1. Describe how to effectively evaluate books for kids. Is this value based?
I believe to evaluate books for kids, there should be several things taken into consideration. Is it age appropriate, believable, natural, did it have strengths and weaknesses, did it have a theme? All of these things would determine whether or not the evaluator considered the book to be good.
I definitely believe the evaluation issues would be value based. Each evaluator is chosen for specific reasons. Those reasons could be educational, pleasurable, informative, religious, or etc. With those specific interests in mind, the evaluation issues would be value based on those categories.
2. Why do character/setting analysis on children's books? What does it accomplish?
Character and setting analysis should be included by evaluators for a reason similar to what I've mentioned above. Evaluating these issues point out whether or not it is age appropriate. Children have no business reading the same materials that adults might. The most immediate examples that comes to mind are keeping things like profanity, adult settings, or even things like medically related issues away from children. Allowing things such as those to be available for children does not promote a healthy frame of mind. As for the medically related readings, it probably would be too advanced to read in the first place and it might bore them to death! How healthy would that be? By 'censoring' what children read even to the slightest degree, it helps them grow at a pace that is beneficial to everyone involved.
It's true. It is very important to have books for students that are not boring but have a good plot and settings that are appropriate.
ReplyDeletegood point dana, children should be read material that is beneficial for their age group and not material that is going to need censoring.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a character analysis should be done to help determine if the story is approiate. Age is a huge factor in determing wheather a story is ok for the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI like Dana's post on this subject because it is similar to mine! Hey, great minds think alike ;). Before you do any evaluating, the instructor has to ask if there is a goal, other than just entertainment involved in the process of selecting appropriate books.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you dana on what characters/settings. It gives the children to be part of the story they are reading about.
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