Juvenile literature is considered one of the children’s most crucial educational tools because it is the first source of information they discover independently. Consequently, some question the content of children’s literature and the role of societal issues in it. One might argue that representing social problems is critical in juvenile literature, whereas some might debate that juniors do not need to read about them. This essay will argue that societal issues play an essential role in young literature because they positively affect children’s upbringing and critical thinking skills.
Children can be taught social responsibility through literature which is why children’s books should be written about societal issues. According to the book by Leland et al., children undergo several stages of understanding the book. First, they read the book and learn to “dig deeply” into the meaning of the book (Leland, Lewison & Harste., 2018, p. 21). During the next step, juniors acquire the skill of “taking action” (Leland, Lewison & Harste, 2018, p. 22). Literature that is written considering these steps and with proper questions for children that will help them understand why particular social issues matter can assist parents in the upbringing process. For instance, authors write that minors who read literature describing the modern world’s problems “learn to get things done in life, advocate for equity, and make the world a better place” (Leland, Lewison & Harste, 2018, p. 22). Some might argue that childhood is when people cannot completely understand the importance of societal problems. However, it is also known that installing moral habits should begin in early childhood. Hence, juvenile literature should also be an upbringing tool where social problems play a significant role in the content.
Discussing societal issues in juvenile literature also contributes to developing youngsters’ critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skill allows people to assume that there is not only one correct answer but rather consider the problem from different perspectives and search for multiple solutions (Leland, Lewison & Harste, 2018). Consequently, critical thinking skill enables people to liberate their minds from stereotypes and biased judgments and also develop empathy. According to Newstreet, Sarker & Shearer, “text sets provide rich resources with which [children] explore multiple perspectives and develop critical literacy skills,” which confirms the point mentioned above (Newstreet, Sarker & Shearer, 2018, p. 5). The study also pointed out that by developing empathy through critical thinking skills, discrimination and bullying will be reduced in the classes. Some might argue that it is impossible to teach children diversity and critical thinking when most teachers are white women (Newstreet, Sarker & Shearer, 2018). Nonetheless, teachers can probably serve as mediators between the literature and students to assist children in understanding the world’s complexity, regardless of race and gender. Therefore, it can be debated that children’s literature should be able to teach critical thinking by introducing social diversity and issues.
To conclude, societal problems in juvenile literature are a significant part of creating critical and socially responsible citizens. Children learn to understand and act towards solving social issues through books. Consequently, texts become assistants in the parents’ upbringing and help grow moral citizens. Children can also acquire critical thinking skills by reading juvenile literature about social problems. Students see diversity in books and learn to explore different perspectives on one problem. Hence, they develop empathy which later reduces discrimination in classes.
References
Leland, C. H., Lewison, M., & Harste, J. C. (2017). Teaching Children’s Literature: It’s Critical! Routledge.
Newstreet, C., Sarker, A., & Shearer, R. (2019). Teaching empathy: Exploring multiple perspectives to address Islamophobia through children’s literature. The Reading Teacher, 72(5), 559-568.