CHILDREN’S POETRY FOR BEGINING AND PRE-READERS: A DEFINITION IN THE SPANISH CONTEXT

Abstract

The main goal of this article is to define a specific literary genre called “poetry for first readers and pre-readers” within the Spanish literary system. In order to do that, we will focus on two poetry collections: De la cuna a la luna (Kalandraka) and La cereza (Combel). By comparing both of them, we will try to stablish a range of traits that can define the genre regarding four different dimensions: the peritexts and the format of the books; the main themes and formal devises that can be found in the poetic texts; the visual characteristics, especially focusing on the relationship between verses and illustrations; and the virtual and epitextual implications, insofar as there are many virtual complementary materials linked to both collections in the Internet that enhance the reading experience beyond the books.