1. Reading & Responding to Contemporary Picture Books
Maurice Sendak
Jewish & Holocaust Literature
Postmodern Pictures & Classics

2. Terms Subjectivity – Motif/Pattern Foreshadowing
text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world connections
Utopian and dystopian literature
Holocaust literature
Trauma studies
Insider/Outsider voices in multicultural children’s literature
Motif/Pattern
Foreshadowing
Protagonist
Antagonist
Hero’s journey
Child Hero (in children’s literature)
Ask students to select 1 term that they think is important when reading children’s literature. Record on post-it with your name & briefly explain why it’s important.

3. Focus Questions
How can we analyze and interpret visual-verbal texts in picture books? How do we read dual narratives?
What characteristics define the concept of a “good book”? Who decides?
What is children’s literature?
What are “picture books”?
What is the purpose of utopian and dystopian children’s literature?
Do young readers need “happy endings”?
As we learn about Sendak and explore his picture books, I would like you to keep these questions in mind. At the end of class I’m going to ask you to respond in writing to one or more!

4. Real Reader: Implied Reader: Pacing Framing Foreshadowing
Read first for pleasure and aesthetic response, then..
Implied Reader:
Reread, analyze, critique, research
Pacing
Framing
Foreshadowing
Dual narrative
Refer to handout “Picture Books & Illustration”
When you first came to class, I’m assuming you might have read children’s literature as the Real Reader (“children’s lit is…” activity). I hope that leaving this class you might look at picture books a little differently and read more as the Implied Reader.
On post-its write your name and 2 things you will take from this class about contemporary children’s lit and 1 thing you would like to explore further (if you had the chance!).

5. Where The Wild Things Are & In the Night Kitchen
Before Viewing:
What do you know about Where The Wild Things Are?
Is this a familiar/unfamiliar picture book?
Why might this children’s book be considered a “classic”?
After Viewing:
What is your aesthetic response?

6. Small Group Activity
Select 1 picture book from the display to read in your small group!
Discuss the text & illustrations using the terms & focus questions provided.
What ideas presented in Norton, Chapter 6, help you understand your picture books?

7. Maurice Sendak: The “Picasso” of Children’s Literature
Generate questions about Sendak:
Individually
Small groups
Record questions on chart paper!
View Sendak video
Did we answer all your questions?

8. Revisit In the Night Kitchen
It has been suggested that In the Night Kitchen contains allusions to the Holocaust. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Share Brundibar (book) & Brundibar video on You Tube.
Give each group reviews/articles about Sendak.

9. Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak
videos/406902/january /grim-colberty-tales- with-maurice-sendak-pt--2

10. Focus Questions
How can we analyze and interpret visual-verbal texts in picture books? How do we read dual narratives?
What characteristics define the concept of a “good book”? Who decides?
What is children’s literature?
What are “picture books”?
What is the purpose of utopian and dystopian children’s literature?
Do young readers need “happy endings”?
Ask students to pick 1 question to respond to & then finish with “Children’s literature is…” on index cards!