Module: Children's Literature across Time and Space

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Children's Literature across Time and Space
Module Code	LIT1073 (ITS: EN308)
Faculty	SALIS	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to Children's Literature Studies. Students develop their knowledge of a variety of genres within children's literature, such as fairy tales, picture books and crossover literature. The module also compares and contrasts different narrative techniques and styles. These skills are developed through close readings of a selection of literary texts, initially by students preparing the texts or text excerpts for homework as well as student participation in discussion of textual analysis in weekly seminars.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify distinguishing characteristics of children's literature.
2. Compare and contrast a range of children's literature texts.
3. Discuss critically important recurring themes in children's literature.
4. Critically evaluate various interpretations of selected texts.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Seminars	24	Discussion of relevant theories and contexts; analysis of literary texts.
Independent Study	76	Seminar preparation: reading of primary and secondary sources.
Assignment Completion	25	Reading of texts, and planning and writing of picture book review and end of semester essay.
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	11972	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Aine Mcgillicuddy	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Picture Book Review	20%	n/a
Assignment	End of semester assignment.	80%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Children's Literature
Critical analysis of children's literature by a range of writers from different cultural and historical contexts.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Peter Hunt (ed): 2005, Understanding Children's Literature, Routledge, London, 9780415375467
Maria Nikolajeva and Carole Scott: 2006, How picturebooks work, Routledge, New York, 9780415979689
Perry Nodelman: 1988, Words about pictures, University of Georgia Press, Athens, 9780820310367
Bruno Bettelheim: 0, The uses of enchantment, 9780140137279
Emer O'Sullivan: 2005, Comparative Children's Literature, Routledge, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, 9780415305518
Julia Mickenberg & Lynne Vallone (eds): 2011, The Oxford Handbook of Children's Literature, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 0195379780
Alison Lurie: 0, Don't tell the grown-ups, Little, Boston, 9780316246255
Marilyn Taylor: 1999, Faraway home, O'Brien Press, Dublin, 9780862786434
Neil Gaiman: 2002, Coraline, Bloomsbury, London, 9781408841754
Marian Keyes & Áine McGillicuddy (eds): 2014, Politics and Ideology in Children's Literature, Four Courts Press, Dublin, 9781846825262
Emer O'Sullivan, Andrea Immel: 2017, Imagining Sameness and Difference in Children's Literature, Palgrave Macmillan, London, 0, 9781137461681
Claudia Nelson,Elisabeth Wesseling,Andrea Mei-Ying Wu: 2023, The Routledge Companion to Children's Literature and Culture, Routledge, London, 0, 9781032103594
Jacob Grimm: 2020, The Complete Grimms' Fairy Tales (Deluxe Hardbound Edition), Fingerprint! Publishing, 0, 9390093023
2012: What do we tell the children? Critical essays on children's literature., Cambridge Scholars., 978144383788,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

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