PENULISAN SASTRA ANAK

Abstract

Any effort to develop human beings with a sensitive, self­
dependent, and responsible character could start from the time they
are still at
an early age and even from the time they are still in their
mother's womb. After a child
is born, such an effort can be done
both in the home environment and outside it, including the time
when the child gains education at school and outside it because there
the child gets
models. At school it can be done by making the child
listen
to a story read' or retold by the teacher. Therefore, the teacher
had better have a motivation and
an ability to write a story for
children. Because the story, as a part of children's literature, is
presented to children, its elements should be chosen from objects
found around children and events usually experienced
by children.
The language used should
be in accordance with the child's age and
psychological development. The writing technique should involve
the story-building elements, or the story's mental structures, which
include its
(I) plot, (2) characterization, (3) story-telling style, (4)
setting, and
(5) theme. Besides that, attention should also be paid to
physical elements in the sense that (I) the text in the storybook
should
be accompanied with attractive pictures; (2) the form and size
of the letters should make them easily perceived by children who are
still learning to read, and (3) the paper should be sufficiently thick
and
ofgood quality.