Designed to be a parallel course to the traditional undergraduate offering, this course integrates themes from the major and is open only to students in the adult degree completion program in human development. This course examines the purpose, nature, and power of literature for children, classic as well as contemporary, particularly as it relates to the role literature plays in child development at home and school. Emphases include the nature of literature for children, evaluating and selecting books, responses to literature, understanding and experiencing the genres of literature, reading aloud and writing about literature, as well as becoming conversant with major writers and illustrators of children's literature, with special attention to multicultural literature.