Students examine and evaluate both print and nonprint materials for children, birth to twelve. The emphasis is on literary and artistic interpretations of picture books and other visual media, including the WWW.

This course is designed to help students develop critical abilities in the evaluation
of materials and to encourage them to view children as both consumers and producers
of all forms of media

Resources for this course and the syllabus are part of Kay Vandergrift's website. An excellent place to begin is her Children's Literature site.

Students learn to evaluate and select materials based on literary criteria and on characteristics of young adults - cultural, sociological, biological and psychological.

The emphasis is on both gender-fair and multicultural materials and the attitudes, interests, problems, and opportunities of young adults in today's society.

There are various websites for this course including Vandergrift's Young Adult Literature website, or begin with the syllabus. Vandergrift's 100 brings together one hundred of the best writers for young adults.