What's a good first book to do literary analysis with?

[Rhonda in TX]

I've mentioned before that DD (10 yrs old) wants to do some literary analysis. I'm trying to pick out a book that would be good to start with. I want something that's not too hard for our first time. She's a strong reader, but I don't want her frustrated trying to find the elements of the story. I figure it doesn't matter if she's read the book before. She loves fantasy books, but it doesn't have to that.

 

Any suggestions?

[Lori D.]

Hi Rhonda,

How fun! You and your daughter are going to have a great time together doing literary analysis and discussing literature together!

 

Just my opinion -- I'd go with a book that has a study guide available, and I highly recommend the Garlic Press study guides. Each guide includes some very nice one-page teachings on various literary elements (such as metaphor, irony, setting, etc.), with examples from the book you're reading -- very readable and easy to understand. The guides also include great discussion questions, plus ideas for writing assignments and additional activities. No personal experience with Progeny Press, but others on this board rate them well.

 

Based on your daughter's age and interests, and your stipulation of not a hard or long book, my top suggestions for you are below. Enjoy your literary journey together! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

Garlic Press Publishers study guides

http://garlicpress.com/cgi-bin/shop_gp.cgi

 

- Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (fantasy)

- Island of the Blue Dolphins (adventure/survival)

- The Hobbit (fantasy)

- Redwall (fantasy)

- My Side of the Mountain (realistic fiction)

 

 

Progeny Press study guides for gr. 5-8

http://www.progenypress.com/Catalog/productcatalog.html

 

- Holes (fun tall tale)

- The Magician's Nephew (fantasy)

- Island of the Blue Dolphins (adventure/survival)

- Number the Stars (historical fiction)

- Redwall (fantasy)

- A Wrinkle in Time (sci-fi)

[Lori D.]

I forgot to mention that both Garlic Press and Progeny Press are also available at Rainbow Resource catalog and throught Amazon.

 

Also, you might enjoy going through the following booklets from the Basic Skills Series, published by Instructional Fair, both available at Rainbow Resource for $5 each. See them at: http://www.rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1207233908-169444

 

- Story Elements grades 5-6

- Story Elements grades 7-8

 

Each covers literary elements and genres, and has some short exercises to practice. We did these aloud together, 2 pages per time, 2-3 times a week. It only takes about 10 minutes, and it was a great "warm-up" and exposure to literary elements, literary analysis, and discussing literature. After we went through both of these booklets, we moved on to "Figuratively Speaking", also at Rainbow Resource.

 

Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Sarah CB]

I'd take the Adam Andrews approach and go with a favourite picture book. Children's lit has the same literary elements that a novel does, but they're simpler (and shorter) so it's easier to teach the basics. I've taught lit analysis for the last two years in our co-op and I always do our first few weeks using children's books. I get each of the students to bring in their favourite book from childhood and then I use those books to teach the elements of a story.

 

Pick your favourite picture book and go!

 

Sarah

[WTMindy]

I would first start the discussion about the literary elements (rising action, conlict, climax denoument,etc) and then choose any book. Adam Andrews program has a great section about this in his program. But, I don't make it super heavy. We just finished reading the Lord of the Rings and I just asked in conversation, "What do you think was the climax of that story?" We had a good discussion about that in the car. I don't think literary analysis needs to be too formal. Ds brought up the fact that there are little climaxes in the book which led to a great discussion about how a good book has lots of little peaks in the rising action. Once we find the climax of the book, we go back and talk about the conflict.

 

We do this with most of the books we read out loud.

 

I would recommend Teaching the Classics by Adam Andrews. The DVD's are good to watch, but if money is tight the workbook gives some great literary analysis questions to ask at different stages. I think that list of questions alone is worth the price of the workbook.

[Ali in OR]

Sarah,

 

Can you share some of the picture books you have used? We are also just starting this and using Teaching the Classics. I would like to do about 1 a month I think. We started out with Peter Rabbit since it was the Teaching the Classics example and the girls love that book. But I haven't figured out where to go next. Thanks!

[Sarah CB]

Well, for fun we used Prunella and the Purple Peanut by Margaret Atwood. I used Ferdinand with AA's study guide. I think my favourite one was The Nightingale by Hans Christian Anderson. We had an amazing discussion over that book. It was a great illustration of how the author uses setting to reveal character.

 

I'm having a hard time remembering any of the other titles because they were brought in by the kids and we discussed them without prior preparation.

 

Sarah

[Linda...inOwasso]

My dd and I just finished reading and discussing Frindle by Andrew Clements and it was awesome! It would be a very easy read for your 10yo and the book is exceptionally well written. Clements did a fabulous job of weaving some very important life lessons just beneath the surface without burying them so deeply that my daughter couldn't be led to "see" them. You wouldn't need a lit. guide... this book is just fun to discuss! Enjoy!!

[Rhonda in TX]

I'd take the Adam Andrews approach and go with a favourite picture book. Children's lit has the same literary elements that a novel does, but they're simpler (and shorter) so it's easier to teach the basics. I've taught lit analysis for the last two years in our co-op and I always do our first few weeks using children's books. I get each of the students to bring in their favourite book from childhood and then I use those books to teach the elements of a story.

 

Pick your favourite picture book and go!

 

Sarah

 

Good idea. I think this would be a great way to start, and would be quick, too.

 

I would first start the discussion about the literary elements (rising action, conlict, climax denoument,etc) and then choose any book. Adam Andrews program has a great section about this in his program. But, I don't make it super heavy. We just finished reading the Lord of the Rings and I just asked in conversation, "What do you think was the climax of that story?" We had a good discussion about that in the car. I don't think literary analysis needs to be too formal. Ds brought up the fact that there are little climaxes in the book which led to a great discussion about how a good book has lots of little peaks in the rising action. Once we find the climax of the book, we go back and talk about the conflict.

 

We do this with most of the books we read out loud.

 

I would recommend Teaching the Classics by Adam Andrews. The DVD's are good to watch, but if money is tight the workbook gives some great literary analysis questions to ask at different stages. I think that list of questions alone is worth the price of the workbook.

 

I thought Teaching the Classics was for older students. Does it work with younger ones?

[Rhonda in TX]

I forgot to mention that both Garlic Press and Progeny Press are also available at Rainbow Resource catalog and throught Amazon.

 

Also, you might enjoy going through the following booklets from the Basic Skills Series, published by Instructional Fair, both available at Rainbow Resource for $5 each. See them at: http://www.rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1207233908-169444

 

- Story Elements grades 5-6

- Story Elements grades 7-8

 

Each covers literary elements and genres, and has some short exercises to practice. We did these aloud together, 2 pages per time, 2-3 times a week. It only takes about 10 minutes, and it was a great "warm-up" and exposure to literary elements, literary analysis, and discussing literature. After we went through both of these booklets, we moved on to "Figuratively Speaking", also at Rainbow Resource.

 

Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll look at those.

[Rhonda in TX]

My dd and I just finished reading and discussing Frindle by Andrew Clements and it was awesome! It would be a very easy read for your 10yo and the book is exceptionally well written. Clements did a fabulous job of weaving some very important life lessons just beneath the surface without burying them so deeply that my daughter couldn't be led to "see" them. You wouldn't need a lit. guide... this book is just fun to discuss! Enjoy!!

 

This sounds like a good book to use at the beginning. We've both read it (and we own it), so that would help.

[Sarah CB]

Teaching the Classics equips you to be able to teach literary analysis at any level. I use what Adam has taught me with my kindergartener and with my li class (grades 6 and 7). I'll continue to use his approach through high school. His DVD series shows you how to teach so that you can confidently lead a lit analysis discussion with any age level using any kind of book (short story, picture book, novel, etc.). I'm able to teach informally now as we're reading bedtime stories - I'll take the time to ask a few questions about theme or character or whatever. I'm also able to take what Adam taught me and turn it into a well prepared lit analysis lesson for co-op.

 

I am really looking forward to taking our literary analysis to a new level using Adam's Worldview DVDs.

 

I wrote a little bit about Adam Andrews on my blog:

http://fanningflame.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/camping-with-adam-andrews/

 

Sarah

[Rhonda in TX]

I had no intention of buying this for awhile, but I think I'm going to have to try to make it fit into the budget. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Hoggirl]

I know this isn't what you asked for, but we really enjoyed doing Figuratively Speaking as a first step to literary analysis. It presents about 40 literary terms/devices in a workbook format with examples from classic literature. The examples are very clear-cut and easy to understand. I felt like getting a good working vocabulary of literary terms within short examples would be a good foundation for finding things within a larger (novel) work. It has worked well for us.

[Beth in Central TX]

I agree with using TtC. Andrew Adams uses adaptations to teach the different literary elements which I think is a great way to introduce the terms. Once the student (or the teacher) is familiar with the terms, I think it is then easier to move into children's books for literary discussion. Some of the books we've started with include Goodnight Moon, A Bargain for Frances, Where the Wild Things Are, The Carrot Seed, etc. Next we'll move into Winnie-the-Pooh.

 

I've done most of this work through Socratic dialogue; however, this summer I will have my oldest son watch the DVDs and go through the workbook on his own. He has been exposed to the terms, so he should understand this program very well. Next I want him to be able to put together a story chart on his own. I'm trying to prepare him to write essays on literary analysis in 8th grade, and then having these essays timed in high school (an idea I got from Angelina on this board).

[WTMindy]

Good idea. I think this would be a great way to start, and would be quick, too.

 

 

 

I thought Teaching the Classics was for older students. Does it work with younger ones?

 

The nice thing is that it gives questions to ask for all levels.

[KAR120C]

She loves fantasy books, but it doesn't have to that.

 

Any suggestions?

Our first was The Tale of Despereaux... And we didn't do anything terribly formal with it, it just lent itself to some excellent discussions of theme and symbolism and subtlety that set the stage rather nicely for our later formal study of literary elements. It's also extremely well read on CD, if you want to listen rather than read, or listen while reading.

 

DS was very young, and it was informal, but one thing I think I'd do with an older kid is buy a copy of the book to keep, so she can mark notes in the margins. This one in particular you could do without any guide... it's been quite a while since we did it but what I remember of it is that you could follow all the references to "light" and "darkness" and get a great deal out of just doing that!

[Beth in Central TX]

I posted a little further up about using TtC with younger students. In the beginning, I use TtC as a guide to introduce the literary concepts through socratic dialogue. Then as my boys get older, I will have them watch the DVDs themselves. Once they are familiar with the terms and can identify them in a story, I'm going to have my 7th grader write out the story charts and work his way into written literary analysis by 8th grade.

[Cinder]

I recently finished Rafe Esquith's book Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire. He teaches 5th grade in a NYC public school. In the chapter about literary analysis he says he starts with The Wizard of Oz because it's a familiar story and the story elements are easy to identify.

 

Cinder

[Carol in Cal.]

I recently finished Rafe Esquith's book Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire. He teaches 5th grade in a NYC public school. In the chapter about literary analysis he says he starts with The Wizard of Oz because it's a familiar story and the story elements are easy to identify.

 

Cinder

 

His book is great, and he even tells what the answers are to those pesky literary elements questions are about the movie "The Wizard of Oz" and the book "Tom Sawyer", so it is easy to start with those.

 

When you are ready to take this a little further, I would encourage you to look over the discussion questions in TWTM for logic stage literaure. That list has been very helpful to me. Also, the book "Figuratively Speaking" has definitions and examples of quite a few more literary elements that are not quite so basic. I have not actually used all of the exercises in the book, but I have used it as a guide to teach the elements. We discuss them, and use the book's examples if we have already read the books that are referenced, and try to think of other examples in books we have read recently. I also make a conscious effort to include those elements in future discussions, to cement that literary vocabulary. This has worked pretty well.