Sociological and Psychological Implications of “Cinderella”
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A five page paper analyzing this well-known fairy tale. The paper presents four different interpretations of the Cinderella story from a sociological or psychological perspective, concluding that regardless of which interpretation one chooses, the story provides a unique path into the psyche of the reader. Bibliography lists five sources.
Filename: KBcinder.wps

Song of the Brook by Matilda Nordtvedt
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A 3 page paper which offers a book report of Matilda Nordtvedt’s Song of the Brook. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: RAsbm.rtf

Stan Berenstain and the Bears
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This 5 page paper gives a brief biography of Stan Berenstain (the man behind the Berenstain bears); a summary of one of the books; and argues that his life did impact his writing. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: HVBerens.rtf

Stephanie Tolan/Surviving the Applegates
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A 3 page book review that discusses the basic plot to this award-winning children's book. Surviving the Applegates is an engaging read for students age 10 and up. In presenting the eccentric Applegate clan through the eyes of E.D. Applegate and a thirteen-year-old delinquent who is taken in by the family--Jake Semple--the reader learns that you cannot judge what someone is like by appearances and also that people will generally respond to the way in which they are treated. No additional sources cited.
Filename: khstapp.rtf

StinkyCheese and the Gingerbread Man
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(5 pp) Almost all of us love stories. There is even an old legend that the reason God created humans so that there would be someone to tell him the stories. Generally they are adapted or sanitized depending on the age in which they are told, and sometimes by the storyteller himself. And sometimes the story teller may just wonder what would happened if you just changed a certain part. Such is the case of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka (1992) and Lane Smith (illustrator). In this discussion we will look both at the "stinky cheese man" and his predecessor through the work of Maria Tatar, in the 1998 version of The Classic Fairy Tales. Bibliography lists 6 sources.
Filename: BBstnkch.doc

Submissive Characters In Children's Literature: Influence Upon Self-Perception In Female Children
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6 pages in length. Children's literature is replete with visual imagery of worlds that exist beyond reality's realm; to equip a child with a story that takes her outside her established precepts is to fortify that young mind with additional learning tools for life. However, not every lesson learned within the pages of children's literature is of a positive nature, inasmuch as some messages drive home antiquated gender identity roles that impose significantly distorted perceptions upon naďve and vulnerable readers. When cast as submissive characters by virtue of their gender, children are taught that such famous "people" as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty represent how women are expected to be in the real world; without benefit of truly understanding the fantasy component of children's literature, they take with them these skewed perceptions and unknowingly incorporate them into their own psychological development. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: TLCwmnsubms.rtf

Sun Solders:
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(5 pp) This original adventure story has been created for children ages 5-8. It is written in a conversational tone, as one might present as part of a storytelling group. "Every day is new for all of us," hummed the Small One, darting from one side to another." I try new things every day. I tried a double somersault today—didn't work; so I will try it again tomorrow. Sometime you have to try something more than once before you get it right."
Filename: BBsunsol.doc

Susan Creech/The Wanderer
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A 4 page research paper that, first of all, looks at a timeline of events, then offers a description of the main characters, and closes with by relating ten examples of the author's use of sensory images. No additional sources cited.
Filename: khcrwan.rtf

Susan Lowell/The Three Little Javelinas
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A 5 page essay that analyzes this charming retelling of "The Three Little Pigs," with a Southwest flair. The writer argues that this story offers young children an introduction to Southwestern culture that is entertaining and age appropriate for preschoolers. No additional sources cited.
Filename: khswpigs.rtf