tinies; or, After the Outing. New York, Simon and Schuster, 1963 (in library)
Recommended articles:
Coats, Karen. "P Is for Patriarchy: Re-Imagining the Alphabet." Children's
Literature Association Quarterly 25:2 (Summer 2000): 88-89.
Bodmer, George R. "The Post-Modern Alphabet: Extending the Limits of the
Contemporary Alphabet Book, from Seuss to Gorey." Children's Literature
Association Quarterly 14:3 (Fall 1989): 115-17.
Also recommended: Beyond the Letter, Web site on Canadian alphabet books
Possibly of interest: Kelly, Michael H.; and Rubin, David C. "Natural Rhythmic Patterns in English Verse: Evidence from Child Counting-Out Rhymes." Journal of Memory and Language 27:6 (1988 Dec.): 718-740.
Follow-up on June 28 after class:
WEEK THREE
The Tree in the Wood: An Old Nursery Song Adapted and Illustrated by Christopher Manson (New York: North-South, 1993. On Reserve
Ajhar, Brian. Home on the Range. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2004. ISBN 0803729189. Tina has a copy (from Books a Million recently).
"Froggy Went a Courtin'":
Langstaff, John M. Frog Went A-Courtin'. Illus. Feodor Rojankovsky.
New York: Harcourt Brace, 1955
Randolph Caldecott's A Frog He Would A-Wooing Go: see animated version
with audio at
http://eclipse.rutgers.edu/goose/rhymes/frog/storybook.aspx.(available in
library in
R. Caldecott's Picture Book (no. 1) and The
Hey Diddle Diddle Picture Book)
Tina's AppLit page Froggy Went A-Courtin' gives some background and links to different versions.
Another interesting spin-off: O'Malley, Kevin. Froggy Went A-Courtin'. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1992.
"Babes in the Wood":
Old picture book The Babes in the Wood in Eclipse web site: http://eclipse.rutgers.edu/goose/digitalbooks/babesInTheWood.aspx.
Follow-up on July 3 after class:
Handouts:
Tina's Plan for Catching Up and Finishing Up with Oral Traditions:
Handout: poem on "Hansel and Gretel"
Verse Adaptations and Satires
of Other Folk/Fairy Tales
Required book: Dahl, Roald. Revolting Rhymes. Illus. Quentin Blake.
Robert Browning. “The Pied Piper of Hamelin,” illustrated by Kate Greenaway in 1880s (available online at this link)
Ahlberg, Janet and Allan. Each Peach Pear Plum. New York: Puffin Books, 1978. (in library)
Follow-up on July 5 after class:
Reggie gave a report on Tony Medina's poetry/picture books and rap influences.
Elissa gave a report on Maurice Sendak, including the Nutshell Library and considering In the Night Kitchen as a poetic text.
We looked at a variety of picture books that retell or satirize folk songs and fairy tales.
Another possible topic for this class: fables written in verse
Related event: Poet Brian Janeczko speaking at Hollins on Saturday evening. Tina has one book he edited, A Poke in the I, an illustrated collection of American concrete poems, and Carter has A Kick in the Head. Hollins library has these and other books by him.
Autobiographical and poetic writing by students will permeate this section of the course.
1. 7/10 What is poetry for children?
See "Poetry" by Morag Styles in Hunt’s (2004) Routledge International Companion Encyclopedia of Children’s Literature, pp. 396-418.
Short student presentation of song, story, pictures and verse to illustrate some of poetry’s oral traditions that you have been studying in first 3 weeks of course.
Introduction to poetry in literary traditions. N.B. We will be drawing on Brian Patten's Puffin Book of Utterly Brilliant Poetry.
Autobiographical writing.
2. 7/12 Lost from the Nursery? Women writing poetry for children
(See From the Garden to the Street chapters 3 & 7)
Christina Rossetti's (1872) Sing-Song: a Nursery Rhyme Book
Ann & Jane Taylor's (1804) Original Poems for Infant Minds and other women poets of the past writing for children.
Writing nursery verse in the style of Rossetti
STUDENT PRESENTATION ON ROSSETTI
3. 7/17 A child's voice? Child-centred poetry and playfulness
(See From the Garden to the Street chapter 8)
R. L. Stevenson’s (1885) A Child's Garden of Verses
Milne's two collections for children in 1920s
Writing from the point of view of the child
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS by Laura and Jean ON STEVENSON
4. 7/19 Humour in poetry for children for children from the Victorian period to the present day
(See From the Garden to the Street chapters 5 & 6 )
Edward Lear's (1872) Nonsense Songs and Stories
Collections by Mike Rosen and other humorists
Writing comic verse
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS ON Lear (BY cARTER) & Rosen (BY sUSAN)
5. 7/24 Contemporary British and American poetry for children
(See From the Garden to the Street chapters 12 & 13 )
"Ice-Cream and Oranges" - a comparison of themes and styles in current US and UK poetry for children.
Examining a range of contemporary voices, including Carol Ann Duffy’s poetry for children
Poetry writing about either parenthood and children OR social issues
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS ON DUFFY AND SELECTED U.S. POETS FOR THE YOUNG
6. 7/26 US & British Performance Poetry
(See From the Garden to the Street chapter 14)
Exploring performance poetry for the young
Performing poetry...
Reviewing what we have learned in the course.
Other Books on Reserve for Morag's WEEKS FOUR to SIX:
Carol Ann Duffy, Meeting Midnight, Faber, 1999, and The Oldest Girl in the World, Faber, 2000.
This page created 6/24/07. Last update: 07/21/2007 03:25:46 PM