Aggle, Carolyn S., Charles A. Walker, and Patricia Newcomb. "Journal of Theory Construction and Testing." Using Imaginative Literature in Clinical Courses to Improve Student Outcomes 10.1 (2006): 6-10. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Mar. 2010.
Aggle has a very unique idea on why imaginative literature should be taught. The authors believe students who tend to be more scientific lack compassion. Lacking compassion can prove to be detrimental in some professions. Nurses, for example need to care for their patients and need to be sympathetic. Nursing majors are in charge of taking care of patients but think too scientifically. The compassion the nurses lack can be taught through imaginative literature. The authors believe if nurses were required to read imaginative literature they would identify with patients and other people’s situations, and thus become better nurses. Imaginative literature can be used as a tool on how to improve different areas of certain occupations.
Beierl, Barbara H. The Sympathetic Imagination and the Human Animal Bond: Fostering Empathy through Reading Imaginative Literature 21.3 (2008): 213-20. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Mar. 2010
Beierl says through reading imaginative literature the bond between animals and people is strengthened. Animals are often depicted in imaginative literature as in Black Beauty. The horse is given human characteristics and people can identify with their situations. The reader projects himself onto the main character whether the main character is a human or an animal. Readers can therefore go through the realm of emotions, and one of those emotions is often sympathy.
Through stories whose main characters are animals, readers can empathize with animals. Imaginative literature can strengthen the bond between man and animals. Imaginative literature can make people learn how animals should be treated, and the human/animal bond can be strengthened.
Fallin, Jana R. "Musical Educators." Children's Literature as a Springboard for Music 81.5 (1995): 24-27. JSTOR. Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
Fallin's book shows educators that imaginative learning can be used to inspire music. It is a common notion that most filmmakers want to be musicians, but in this piece, Fallin, is suggesting that writers want to be musicians or vice-versa. The author suggest the two forms of art share similar qualities and if one reads children’s/ imaginative literature it can inspire music.
Music contains composition and story telling, just as literature contains rhythm and beats. Reading Where the Wild Things Are can inspire story telling and pacing. While he also mentions songs often being the inspiration to literature. Fallin is telling the world that educators are missing out on the opportunity to teach children about literature as well as inspire them musically.
Glasser, William A. "Academic Exchange." The Unteaching of Literature:We Murder to DIssect (2003): 25-29. Gale CENGAGE Learning. Web. 28 Mar. 2010.
Glasser speaks of how many students do not understand how to read a novel. They are told to read novels by adults who already enjoy literature. When most students are assigned a book they dread the experience because they do not understand why they should be reading these novels. Teachers have drilled the idea of analyzing literature into their heads. Analyzing literature takes all the fun out of reading, and subsequently they have a bad experience. William Glasser believes students need to allow their minds to enter the book. Reading imaginative literature should be experienced. If the reader lives vicarioulsly through the book, the student can fully grasp the text.
Imaginative literature allows readers to learn how to read. It allows readers to learn how to get drawn into a text. Imaginative literature is a fundimental building block for reading.
Huck, Charlotte S. "Literature as the Content of Reading." Epnet. EBSCO, 2001. Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
Huck suggests that children should read imaginative literature because it helps children become readers. Children are interested in story telling at an early age. Thus it is more likely for a child to be captivated by an imaginative story. When children are taught to read with imaginative literature they hear stories they can relate to. The stories they read are the stories going through their mind or stories they wish they could hear.
Relating to the stories makes the process of reading more enjoyable. If the children are enjoying reading they are more likely to pick up another book. While the children are reading imaginative literature they are learning various reading techniques in which prepare them for other forms of literature. Charlotte Huck believes imaginative literature should be used as a building block for children.
Sanders, Joe. "The Critical Reader in Children's Metafiction." The Lion and the Unicorn 33.3 (2009): 349-59. Project Muse. Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
The Critical Reader in Children’s Metafiction looks at children’s literature in two different ways. One is the apparent subversive quality most children’s literature contains, and the other is children’s literature offers a critical read. The critical read is the crucial part to this text. When a story is read critically different layers of the story are analyzed. The story can be about any subject, but if read critically the reader can begin to question and delve deeper into the text. If there is a story about women the reader can begin to question feminine roles. Joe Sanders does not believe this form of literature is an outline for life, but is a way to question the meaning of roles.
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