Teaching traditional literature in the class room is important for all students. It provides an opportunity to share literature that all students can relate to by sharing from each culture. Our group decided to pick Traditional literature as our genre project because it comes from a hispanic background that we can all relate to. It is important that each student connects to some form of traditional literature because it gives them a sense of ownership in their own culture. It is also important because it provides a learning opportunity for other students to learn about a culture that they would not otherwise know. Our country is a mixture of cultures, we are known as the melting pot, so we know that there is not one dominant culture in literature. Traditional literature also helps form the culture and continue traditions as its stories are passed down from generation to generation. The characters in the book take on extraordinary forms or characteristics that are superpower. Such magic and trickery are characteristics of traditional literature that contribute to the meaning and underlying themes of the stories. In researching traditional literature I was very excitied to see Mother Goose come up. I personally recall my mother telling us the nursery rhymes when we were little at bed time, these are what makes them traditional is her orally telling them to us.

TOMie DEPAOLA

Tomie dePaola grew a love for books when he was young because his mother would read to him everyday. When he was just four he would tell people that he wanted to draw pictures for books and write stories. His first book was The Wonderful Dragon of Timlin.

Tomie has now illustrated over 200 books and written the stories for over 100 of those books. He has book projects scheduled for years to come.

He works in a new studio attached to a renovated 200-year-old barn in New London, New Hampshire.

This is a good website for aspiring young authors, Tomie describes his personal writing process as he goes through it. He is creative in his process and encouraging as well.