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Out of the Dust and audience
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From: Nina A Lindsay <NALINDSA>
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 98 11:05 CST
I was a member of the committee that selected Out of the Dust. In response to some of Ellen's, Marc's, and others' comments about audience: the award, as defined, is to go to a book for which children ("age birth to 14") are a potential audience. They need not be the only audience. As well, the book need not be for all children. If it is for a select group of 12 year olds (and now I'm starting to cross over into interpretation of the criteria, but I think that most people who have been on this committee will agree?) it is as eligible as any other.
I found this criterion always at the top of my thoughts while reading for the award. I forcefully separated the public librarian in me who appreciates a popular and widely appealing Newbery winner from the critic trying to identify truly "distinguished" writing for children.
The award, I believe in its conception, but at least today, is intended to promote the appreciation of (and so the writing and publishing of) high
"quality" writing for children. My charge as a committee member was to help select a book that would do this. My charge as a librarian, when I return to work, is to select books often on very divergent criteria. But I will always buy the Newbery and Caldecott award winning books because they fill a need in the collection, and because having them promotes the ideas behind the award. I will also recommend Newbery titles SPECIFICALLY to SPECIFIC readers; or, in general, as to teachers and parents, always with the strong encouragement to read any title before they read or recommend it to a child. Don't we do this with all books?
That this debate surfaces every year, on the clock, shows how intriguingly difficult and exciting our jobs are. It keeps our wheels greased to hash this out each time.
Nina
Nina Lindsay nalindsa at macc.wisc.edu Vista School 720 Jackson street Albany CA 94706
as of March 23 (!!!): Melrose Branch Oakland Public Library 4805 Foothill Blvd. Oakland CA 94601
Received on Fri 06 Feb 1998 11:05:00 AM CST
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 98 11:05 CST
I was a member of the committee that selected Out of the Dust. In response to some of Ellen's, Marc's, and others' comments about audience: the award, as defined, is to go to a book for which children ("age birth to 14") are a potential audience. They need not be the only audience. As well, the book need not be for all children. If it is for a select group of 12 year olds (and now I'm starting to cross over into interpretation of the criteria, but I think that most people who have been on this committee will agree?) it is as eligible as any other.
I found this criterion always at the top of my thoughts while reading for the award. I forcefully separated the public librarian in me who appreciates a popular and widely appealing Newbery winner from the critic trying to identify truly "distinguished" writing for children.
The award, I believe in its conception, but at least today, is intended to promote the appreciation of (and so the writing and publishing of) high
"quality" writing for children. My charge as a committee member was to help select a book that would do this. My charge as a librarian, when I return to work, is to select books often on very divergent criteria. But I will always buy the Newbery and Caldecott award winning books because they fill a need in the collection, and because having them promotes the ideas behind the award. I will also recommend Newbery titles SPECIFICALLY to SPECIFIC readers; or, in general, as to teachers and parents, always with the strong encouragement to read any title before they read or recommend it to a child. Don't we do this with all books?
That this debate surfaces every year, on the clock, shows how intriguingly difficult and exciting our jobs are. It keeps our wheels greased to hash this out each time.
Nina
Nina Lindsay nalindsa at macc.wisc.edu Vista School 720 Jackson street Albany CA 94706
as of March 23 (!!!): Melrose Branch Oakland Public Library 4805 Foothill Blvd. Oakland CA 94601
Received on Fri 06 Feb 1998 11:05:00 AM CST
