The Value of Children’s Literature
Giving children opportunities to read different kinds of literature is very important for their success. Teachers, parents and community members should help students develop a love for reading. Not only is reading literature important in developing cognitive (认知的) skills to be able to succeed in a school or work setting,
but it is valuable for other reasons as well.
First, children’s literature provides students with the opportunity to react to literature and develop their own opinions about the topic. Great literature does not tell the reader everything he or she needs to know. It allows for some difference in opinion. One reader may take something completely different than the next reader, because of different ways of thinking and personal experiences. For younger children, wordless picture books are a good choice. Children reading a wordless book like A Ball for Daisy will be able to look at the pictures and develop their own dialogue for the story. This also helps them to form opinions on their own.
Second, children’s literature helps students develop emotional intelligence (情商). Stories have such power. For example, a book that encourages emotional intelligence is Selma. It discusses what it takes for a young sheep to be happy and challenges students to think about what happiness really is. And The Big Box is a story about children who lose their freedom and the deeper problems when having no freedom. Children’s literature encourages students to think deeper about their own feelings.
Finally, children’s literature encourages personality and social development. Children’s literature can help them become less egocentric. When children are young, they focus mainly on themselves. As they grow older, they begin to consider what other people want and how they feel. Children’s literature helps them develop into caring and friendly people.
Children’s literature can encourage social development by encouraging students to accept other people and their differences. Books like Molly’s Family and Daddy’s Roommate present situations that might encourage students to become more open-minded to different types of families and understand that love is the most important thing in a family. Literature encourages students to be considerate and friendly people, which can make students good citizens for the society.
Children’s literature is valuable both at school and at home. Teachers and parents should both be able to give students opportunities to read the best books to encourage these important values of literature and help the creation of responsible, successful, and caring persons.
1. What does the word “egocentric” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Ready to accept different opinions. B. Thinking deeper about one’s feelings.
C. Caring about oneself instead of others. D. Being caring, considerate and friendly.
2. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Students reading great literature will succeed at school.
B. Readers’ understandings about a story may be opposite.
C. It is challenging to understand what freedom really is.
D. Books about families are good for social development.
3. What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To tell children how to be successful at school and work.
B. To explain why children’s literature has so many values.
C. To introduce the social importance of children’s literature.
D. To encourage adults to develop children’s love for reading.