Children’s Literature: Dimensions of Imitation and Child Innocence in Mkatshwa’s Leo in the Library

Abstract

The 21^st century is marked by increased interest in children’s literacy. Part of such academic revolution is more emphasis on child literacy and the increase in the production of Children’s books. Consequently, this research, studies the characteristics of Children’s Literature using the book Leo in the Library. It also understudies the hermeneutics of colour and spelling, showing how the author used them to express children’s innocence. It uses mimetic theory to analyze the book. Thus, it evaluates how the story book Leo in the Library imitates or mirrors the worldview, life and aspirations of children in this century. The research discovered and outlined many characteristics of children’s literature as can be perceived from the book Leo in the Library. They include childlike stories, simplicity of expressions, use of illustrations, attractive colours and pictorial representations, inculturation into social values, shaping the creativity of future writers, centres the child into the possibility of the demand of the emerging world, among others. The writer recommends that children’s literature texts have to be, colourful, didactic, attractive and full of illustrations. This research identifies the characteristics of children’s literature based on Leo in the Library using mimetic theory. It also looks into how child’s innocence is depicted by the use of colour and spelling on the cover page of Leo in the Library as shown in the illustration below.