Janet Evans

‘Princesses are not into war ’n things, they always scream and run off’: Exploring gender stereotypes in picture books

Gender stereotyping in children’s books is not an issue which has disappeared, for all that we have been aware of its problems for a number of years. Here Janet Evans reopens this issue and provides some useful insights into what might be appropriate responses.

Do You Live a Life of Riley? : Thinking and Talking About the Purpose of Life in Picturebook Responses

It is increasingly accepted that one can respond to picturebooks in a variety of different ways, however it is only in the last decade or so that some picturebooks are being recognized as extremely complex multimodal texts which often make great intellectual and cognitive demands on the reader. Picturebooks can be very powerful texts; they can stimulate rich discussion and release previously untapped thoughts and emotions allowing the reader to reflect on life and its vagaries. This article asks who is the audience for picturebooks that are challenging, controversial, and unconventional and outlines why it is crucial to read, share, and talk about them collaboratively. It describes how one such book, The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley by Colin Thompson and Amy Lissiat, at first glance a seemingly simple, humorous text, was used with 10 and 11 year old children as the stimulus for some reader response work which quickly led to some profound, indeed, quite philosophical discussions about the purpose of life and the choices that human beings make as they exist in a material world.

Responding to illustrations in picture story books

Illustrations are a fundamental feature in children’s picture books and the evidence suggests that they are more than simply window dressing to make books look more attractive. They work in partnership with print to create layers of meaning. Janet Evans here illustrates this by using the responses of a group of children to Angry Arthur. She shows convincingly how encouraging children to respond to books in this way deepens their understanding.

Talking about maths

This article looks at why talk is important for young children learning mathematics, how talk fosters mathematical understanding and the importance of having something to talk about by relating maths to real situations. It then looks at the revealing comments of some four and five year old children talking about simple number activities linked to a favourite rhyming story song they had been singing.

From Comics, Graphic Novels and Picturebooks to Fusion Texts: A New Kid on the Block!.

There is probably a comic or graphic novel to suit the needs and requirements of all kinds of readers. However, in addition, there is now a new kid on the block! A different kind of book is emerging, one that exhibits some, but not always all, of the characteristics normally thought of as belonging to comics and graphic novels. These books blur the boundaries and include elements of comics, graphic novels and picturebooks, fusing them and creating a category that is a synthesis of aspects from all of them, hence the term, “fusion” texts. This article challenges the view that comics, graphic novels and picturebooks are aimed at a younger and/or immature audience and shows how they are often complex fusion texts dealing with challenging, controversial issues which frequently deliver thought provoking and uncomfortable messages.

The Importance of Storytime in Primary Schools

Storytime is an aspect of the primary curriculum which is rather under threat, especially in junior classes, as the curriculum becomes squeezed by all the demands which are made upon it. Janet Evans puts forward a convincing case for the retention and use of regular story time sessions.

We are all born free and equal. But are we? Children’s responses to issues of conflict, migration and refugees in picturebooks

ABSTRACT There has always been war and conflict in our world. Conflict almost always goes hand-in-hand with human suffering and is usually caused by issues related to religion, power and politics linked to greed and money. Ordinary people, trying to live their everyday lives often suffer the greatest effects, with extreme hardship, misery and intense unhappiness frequently leading to death, destruction and displacement. This article looks at the concept of migration caused by war and conflict as dealt with by a text set of picturebooks. It considers the responses of a group of 9- and 10-year-old children as they discuss what is meant by migration, migrants and refugees and focuses on what it would be like if, because of war, they found themselves in the situation of having to leave their homes and seek refuge in a new country.

Who Am I? Why Am I Here? and Where Do I Come From? Responding to Philosophical Picturebooks.

ABSTRACT This article gives a brief overview of reader response theory before sharing the views of some nine-year-old children working collaboratively as part of a community of readers. Prior to responding to some philosophical picturebooks the children talked about what they thought philosophy was, they then shared their thoughts on some of the very questions of existence to include: Who am I? Why am I here? Where did I come from? and Where will I go to? Their initial thoughts and responses were followed by detailed reading, thinking and responding to one specific picturebook, Die Schopfung (The Creation) by F.K. Waechter.

Creative and Aesthetic Responses to Picturebooks and Fine Art.

It has long been accepted that one can respond to fine art in a variety of different ways. However, it is only in the last decade or so that picturebooks have been attracting the kind of recognition that they have long deserved as art forms to be considered and responded to both creatively and aesthetically. There is a growing body of research focusing on how we can respond creatively to the illustrations in picturebooks in addition to the picturebooks themselves as art objects. There is also a growing number of author illustrators who use famous works of art as an integral part of the storyline in their picuturebooks. This article describes how one such book, Katies picture show, was initially used as the stimulus for some reader response work which quickly led onto more in-depth, detailed responses to fine art – Fernando Boteros art in particular. It then goes on to share the oral, written and illustrative responses of some 10 year old children, showing the creative and aesthetic links between picturebooks and fine art.

Beanie Soft Toys: An Opportunity to Promote Literacy Development, or Another Money-Spinner for the Business Tycoons?.

This paper reports on a qualitative research project undertaken with Y6 children. It draws on transcriptions of childrens discussions; recordings of collaborative writing sessions; and the childrens responses to a series of questions relating to Beanie soft toys, their origins, their intended market audience and their creators entrepreneurial intentions in relation to the global market. The paper considers how far the children were motivated by working with popular icons as a purpose for collaborative writing. It also analyses childrens stated views on the manufacturers who make, advertise and sell these types of popular toys and explores childrens relationship to the consumerist ideology which surrounds popular culture.