The Cat in the Hat by Theodor Geisel Editing in Childrens Books Paper Essay Question Directions You may type your essay at home, print it, and bring it to

The Cat in the Hat by Theodor Geisel Editing in Childrens Books Paper Essay Question Directions

You may type your essay at home, print it, and bring it to class.

Please type your essay (double-spaced in 12-point font) and turn it in next Wednesday to earn up to 20 points on the final exam. Please use MLA format to document and identify your work.

Or . . .

You may bring a Blue Book to class and write your essay in class, using your open notes.

The choice is yours.

Essay Question Options:

Imagine that you’re working for an editor of children’s books, and you have to explain to your supervisor why a particular book ought to be considered for publication.

Find a picture book that you think is thoughtfully crafted, with a noteworthy use of language and illustrations. Now pretend that it hasn’t yet been published and you think it ought to be.

In a well-developed essay, assess the use of language and illustrations. Do you think the book has been thoughtfully crafted to engage and entertain readers? Is it masterfully crafted, or not?

In the first body paragraph, tell whether you think the use of language effectively tells the story or not. Return to the literary devices we’ve discussed throughout the semester and particularly in our segment on poetry, such as alliteration, euphony, sensory imagery, rhyme, etc. Then quote passages from the book to illustrate how the language is playful, engaging, descriptive, and/or thoughtfully crafted.

In the second body paragraph, discuss the illustrations, keeping in mind that art dictates our impression of the subject matter. Consider media (pen and ink, watercolor, etc.), color, line, borders, etc. Then consider this statement by Anne Hoppe, Executive Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books: “The writer distills. The illustrator expands.” Do the illustrations expand the story?

Conclude your essay by reminding your supervisor of your main claim—you recommend the book for publication or you don’t. And then leave your reader thinking about the subject matter.