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Damned Strong Love + YA Novels
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From: Ginny Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Wed, 06 Mar 1996 12:34:00 -600
I just finished re-reading the messages posted about Damned Strong Love, translated books, and young adult literature. In doing so, I realized two things: a mistake I made, and the realization that Marc's comments have raised many more questions than we've addressed
- so far!
1) I inadvertently neglected to write that Walker and Company published Star of Fear, Star of Hope - the second of two 1996 Batchelder Honor Books. My apologies to everyone, especially to our Walker colleagues (who, perhaps have not yet found out about my mistake). This story takes place in 1942 during the Nazi occupation of France, and it involves the friendship of two little girls, Lydia and Helen. One day Lydia's mother sews a yellow star onto her daughter's jacket, puzzling Helen who claims that "the place for stars is in the sky." During a evening while Lydia's having a sleepover in Helen's apartment, terrifying voices can be heard. In the middle of the night, Lydia insists on going home to her family. They are never seen again. Lydia is the first person narrator,
"nearly an old woman now." This stark, spare, large-size, 32-page illustrated book appears to be a picture book, but we recommend it for ages 7.
2) Back to Damned Strong Love. Marc, what do you know about the critical reception and/or readership of Damned Strong Love in Germany? In other nations where it's been published? Has Henry Holt and Company contracted with English language publishers in other nations for its publication elsewhere?
And... Marc, you wrote on February 27th that "many German YA books... are quite didactic. The subjects they deal with may be quite interesting --- about issues of race, culture, religion, and coming of age." Oh? Sounds like too many so?lled YA books first written and published in English in the U.S. to me! I realize you were probably also referring to style, which you named as secondary to "great writing." I don't disagree with you there (great writing, I mean), but can you expand that remark? Are others in the CCBC-NET community acquainted with German YA novels and able to comment on that, as well? How about those of you acquainted with U.S. YA novels? Can we put literary prizes on the back burner temporarily and acknowledge this didacticism? Anyone? .... Ginny
********************************************************************* Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison
Received on Wed 06 Mar 1996 12:34:00 PM CST
Date: Wed, 06 Mar 1996 12:34:00 -600
I just finished re-reading the messages posted about Damned Strong Love, translated books, and young adult literature. In doing so, I realized two things: a mistake I made, and the realization that Marc's comments have raised many more questions than we've addressed
- so far!
1) I inadvertently neglected to write that Walker and Company published Star of Fear, Star of Hope - the second of two 1996 Batchelder Honor Books. My apologies to everyone, especially to our Walker colleagues (who, perhaps have not yet found out about my mistake). This story takes place in 1942 during the Nazi occupation of France, and it involves the friendship of two little girls, Lydia and Helen. One day Lydia's mother sews a yellow star onto her daughter's jacket, puzzling Helen who claims that "the place for stars is in the sky." During a evening while Lydia's having a sleepover in Helen's apartment, terrifying voices can be heard. In the middle of the night, Lydia insists on going home to her family. They are never seen again. Lydia is the first person narrator,
"nearly an old woman now." This stark, spare, large-size, 32-page illustrated book appears to be a picture book, but we recommend it for ages 7.
2) Back to Damned Strong Love. Marc, what do you know about the critical reception and/or readership of Damned Strong Love in Germany? In other nations where it's been published? Has Henry Holt and Company contracted with English language publishers in other nations for its publication elsewhere?
And... Marc, you wrote on February 27th that "many German YA books... are quite didactic. The subjects they deal with may be quite interesting --- about issues of race, culture, religion, and coming of age." Oh? Sounds like too many so?lled YA books first written and published in English in the U.S. to me! I realize you were probably also referring to style, which you named as secondary to "great writing." I don't disagree with you there (great writing, I mean), but can you expand that remark? Are others in the CCBC-NET community acquainted with German YA novels and able to comment on that, as well? How about those of you acquainted with U.S. YA novels? Can we put literary prizes on the back burner temporarily and acknowledge this didacticism? Anyone? .... Ginny
********************************************************************* Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison
Received on Wed 06 Mar 1996 12:34:00 PM CST
