The objective of the course is to develop students’ knowledge about the forms and genres of children’s literature. The course also aims to develop students’ pedagogical and creative skills with regard to children’s literature.

The course charts the development of children’s literature globally. It covers the genres and forms of children’s literature: baby books, picturebooks, fairy tales, nonfiction, drama, song & verse, fantasy, and novels. The course engages critical, pedagogical and creative perspectives for the study of children’s literature.

By the end of the course the student should be able to:

1. discuss the different genres of children’s literature by drawing on national as well as international canons of children’s literature

2. create and reflect over a children’s book of their own,

3. orally present an author or illustrator from their home country/mother tongue.

The course consists of both virtual and on-campus lectures, seminars, group-work and self-study.

Assessment is based on three examinations:

1. A digital portfolio, 4 credits, in which the first learning outcome is examined,

2. Creative work (a book) and a reflection on the creative process, 7 credits, in which the second learning outcome is examined,

3. An oral presentation of an author or illustrator, 4 credits, in which learning outcome three is examined.

Grading criteria for the course are announced by the course coordinator at the start of the course.

The basis for all assessments must be such that individual performance can be distinguished.

Carroll, Lewis (2012). Alice in Wonderland. London: Penguin. (256 s.)

Erdrich, Louise (2021). The Birchbark House. New York: HarperCollins. (272 s.)

Gaiman, Neil (2009). The Graveyard Book. London: Bloomsbury. (304 s.)

Jansson, Tove (2017). Finn Family Moomintroll. London: Sort of Books. (176 s.)

Lindgren, Astrid (1995). Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter. London: Puffin. (176 s.)

St Exupéry, Antoine de (1995). The Little Prince. London: Wordsworth. (112 s.)

Course compendium – articles, extracts (620 pages)

The university provides all students who are participating in, or have completed, a course to express their experiences and views on the course through a course evaluation which is organized at the end of the course. The university will collate the course evaluations and provide information about their results and any actions prompted by them. The results shall be made available to the students. (HF 1:14).

When a course is no longer given, or the contents have been radically changed, the student has the right to re-take the examination, which will be given twice during a one year period, according to the syllabus which was valid at the time of registration.

The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.