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From: ricka at teleport.com <ricka>
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 12:14:28 -0800 (PST)
I am writing in defense of Golem, not perhaps as a book, but as a choice of the committee. Art is such a personal thing. I personally am drawn to collage work. Works such as The Story of Rosy Dock by Jeannie Baker and Snowballs by Lois Ehlert, show such care, creativity and artistry that it causes me always to look more closely. Other techniques such as Pinkney's scratch work, I do not like at all. As to generating feeling with paper cut work, in the book, the double spread where Golem snaps the battering ram in two was very effective in showing rage and terror, at least to me. One of my favorite scenes in the book is on the title page, the stream that is actually the hand of Golem cut from the clay.
As to the age appropriateness of this book, perhaps it is not a book for younger children. But picture books are not and should not be just for the K-2 set. We who work in libraries and schools with children are so lucky that we continue to be exposed to this literature even after our own children have moved away from the Children's Section. I'd like to see more picture books that address a different and wider audience, books such as Pink and Say that brought tears to my teenager's eyes. Good picture books are like poetry; feelings distilled in a small space but using both words and visual cues to work their magic.
The material used in this book would not perhaps be as confusing to children of the Jewish heritage. Children of the Christian faith are taught about the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus at an early age. Those concepts taken out of the context of faith and family would seem confusing to children also. To go out of the religious model, the original Grimms fairy tales were a horror that stays with me even today. And don't forget "Old Yeller" the Disney story where a boy shoots his own dog. The true lessons of life are often hard and confusing.
Last year's Caldecott winner, Officer Buckle and Gloria, was a controverisal decision. It is all, the words, the ideas and the art such a personal matter. I think that the discussions that follow the annoucement of the Caldecott hold the real value of the award for us. Challenging our own opinions and seeing that they are indeed only our own opinions cause reflection and a broader point of view.
Ericka Stork Franciscan Montessori Earth School Portland, OR
ricka at teleport.com
Received on Tue 25 Feb 1997 02:14:28 PM CST
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 12:14:28 -0800 (PST)
I am writing in defense of Golem, not perhaps as a book, but as a choice of the committee. Art is such a personal thing. I personally am drawn to collage work. Works such as The Story of Rosy Dock by Jeannie Baker and Snowballs by Lois Ehlert, show such care, creativity and artistry that it causes me always to look more closely. Other techniques such as Pinkney's scratch work, I do not like at all. As to generating feeling with paper cut work, in the book, the double spread where Golem snaps the battering ram in two was very effective in showing rage and terror, at least to me. One of my favorite scenes in the book is on the title page, the stream that is actually the hand of Golem cut from the clay.
As to the age appropriateness of this book, perhaps it is not a book for younger children. But picture books are not and should not be just for the K-2 set. We who work in libraries and schools with children are so lucky that we continue to be exposed to this literature even after our own children have moved away from the Children's Section. I'd like to see more picture books that address a different and wider audience, books such as Pink and Say that brought tears to my teenager's eyes. Good picture books are like poetry; feelings distilled in a small space but using both words and visual cues to work their magic.
The material used in this book would not perhaps be as confusing to children of the Jewish heritage. Children of the Christian faith are taught about the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus at an early age. Those concepts taken out of the context of faith and family would seem confusing to children also. To go out of the religious model, the original Grimms fairy tales were a horror that stays with me even today. And don't forget "Old Yeller" the Disney story where a boy shoots his own dog. The true lessons of life are often hard and confusing.
Last year's Caldecott winner, Officer Buckle and Gloria, was a controverisal decision. It is all, the words, the ideas and the art such a personal matter. I think that the discussions that follow the annoucement of the Caldecott hold the real value of the award for us. Challenging our own opinions and seeing that they are indeed only our own opinions cause reflection and a broader point of view.
Ericka Stork Franciscan Montessori Earth School Portland, OR
ricka at teleport.com
Received on Tue 25 Feb 1997 02:14:28 PM CST
