Children's literature: reading strategies and receptivity in early childhood

Abstract

To ensure students' mastery of reading and writing constitutes one of the biggest challenges currently facing Brazilian public schools. Data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (Pirls, 2021) estimate that around 40% of Brazilian students in the 4th year of elementary school do not master basic reading skills. Despite the complex nature of the theme, when specifically dealing with young children, literary books play a very relevant role in this process, since research indicates that they constitute a kind of gateway to the world of literature and reading. In this sense, the present article presents the results of an action investigation that aimed to analyze the reception of children's literature books for preschoolers in the age range of 4 to 5 years old, from a preschool, in the city of Presidente Prudente/SP. For the development of the research, we provide children with high-quality literature books – awarded by the Jabuti Prize, which is the most prestigious literary award in Brazil. Group organization was utilized to have a bigger “control” of children's speech and press conferences with the purpose of understanding what criteria the children use when choosing the books. Reading circles were utilized as a methodology to initiate a dialogue within the group and the sharing of impressions about the chosen books. Three elements emerged as central in the choice of books by the children: the cover as the most decisive element, the illustrations and the connections that they made between the book, its characters and the pre-existing knowledge they already had. The work demonstrates that it is necessary to provide opportunities in schools for practices that involve children more, that encourage them to choose what they want to read.