We are reading each of the following genres: picture books, easy readers, children’s novels; essays about children’s books, fantasy and YA. Students may respond to the weekly readings with either 1) a short 2 p. critical response, or a creative writing piece in that genre (also 2 pp. though obviously you can do more). This class is asynchronous, which means you do not have to be present or online for any of the short lectures, which I will be posting on Zoom. They are accessible to you throughout the summer semester, and are intended to help you through the week’s reading, and give you insight and ideas for your own critical or creative writing. We will be reading the following: choice of Where the Wild Things Are or Goodnight Moon; Frog & Toad are Friends; Bridge to Terabithia; “3 Ways of Writing for Children” by C S Lewis and “On Fairy Tales” by Tolkein; Charlotte’s Web, and YOUR choice of any YA book you like. It’s a short semester, so hopefully this course will brighten your summer days rather than burdening them. It’s hard to feel sad or stressed while reading Frog & Toad.