Undergraduate / gender, children's literature and emergent consciousness ?? [3]

This is my essay question

How does gender operate in children's literature, and how do you think that constructs a child's emergent consciousness of its own identity?

I have began writing it however I'm struggling to relate to the 'ermergent consciousness' partically because Im not entirely sure what it means but also I don't know how to progress further with this.

For the structure of the essay is it more effective to give other oppions before my own alongside Harvard referencing for support and then my own as a strong arguement in the conclusion?

Thanks for your help Shaunna