From: Kangawest at aol.com <Kangawest>
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 03:09:14 -0400 (EDT)

Being closeted in the "ivory tower" for too long makes it easy to lose touch with children's responses to books. For this reason, I have been enjoying the comments made by the many librarians on this list relating their experiences with connecting young readers to specific books. One way I have tried to maintain this direct contact in my role as a teacher educator, is to hook up my elementary education students with young readers via electronic literature circles. The groups usually comprise 4-6 fourth/fifth graders with about equal numbers of my adult students. Through the magic of distribution lists, we chat about books they have all read/are reading together. Because we choose literature relating to the kids' social studies curriculum, we mostly talk about historical fiction. The kids have become excited about history and mastered use of the Internet to explore more about the time periods that the literature has sparked their interest in. I have found it fascinating to follow the reciprocal transaction between readers and texts within our reading community, between the efferent and aesthetic readings of our readers, and how each type of reading strengthens response to the other.

Interestingly, most of our books have centered on war, the most recent being the Bosnian war in Zlata's Diary (at what point does this become historical fiction? ..... good point, Kimberly). This has turned out to be a surprisingly effective way to help the youngsters confront the realities of war, especially wars driven by racist beliefs. In particular, the horrors of the Holocaust, often considered too disturbing for young readers, were made accessible through Yolen's _The Devil's Arithmetic_. Our readers' interactive computer exchanges, often written from the perspective of the characters, showed how easily they moved from spectator to participant in their recreations of history.

Whilst still on the subject of WW2 fiction, I'd like to endorse some one's earlier recommendation of Michelle Magorian's Good night Mr. Tom. This is a truly moving story of the relationship that developed between a grumpy old man and a young abused boy billeted with him in the countryside of war-torn England. You may be interested to know that the young readers of the state of Western Australia chose this book as the winner of their (children's choice) book award in the early years of the award ( which was the first of its kind in Australia, and based on the Georgia Children's Book Award).
 Interestingly, Mem Fox was sent to accept their award on behalf of her friend, Michelle Magorian.... that was in the days before Mem herself became such a wildly popular author. These days, she can accept on her own behalf!

 I'd like to throw out one last title to see if anyone has direct experience of young readers' reactions to it. I recently read Marc Talbert's bloody historical fiction book _Heart of a Jaguar_, set in the early Mayan civilization. Admittedly, this was an era that took bloodletting and human sacrifice very seriously, for religious purposes ..... especially the ripping out of still?ating hearts, even those of children, to appease the seemingly uncaring gods. The bloodletting (of such varied body parts as earlobes and penises) seemed intended to help boost the suspected declining powers of the gods. This book has won critical acclaim, I believe, and seems well-researched and authentic. I am wondering if the steady diet of blood and gore children watch on television makes this book attractive and/or palatable to them, whereas we oldies tend to blanche at the rivers of blood, and reel in shock at the unfamiliar religious rites. Does anyone have any child feedback to report?

                Barbara Tobin (kangawest at aol.com)

(recently signed back on to CCBC, after a disorienting relocation from Florida to Philadelphia, via Australia ...... brrrrrrrr!!!!!).
Received on Sat 25 Oct 1997 02:09:14 AM CDT