The Quiet Voices of Children's Literature Amidst the Roar of New Literacies

Abstract

In this paper, I take the quiet voice of children's literature, speaking out for the use of children's literature in classrooms at a time when loud voices are advocating for new literacies. I go beyond the more conventional arguments for the use of literature (e.g., that of being able to cradle a book in one's arms while lounging in a favorite chair or listening to the cadences of a beloved adult reading a text while enjoying the illustrator's creative artwork) and address the criticisms of books put forward by new literacies advocates.