Essay 

DueDate: 11:59 p.m. EST, Sunday of Unit 2
Points: 100

Overview:

As amazing as it may seem, the time to start reading to children is when they are infants! In the first
year of life, babies start absorbing and comprehending language. Children who hear stories read to
them can acquire important language skills that build a strong foundation for continued growth. The
type and variety of books toddlers experience contributes to the depth of their learning. Different
genre books expose them to different types of language and encourage different interactions and
conversations with children.

For this assignment, you will evaluate four (4) different book genres for very young children and then
answer a set of questions. There are 16 questions included, each worth 6.25 points.

You are encouraged (as always) to use actual hard copies of the books. However, for your
convenience, you may use the video links provided in the unit to choose books for this assignment.

Instructions:

First, select one book from each category below for a total of four (4) books you will evaluate:

1. Picture Storybook: Text and illustrations tell the story; colorful, clear illustrations; artwork
supports a simple storyline; illustrations often provide additional information not covered in the
text; rhyming; repetition.

2. Alphabet Book: Helps children recognize letters and realize that letters are used in language;
most basic ABC books show the letter and objects beginning with the letter; others tell a story
using the alphabet format; often features creative artwork; usually has a theme; uses familiar
and interesting objects to highlight the alphabet, i.e., fruits, vegetables, colors, animals, the
ocean, or flowers.

3. Counting Book: Fun illustrations of everyday items and objects that feature the numbers from
1-5 or 1-10; elaborate counting books count to 100 or 1000 and use a theme; introduces the
language associated with numbers; develops the concept that numbers are symbols for
counting, just as letters are symbols for sounds and word.

4. Mother Goose or Nursery Rhyme Book: Often recited from memory, passed down from one
generation to another; most cultures have some form of nursery rhymes and songs.

Then, in the assignment link in Blackboard, discuss each of the following questions using
complete sentences that explain your ideas:

CHS203 – Children’s Literature and Language Arts

Unit 2 Assignment: Evaluating Books for Very Young Children

1. Share which Picture Storybook you chose and why you chose it. Then, provide a brief
summary of the book.

2. Does the Picture Storybook provide clear, uncluttered illustrations with little or no distracting
background? Describe how this is done or not done.

3. Does the Picture Storybook provide some humor? Explain. How can an author use humor to
make the child feel superior?

4. Does the Picture Storybook provide opportunities for participation and interaction? Using
specific examples, describe ways in which the book encourages/can encourage participation
and interaction.

5. Share which ABC book you chose and why you chose it. Then, provide a brief summary of the
book.

6. For very young children, only one or two objects should be pictured on a page. Do any of the
pages of the ABC book have too many picture objects? Explain.

7. Common objects or animals that are easily identifiable are best for the young child. What
objects or animals does this ABC book use? Are they easily identifiable? Why or why not?

8. The illustrations should be consistent with the text and reflect the mood of the book. How do
the illustrations of the ABC book achieve or fail to achieve consistency with the text? How do
they reflect the mood of the book?

9. Share which Counting book you chose and why you chose it. Then, provide a brief summary
of the book.

10. Objects to be counted should stand out clearly. Do the objects of the Counting book stand
out? If so, how is this accomplished? If not, what needs to be done to accomplish
this? Explain your answers.

11. Counting common objects that children know, such as fingers and toes, is usually best for the
young child. What counting objects does the book use? Explain why the objects are
appropriate or inappropriate for the young child.

12. Number concepts should not be lost in the story. How does the Counting book keep number
concepts prominent?

13. Share which Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme book you chose and why you chose it. Then,
provide a brief summary of the book.

14. How many Nursery Rhymes are included in the collection? Does the number seem too low or
too high? Explain.

15. Are the Nursery Rhymes well-known, or are there some unusual ones? Explain and provide
examples.

16. Does the collection provide rhythm and rhyme? Would you determine these Nursery Rhymes
catchy and enjoyable for young readers? Explain.

Requirements:

• Use your own words and include the in-text citation for any resources you may use when
answering some of these questions.

o For example, if you are citing your textbook, use the in-text citation: (Kiefer & Tyson,
2019) and the reference: Kiefer, B. Z., Tyson, C. A., Parsons Barger, B., Patrick, L. &

Reilly-Sanders, E. (2019). Charlotte Huck’s children’s literature: A brief guide (3rd ed.).
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

• Be sure to use appropriate paragraph breaks and keep your writing free from spelling and
grammatical errors.

Be sure to read the criteria below by which your work will be evaluated before you write and
again after you write.

Assignment Question Rubric

Each question of the assignment will be graded using the following criteria:

CRITERIA Deficient Needs Improvement Satisfactory Proficient

(0% – 59%) (60% – 79%) (80% – 89%) (90% – 100%)

Content

(40%)

Subject matter is
minimally
addressed.
Opinions are
offered, but
arguments lack
scholarly backing.

Subject matter is
adequately
addressed.
Arguments are
partially supported
by scholarly
research.

Subject matter is
fairly well
addressed.
Arguments are
supported by
scholarly research
but could be
further elaborated
with specific
details.

Subject matter is
thoroughly
addressed.
Arguments are
well elaborated
and fully
supported by
scholarly research
and specific
examples.

Structure and
Flow

(40%)

Flow is poor.
Paragraphing is
inappropriate.
Transitions are
minimal or absent.
Significant
redundancy is
evident.

Flow is adequate.
Paragraphs may
be too long or too
short. Transitions
are minimal, and
redundancy is
evident.

Flow is good.
Paragraphing is
mostly
appropriate.
Transitions are
present, and
redundancies are
minimal.

Flow is excellent.
Paragraphing is
clear, and
transitions are
smooth and
consistent.
Inappropriate
redundancies are
absent.

Clear and
Professional
Writing and APA
Format

(20%)

Errors impede
professional
presentation;
writing and
formatting
guidelines are not
followed.

Numerous errors
exist that interfere
with a
professional
presentation.

Writing and
formatting
guidelines are
being followed but
have a few errors
that do not
impede
professional
presentation.

Writing and
formatting
guidelines are
being followed
and are clear and
professional. APA
compliant with no
to minimal errors
when applicable.