Definition and Development of Children's Literature
According to Quinn (1992: 43) literature is a unique writing with the use of unique words, writing that operates in a unique way and requires a unique reader as well. Through unique words, about the various human conditions that are presented, so that the stories shape our insights and understandings. With literature we can get to know ourselves, others, the environment, and various life problems. While children's literature is a literary work that is devoted to reading by children so that it can increase knowledge and shape their characters for the better. There are various types of literature that are especially devoted to children including folklore, fantasy stories, realistic stories, poetry, historical fiction, and other information books.
A. Definition of children's literature
Reading books is a good habit for children. And it is also considered important by some people, both children and adults. Reading story books is not only an entertainment for children but can educate and instill the noble values in the story.
Literature is a writing that has the value of excellence, beauty, authenticity, content and expression. Literature can also provide knowledge and insight for its readers. While children's literature (children's reading) is written work that contains the problems of children's lives so that they can provide better understanding and information for the child's life. This children's reading is able to make children in perspective as the center being told and an authentic truth that can be expressed right into impressive language.
Children's literature is born from the creation of imagination that can describe the world of fiction and can provide certain understanding and experience so that children can relate their experiences and fiction to the images in the story. The first key to understanding children's reading is experience and linguistic knowledge. The writing, language, and contents must also be adjusted to the level of child development.
B. The development of children's literature
Age of children is a phase of development that is still often changing. Children are still very easy to accept things that children encounter, positive or negative. Children's development is also influenced by things that children encounter at the age of the children, and will influence their development when they grow up. For example, if children are accustomed to good behaviors, it will be embedded in the child until he is an adult. Therefore, it would be nice if at the time of these children, children are given the habit and presented with literary readings that can increase intellectual and moral knowledge.
Every child has different stages of development, so the reading given must be adjusted to the child's age and development. By adjusting readings to the age and ability of children to understand and comprehend reading will make it easier for children to take lessons from what he is reading. Children's reading is generally in the form of short stories that use simple language and contain fictional stories.
Children's literature is not always about children's stories, or various stories about children's lives. Children's literature can also tell and describe everything that concerns life, human life, animal life, or even animal life. However, stories are packaged in simple language, and according to the child's ability to understand.
Like adults, children also have a great curiosity. To satisfy this curiosity, children have many ways, such as by reading. And the child cannot choose the reading that is suitable for him, therefore we must care about the children's reading because it will have an impact on the development of children's literature.
The following things will be affected in the development of children's literature:
1. Intellectual and moral development
The child will experience intellectual and moral development from the literature that he can, he will take the values from the literature and cause intellectual development or increase the children's knowledge and cognitive development, as well as from the conflicts he gets from a literature will give influence to the moral development of children.
2. Language development
Newborns certainly cannot speak or speak, but babies will learn from the environment around them. From the sounds that exist, then he distinguishes the sound or sound that is around him, starting from the sound of an object, animal, or human voice. As babies grow and develop into childhood, children will learn and begin to find their own language. In the process of receiving language, children acquire language by imitating, seeing and imitating those around them. And the process occurs continuously until the next age.
In the next stage, children begin to receive stories, stories about anything that fits the child's mindset, which is able to be understood by the child. With a story to introduce the world, with a viewpoint that fits the child. Children's language development is also related to intellectual development and other aspects of personality. This can be used to understand that after children are able to understand and use language, children can accept and develop knowledge and understanding of the world.
Children who are accustomed to literature from an early age will have a good impact on children's development and literature will not only be a means of entertainment, but children will take education and lessons from the various advice contained. Besides children's literature has a special function on child development namely; train and foster children's reading habits, help children's intellectual development, because understanding a reading for children is not easy, with children's reading habits, children will be easier to understand because they are used to it. In addition, literature accelerates children's development of language learning and enhances children's imagination.