Analysis of Coraline

The perception of reality presents the obvious theme in this book is the moral to be careful what you wish for.   As reality is distorted, especially through relationships,  Coraline realizes that her wish for attention is filled only paired with an absence of love.  She learns that love does not mean giving you everything you want and the selfish motives that her other mom has.  

Notable Moment in Coraline

The moment that stood out to me the most in Coraline was when she made the decision to save her parents and reasoned the risk by calling to mind the time her father saved her from the wasps despite the dangers.  He sacrificed himself by telling Coraline to run away and allowing her to be free from the stings he got.  She used this expression of love to rationalize her act of bravery, facing her fears to save her parents that love her.  

Analysis of Series of Unfortunate Events

I think an important theme in this book was the relationships that are portrayed and the genuineness that people either posses or lack.  The children obviously value each other greatly and go to great lengths for each other.  Mr. Poe on the other hand, does not seem to genuinely value the children and is consistently bothered by any length he is inconvenienced by.  Justice Strauss serves as a genuinely loving character who cares to stretch out and offer help towards the children.  

Notable Moment in Series of Unfortunate Events

I think that the moment when Violet and Klaus learn of Count Olaf’s plan and then after learn that he has taken Sunny is the most important moment in the book because it sets the basis for the unraveling that takes place.  It also represents another hardship for the children who seemed to be just figuring out how to achieve something more positive.  Also the strain that this situation places on the children indicates just how important the siblings value each other.  Violet is only undergoing all of this to save her sibling.

Analysis of James and the Giant Peach

            I think the element of escape featured in James and the Giant Peach serves an important role.  Sometimes you are forced out of or in to a situation, just like James is forced to live with his evil aunts.  Other times, you choose to escape these situations and allow yourself to be placed in a better setting.  James wishes for something better but he more stumbles into it rather than make a conscious effort to leave. 

            

Notable Moment in James and the Giant Peach

The build up of the book leads to the climatic moment when they arrive to New York.  The fear of them mistaken for an attack can serve a meaning on a much deeper level than the surface plot.  The fact that the people expect the worse and plunge into chaos represents the structure of society and reciprocates with the society that is formed in the peach with the grasshopper, the centipede, the earthworm, the ladybug, and the others.  

Analysis of City of Ember

            I think the quality of leadership is important in this story because there are foiling qualities in Luna and Doon opposed to the authorities especially the mayor.  I think the concept of people changing in the face of adversity is connected to this and also shows in other people like Lizzie and Looper.  It is easily seen that people with power in this society become selfish just as the mayor only focus was keeping him safe without worrying about the rest of the citizens, which is the opposite of what a leader should value.  The corruption in the City of Ember reinforces the idea that humanity will become selfish because the people in the City of Ember are not pressed by the same factors that are present today but still give in to the same temptations.

Notable Moment in City of Ember

It may be because I am a very family-oriented person or because I am the oldest sibling in my family, but the most notable moment for me was when Lina brought Poppy to the boat with Doon.  Not only does Luna’s decision to bring her sister show her priorities but it also give a glimpse as to what the future will be based on opposed to the corrupted priorities that were present in the City of Ember and its authorities.  Also, Doon’s character is shown, as he does not hesitate to accept and support Luna’s decision.

Analysis of The Giver

The Giver represents many ideas in the setting of a dystopia.  I think the exaggerated themes of security and equality emphasize the value of suffering, success, as well as the stress of love in relationships.  The Giver constantly poses the question to the reader, do the benefits outweigh the hardships that occur if life is not controlled.  Although the society possesses a great sense of security, the members are only safe due to the “ignorance is bliss” principle.  There are no feelings present in the members.  Because they cannot grasp the concept of suffering, pain, or sadness, they are always safe and content.  However, in a parallel sense they cannot grasp the concept of love.  This changes the entire structure of their society, most importantly the family structure.  The society becomes built around the function rather than enjoyment.  

Notable Moment in The Giver

            I think the most profound moment in this book is when Jonas transfers his memories to Gabriel in chapter 14 when he calms Gabriel’s crying by giving him the memory of a sailboat.  Jonas has been enduring an inner conflict concerning his frustration that everyone cannot share the memories, which leaves him alone in these experiences.  This action of him deliberately transferring memories marks the side of the struggle that was winning and suggests that subconsciously he had already made the decision that it would be better for everyone to share the memories despite the suffering it would cause.  

Analysis of Mrs. Frisby

            In the fantasy Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, I was especially interested in not only the message conveyed about mothers but also the overall message concerning the female role.  I was first struck by the drive that Mrs. Frisby possessed as a mother to make so many sacrafices and risks to save one of her children, all the while keeping calmness about her for her children’s sake.  I thought it was a positive message that she was willing to go to these measures to save just one of her children and refused to accept the idea of stranding him.  We discussed in class how Mrs. Frisby’s lack of personal identification suggests the dependence of women on their husbands as she is always referred to as Mrs. Frisby or Jonathan’s husband and never given a name.  It is also notable that any help she gets is earned through her husband’s previous relations, none on her own.  Despite the impressive measures that she travels, the owl and the rats are only convinced to offer their serious attention when they learn of her husband.  In addition, the fact that Jonathan had hidden a huge secret of his life and his superiority in knowledge and physicality from Mrs. Frisby indicates a furthering of the idea of male dominance.   

Notable Moment in Mrs. Frisby

           The moment that stood out most for me as an essential representation of the character of Mrs. Frisby was when Mrs. Frisby made the decision to face the cat, putting her children and their well being first above even her own life.  This shows her dedication as a mother as well as her bravery.  When she sees that there are no more options or resources available with the rats, she sacrifices herself but only after considering what is best for her children.  The rats respect her for this and allow her to follow through with the challenge that killed their friend and her husband.  This act of bravery and love by Mrs. Frisby is reciprocated by the rats committed loyalty as they come back to save her and follow through with their promise to save her children even after learning of the danger they were now presented with.

Anticipating Mrs. Frisby

I had never read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and to be honest was not really looking forward to another book with talking animals.  The plot was very different than what I expected in my preconceived notions mostly just based off of the title.  I read a book review that focused on "social sensitivity" in this book.  It stated that O'brien presents the effects of science as profound but neither all bad nor all good.  I thought this was interesting because this is very unique to fantasies and many present technology as evil.  The same review quotes O'brien saying that "The mind learns that it is not easy to separate good from bad; they become deviously intertwined. From books [one] learns that not all doors are simply open or shut, and that even rats can become heroes."

Analysis Lewis and Rowling

Both Rowling and Lewis present a similar plot that involves the conflict of real vs. secondary world and contain magic and evil.  The Goblet of Fire and Magician’s Nephew specifically have a created second fantastical world apart from reality.  These stories are both part of a series, which progressively grow darker and darker, to the point where they could possibly be considered dark fantasies.  They both certainly contain a powerful evil focus: Jadis and Voldemort.  These two characters play the same role in their stories and both are foiled by equally strong positive powers: Aslan and Dumbledore who posess an incredible wisdom.  The Goblet of Fire in particular portrays some gruesome qualities.  The similarities between these two series written by Lewis and Rolwings, especially the characters, represent the real world struggle of good vs. evil.  

Notable Moment in The Goblet of Fire

     There are several very profound moments in the Goblet of Fire, I think more so than in most other plots allow.  However, I specifically remember being hooked on a moment the first time I read the book when I was younger.  The moment when Harry sees Hermione at the Yule Ball and is blown away by her gorgeousness.  I wish I could say that this was as notable to me the second time but it is never really supported or worked up it is just stuck in there and kind of left hanging.  It obviously hints towards a special sort of connection between Harry and Hermione that I, as a romance lover, was hoping for a little more.  In my second read however, I found that there was much more of a focus on the moment when Harry saves Cedric in the enchanted maze.  I feel like the seriousness of this moment is not very accurately portrayed in the movie but this moment represents a lot more than just the power of the maze, dark magic, or Harry and Cedric's relationship.  It also stands for all that Harry has been through and its effects on his character.  The movie does portray the out of character hesitation for Harry to save the life of his companion while he is caught up in the competition and then the resuming of his goodness when he shares the prize with Cedric at the end which ironically leads to death.

Anticipating Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

     I thought I had already done this post because I knew exactly what I was going to say.  My background experience with Harry Potter is very different.  I feel like most people that read more than one Harry Potter go on to read all of them excitedly.  Although, I did really enjoy the books I only read until the fifth one.  I probably started the series around third grade but I don't remember when I finished all I know is that my life became to busy and there were awful required readings that took up my time.  However, what I do remember from this book was that the fourth one was my absolute favorite...until I read the fifth one.  But they are definately my top two.  I agreed with what we said in class that the movie for this book was awful unfortunately.  I am excited to talk about this but worried that I might be bombarded with a little over excitement from die hard Harry Potter fans (like the members of our Quiditch team, although a very cool idea a little much for me personally).

Notable Moment in The Magician's Nephew

The theme of good vs. evil plays out throughout the entire fantasy. I thought the most profound moment that played this out in Magician’s Nephew was the symbolism of the making of the Lamp Post.  I thought it was very representative of the strength that Aslan stands for in good vs. evil.  While his actions (by his indifference to the violent hit) represent the strength of good, the Queen at the same time represents the sinister intentions and rash behavior of the evil side.  This opposition is played out through this instance and the victory of the good side is also shown as the iron bar grows under Aslan’s magic to become a Lamp Post.  I think it is also interesting to analyze the relation between the descendants of Adam and the Lamp Post.  Adam’s descendants let the Queen into Narnia and the Queen is the one who throws the material that is used to guide Adam’s descendants back into Narnia to conquer the Queen’s evilness.  I think this could be best related to the Christian allegory.  Not only are there many connections between Aslan and God as creators who mold a world at will, but there are also the shared good versus evil struggles that Christianity focuses on throughout history.  

Anticipating the Magician's Nephew

     To be honest. I started to read this book a long time ago when I was much younger, and stopped because I was not interested.  It is the only book of the series that I have had experience with but I did see the movie Narnia.  I didn't really like the movie but I will not use it to judge the books because I know that books are often much better than movies.  Hopefully I will be more interested in the book this time or maybe it just has a slow start.  It seems in a way more relatable to The Poenix and the Carpet than the other fantasies because of the more magical elements that I think it will contain. 

Analysis of The Phoenix and The Carpet

     I thought one of the most effective strategies that Nesbit used to convey her themes of fantasy was her unique form of characterization.  While Nesbit aimed an an audience of the average child, she successfully portrayed the children in a realistic fashion with good and bad qualities.  In this way Nesbit is not only adding interest to her fantasy, but she is also enhancing the didactic message in the story.  The fantasy is more appealing to the readers with these children because the story would become predictable with perfect children who always chose the right decision with pure motives.  The children with flaws are made more relatable to the reader.  The didactic message is enhanced through this because the children are simultaneously seen as a reflection of the intended audience, while at the same time creating a feeling of superiority for the reader.  This judgment of the children is allowed through the narrative voice. 
     The children's character is built as a central meaning to the fantasy.  Through specific eamples, gender roles as well as their selfless nature opposed to their selfish nature are played out.  For example, the boys help their sisters with chores and cleaning so that they can play; the children sing to and entertain their baby brother.  However, when troubled times put the children under pressure, their more slefish tendecies are seen.  Even Anthea, the moral pillar of reason, creates a lie to keep her mother from worrying when she is in fear of the consequences of losing the Lamb.  The children's motives for doing good are also questioned as the reasoning seems to very often be for self gratification or because they feel obligated.  However, there are good deeds done out of love as well because the children are complex characters. 
     Through this use of characterization, I feel that the messages are more accurately conveyed to the reader.  Because it is not the typical fantasy in a surreal perefect world, I feel the realism displays a more relatable theme for the audience.

Notable Moment in The Phoenix and the Carpet

                I think the most profound moment in the fantasy was the point in which we see the children’s character break down- when the Lamb is lost.  In this instance, the most obvious flaws in the children are forced to surface in the midst of such chaos and the “calmness of despair” was eminent.  The most shocking point of this moment was the moral lightning rod of the story took on an opposing role as the leader of deceit.  In her panic, she acts quickly to create a way to hide and hopefully buy time.  Although the children’s flaws showed greatly in this state of alarm, they thought straight enough to answer to the bird that they did want their baby brother back.  I thought this showed a very loving side in the children, their attitude that of course they would want their baby brother back and he was worth every trouble.  I felt that this moment was profound for these reasons- that the children’s character was represented in the most realistic way including positive and negative aspects.

Anticipating The Pheonix and the Carpet

     I am not familiar with The Pheonix and the Carpet at all.  Neither the book nor the author Nesbit.  I think I will like to read about "human" characters for a change because it will be easier to relate to and easier to picture- hopefully.  I wonder if it will be more based on realism or idealism, as we have dealt with both the previous fantasies.  It seems as though there will be much less violence compared to The Hobbit and Redwall, so therefore a seemingly different age discrepancy.  In researching more information on Nesbit and The Pheonix, I found there was alot of criticism of racism displayed.  There was also an asexual note, stating that Nesbit "combines both male and female stereotypes."

Analysis of Redwall

   The most inetersting theme to me in Redwall was the idea of pressure, in particular leaders under pressure.  From the beginning there is a very profound focus on leaders, or positions with power.  The Abbot of Redwall maintains the mice with his leadership role from a standpoint of a higher education or knowledge.  He is followed because he is respected as a wise leader.  In contrast, Cluny maintains the rats with his leadership role from a standpoint of higher power, or the unfair advantage of his deadly tail.  He is followed because he is feared as a merciless master.  Matthias is later presented as a leader as well, recognized by the Abbot.  He leads with bravery and encourgament, urging others to stand up for themselves as he leads the way.  It is easy to lead when all is going well, but when trouble strikes, the leaders have very different responses.  The Abbot and Matthias are the first leaders faced with struggles of the news of Cluny.  After wisley taking heed to the warning, the Abbot seems at a loss of how to lead in this circumstance.  This is when Matthias shows his leadership abilities under pressure, stating that "we will be ready!"  This characteristic of Matthias continues throughout the book as he has the ability to inspire the mice in times of trial, as well as himself. This "david against Goliath" confidence remained with Matthias even against the most trying opponents.  Cluny, on the other hand, fluctuates under pressure and shows great signs of anger and frustration.  His followers act accoringly, killing each other for the upper edge. 
     Redwall presented much different messages than what I expected from a book aimed at an audience of children.  I found it very interesting that it took much more of a realism perspectic rather than that of an idealistic.  This theme of realism in the fantasy was played out through characters as well as cultural interactions.  There were plenty of good and bad characters in the story.  It is expected for there to be evil characters such as Cluny and his rats, Asmodeuss, King Bull and the foxes.  What I felt was unexpected was the more "bad" tendencies of the good characters.  For example,  Matthias' treatment of Warbeak and the violence that was presented on both sides of the battle.  Likewise, the characters of the shrews (especially Guoism), Julian the Cat, and Captain Snow presented many flaws but were seen as good characters.  This is unique for a children's fantasy because it does not convey the typical perfect, black and white, good over evil, beautiful world.  Similarly,  the cultural interactons in the book present an interesting message to be a focus for this type of book because they are centerd around two main aspects of society: hierarchy and race.  The order of the classes is most obvoius in the Redwall mice, ranging from the powerful mice such as the Abbot, to the working class field mice such as Cornflower and her family.

Notable Moment in Redwall

     I thought the most defining moment in Redwall was the instance that Matthias and Methusaleh disovered the answer to the mystery of "I am that is".  I felt this marked a point of deep meaning not only to Matthias' character, but also to the turning point of the book that lead to the beginning of The Quest.  It greatly influenced Matthias' character instantaneously.  He quickly posessed a spirit of confidence that not only matured him but also transformed him into this "mighty warrior".  Methuselah, eager for Matthias but perhaps also a slight sense of jealousy, helps to inspire Matthias' new life purpose.  This idea that the past is linked to the present gives much power to the mission of finding Martin's sword.  I thought this was an interesting allusion as I always felt much of Redwall seemed to hint at Catholicism, but perhaps that is because I am Catholic.  However, I could not ignore the resemblance of "I am that is" meaning Matthias to "I am who I am" meaning Yahweh or God.  I realize that I may just find what I want to look for, but this seemed like a strong and interesting link to me.  Did Jacques purposefully link Matthias to God?  It seems to me that would open up alot of controversy if others shared this opinion because of the character of Matthias not being the divine unflawed nature.

Anticipating Redwall

     I did not have much previous knowledge of the content of Redwall other than the familiarity of the author Brian Jacques.  I read a review which was aimed at parents to help them determine whether the book was "age appropriate".  The review determined the book was best for children 10 and up.  It described that some positive messages that the book conveyed included courage, bravery, heroism, and peace.  It also noted the importance of teamwork or coercion in contrast to forceful leadership.  I found this seemed also applicable to The Hobbit so I am assuming the books to be very similar.  My notion that the books would be alike was furthered when I read that there was also violence as well as a focus on role models as one of the mice becomes a "hero".  I am curious to see how this book defines a hero while Bilbo's heroism was questioned.  One aspect of the blog I found questionable was that it said eductaional value of Redwall was "not an issue" neither positive nor negative.  I thought how could this be? If the fantasy contains positive messages or morals does that not constitute educational value?  What was required to determine a book educationally valuable?  Overall, from this review I am expecting the book to be very much like The Hobbit, and I hope it will catch my interest after already reading a fantasy with a similar plot.

Analysis of The Hobbit

     What strikes me most about The Hobbit is the characterization that Tolkien created.  Throughout the book, Tolkien shapes and builds the fantasy through the characters that we grow to either trust or resist.  The most surprising aspect of this characterization is the dynamic essence that plays a key role to the overall theme of greed and lesson learned in the book.  The fantasy also seems to focus on the common theme of the treasure lying within the journey, not the destination.  Through complete transformations, the qualities gained are evident by the end of the journey.  The two main focuses that played out a dynamic characterization are Bilbo, the protagonist, and Thorin.
     In the beginning of the novel, Bilbo's character is plainly stated as proper and therefore a fitting Bagginses, with a rich and respected reputation.  He is a careful host and greets his company with respect as well as provides hospitality whether it is convenient for him or not.  This is seen as he is overwhelmed with the "adventure" that Gandalf shockingly brings right to his doorstep.  In the first glimpse of a defiance in Bilbo, he accepts the adventure in order to prove them wrong and that he is worthy of being a burglar.  As the adventure progresses, Bilbo continues to straggle behind and hide in the protective shadows of Gandalf.  As he is faced not only with the challenges that lie ahead of them- battles, hunger, and forlornness, but also with the challenges of proving himself to the dwarves, Bilbo slowly progresses to gain a bold leadership identity that becomes the heart of the fantasy.  Tolkien does not present this change in an ambiguous manner, but rather openly states that the dwarves now look to Bilbo for ideas, plans, and security.  It seems as though no one else would have stepped up in Gandalf's absence when the group was faced with hardship.  Bilbo even takes a humble outlook, and selflessly looks to resolve issues.  He does this in an outstanding fashion in the end of the book- first not taking credit for finding the dragon's weak spot (or for that matter not taking credit for all the heroic actions he performed), and secondly sacrificing himself to save a bloody war by giving the stone over the Bard.
     In contrast, Thorin experiences a much different transformation and seems to take a much greater deal of lessons out to reach this enlightened perspective.  From the start of the fantasy, Thorin, like most dwarves, is greedy, stubborn, and proud.  As Gandalf guides the dwarves and the hobbit around, Thorin leads the dwarves in complaints and is quick to criticize others while refusing to admit to his own mistake.  He is particularly critical of Bilbo and Gandalf's choice to bring him.  The weak leadership of Thorin is quickly seen at the absence of Gandalf.   In the first and faintest sign of troubles Thorin is helpless to maintain order amongst the group that spirals into a chaotic quarrel of blame and frenzy.  Even towards the end of the story, Thorins leadership is not appealing, as he angrily throws over Bilbo at the trading of his stone.  Gandalf points this out as Thorin's greed is emphasized and it is apparent that his gold is more important to him than the value of loyalty, friendship, or trust.  However, the change in Thorin is seen as he may recognizes the strong character of Bilbo.  His change is best seen some of his final words as he states that he is going where "gold and silver are of little worth" and "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."  Although Thorin is buried with his treasured stone, it is apparent that the journey imposed on him new values.
    

Notable Moment in The Hobbit

    Reflecting on my preconceived notions, I have found myself much more interested in this book than I originally expected.  I have found that The Hobbit does not display a strongly influential grotesque "boy" nature that I assumed.  Instead, I was more interested in the character building that Tolkien developed.  Not only was the plot adventurous and climatic, but it was also intertwined with various and unique characters. Aside from the variety of dwarves, goblins, elves, and other creatures, each character had specific qualities that either drew me into their character or caused me to have resistance toward the character.  For example, I was quite drawn to the wizard when he stood up for his friend and choice, while the other dwarves were ridiculing Mr.  Baggins.  This instance in the chapter "Out of the Frying- Pan Into the Fire"  emphasized Gandalf's values for me therefore drawing me into his character.  I viewed this showing as loyalty but I suppose it could also be seen as stubborn, refusing to admit to a mistake on his part.  In contrast, my opinion of the dwarves as a whole wavered and sometimes caused a feeling of resistance.  It seems as though every instance that brings strife causes the dwarves to quickly turn to a chaotic state of blame, complaints, and bickering.  For example in the chapter "Barrels Out of Bond", the dwarves are forced to trust Bilbo but only after hesitation due to fear of being "bruised and battered to pieces, and drowned".  Bilbo is constantly having to force plans upon the dwarves, which really surprised me in regards to Bilbo's character.
     The dynamic character of Bilbo that Tolkien built progressively occurred but was spurred on with the loss of their leader Gandalf.  Personally, I did not expect a change this drastic, as it Bilbo has transformed to be not only a leader, but an honest and brave one.  The moment that shockingly stood out to me the most occurred when Bilbo volunteered to see the dragon in the chapter "Inside Information".  From this moment on, I realized the deep change from the prim and proper hobbit that was first introduced.

Preconceived Notions of The Hobbit

     I seem to be in a small group of readers that has yet to read The Hobbit.  Although I enjoy fantasies, the general idea of a somewhat grotesque troll never appealed to me.  I find it curious that I was very interested in similar novels such as Harry Potter but the adventurous plot of the hobbit was not enough to lure me.  Despite all the recommendations that my friends made when I was much younger, the suggestions were never taken seriously partly due to my idea that the book seemed what I would have considered a "boy" book.  Now that i have grown in experience and maturity, I am still not sure whether I will like the book or dislike the book.  It depends on whether the amount of adventure grasps my attention.

Blog Post 2: Reflection

     After taking the survey, I am more excited to read fantasy fiction than I was originally because I associate reading with relaxing and enjoyment rather than to be informed.  I look forward to finding complex and deeper meanings in a story that appears to be only simple and entertaining from the surface.  I think I will enjoy books that have more than one dimension and stay balanced between all elements and themes.  I think my favor of the books will vary based on the themes as well as whether they contain adventure, romance, and mystery in a balanced manner.

Blog Post 1: Survey

1. What associations do you have with reading?  Do you have any personal history that makes reading seem more or less pleasurable?

              I associate reading with the ability to escape reality to enjoy losing myself in another reality.  Personally, I found reading more pleasurable when it was on my leisure time rather than required.  Many good books were ruined for me because of extensive projects.

2. Why do you read?

              I read for pleasure and for relaxation.  I do not enjoy reading to be informed.

3. What has been your best experience in a literature course? (high school or college)

            My best experience in a literature course was my AP English class in high school.  I enjoyed alot of the literature pieces we studied and found interesting opinions that my classmates introduced.

4. What has been your worst experience in a literature course? (high school or college)

           The worst experinece was the book Endurance that was assigned to us in high school.  I found no interest in it and could it took me a long time to finish.

5.  What college-level literature courses have you taken in the English department?

          I tested out of my first level english class and am currently taking Eng 203.

6.Compared to other literature courses you have taken, what do you expect will be the level of difficulty of this course?  Why?

         I expect it to be fairly difficult for me because I am a first year college student without the experience of very similar classes.  I am curious as to the level in which I will be able to participate.

7.  What themes do you look for when you read literature for adults?

         I look for romance, mystery, and an overall emotional effect.

8.  What are your favorite books written for adults?

        Pride and Prejudice and The Scarlett Pimpernel.

9.  How do you determine whether a book you have read is good?

         I find that I tend to finish good books faster, struggle to put them down, and find myself extremely emotionally or mentally attached.

10.  Do you think it is a good idea to study children’s literature?

           Yes because it teaches how a simple story can have deeper meanings and broader applications.

11.  Why do you think scholars study children’s literature?

           Scholars study children's literature in order to learn the best way to guide broader audiences.

12.  When you think of “children’s literature,” what comes to mind?

           Initially I think of books such as Dr. Seuss, Rapunzel, Mother Goose, and The Ugly Duckling.  However, I also think of books such as A Wrinkle in Time, Harry Potter, and Twilight.

13.  What do you look for when you search for a children’s book?

           Simple plots that intrigue the reader but at the same time have a deeper meaning that what is just on the surface.

14.  Why would you look for children’s books?  What do you do with children’s books?

          Normally, I would read them for my little brother.  I will occasionally read children's books for pleasure.

15.What children’s books do you most admire?

         Although I may not have enjoyed reading Animal Farm and The Lord of the Flies, I admire these books because they successfully portray a much deeper meaning than the surface appearance.

16.  What were your favorite children’s books as a child?

          A Wrinkle in Time and Harry Potter.

17.  In what contexts did you read children’s books as a child?

         I was required to read for school but I read a lot for pleasure when my schedule allowed.

18.  Are there certain themes that interest you in children’s books?

         I am interested in a variety of themes but I specifically am drawn to themes of appearance vs. reality as well as good vs. evil.

19.  Are there certain types of books that you think children shouldn’t read?

         No, I think that the exposure to any literary work is fair to all ages, with the exception of books that contain obscene descriptions of any manner.

20.  How do you judge whether a children’s book is good?

         I judge whether a children's book is good based on whether I was challenged to open my mind while at the same time, the audience of children was entertained.

21.  What do you think of when you think of fantasy?

          I think of Fairy tales and simple fictional books that are filled with adventure.

22.  Do you like fantasy literature? Why or why not?

          Yes because they provide an interesting perspective and are often intriguing for me because they are filled with adventure.

23.  Explain your reaction when you learned that this course would focus on fantasy.

          I was excited to read books that could be interesting while at the same time find a deeper meaning in them.

24.  Rank the following from most to least valuable:

1. • Nonfiction 4
   • Poetry 7
   • Historical Fiction 6
   • Romance   2
   • Fantasy Fiction 5
   • Science Fiction  9
   • Horror  8
   • Mystery   3
   • Adventure  1
   • 
     
   • Explain your choice for #1 and #9 in your rankings above.
   I find adventure most valuable because it is the element that most intrigues me to become interested with a high intensity.  I find science fiction least valuable because it is specifically targeted to a certain interest that I do not enjoy or find interesting like other readers.