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Russell Freedman: his biography of Eleanor Roosevelt
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From: Ginny Moore Kruse <bogus_at_does.not.exist.com>
Date: Wed, 01 Apr 1998 14:22:20 -0600
As I read a biography written for children or young adults, I ask myself a couple of "if" and "perhaps" questions.
I ask myself: if this is the first time a young reader reads about the person, is the writing compelling enough to make the subject come alive? even if the reader already knows about the person? If yes, perhaps - and it's a Very Large "Perhaps" at this point, I realize - the reader will want to know more about the subject, if not now, maybe later, maybe years later. (Don't try to diagram or correctly punctuate the previous sentence!)
I also ask myself: if the reader does find out more at a later time when s/he is more worldly or better informed, will that reader realize or appreciate that the previous biographer did not lie? that the previous biographer respected the intellect and interests of someone at a younger age? Maybe not. Maybe so. No way to know. No possible answer to this, but it's useful question to ponder when evaluating a biography for children or young adults.
Freedman's biography of Eleanor Roosevelt is excellent for the reasons everyone has already expressed his works deserve the formal recognition of the ALA/ALSC Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. It's exemplary other reasons, too, one of which is that Freedman didn't lie. One realizes he didn't lie only if one has other information about ER from adult biographies, etc. Freedman reported what is necessary. Anyone with more information - even young readers who might actually follow-up by reading from the fine bibliography at the end of the book - will realize that he's written with honesty for young readers. It's important to be honest with kids, and yet at what point does disclosure matter? That's a fine line in the creation of realiable biographies and works of history. Everyone draws this line in one way or another. When do we tell? How much do we tell? Which information matters? Whose information matters? Freedman seems to know where the line is, where the lines are. By knowing this, he accords respect to the intellect and experience of his young readers.
What are your experiences with young readers of this biography or any of the other biographies Freedman's written? How do they respond? ... 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 (www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/)
Received on Wed 01 Apr 1998 02:22:20 PM CST
Date: Wed, 01 Apr 1998 14:22:20 -0600
As I read a biography written for children or young adults, I ask myself a couple of "if" and "perhaps" questions.
I ask myself: if this is the first time a young reader reads about the person, is the writing compelling enough to make the subject come alive? even if the reader already knows about the person? If yes, perhaps - and it's a Very Large "Perhaps" at this point, I realize - the reader will want to know more about the subject, if not now, maybe later, maybe years later. (Don't try to diagram or correctly punctuate the previous sentence!)
I also ask myself: if the reader does find out more at a later time when s/he is more worldly or better informed, will that reader realize or appreciate that the previous biographer did not lie? that the previous biographer respected the intellect and interests of someone at a younger age? Maybe not. Maybe so. No way to know. No possible answer to this, but it's useful question to ponder when evaluating a biography for children or young adults.
Freedman's biography of Eleanor Roosevelt is excellent for the reasons everyone has already expressed his works deserve the formal recognition of the ALA/ALSC Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. It's exemplary other reasons, too, one of which is that Freedman didn't lie. One realizes he didn't lie only if one has other information about ER from adult biographies, etc. Freedman reported what is necessary. Anyone with more information - even young readers who might actually follow-up by reading from the fine bibliography at the end of the book - will realize that he's written with honesty for young readers. It's important to be honest with kids, and yet at what point does disclosure matter? That's a fine line in the creation of realiable biographies and works of history. Everyone draws this line in one way or another. When do we tell? How much do we tell? Which information matters? Whose information matters? Freedman seems to know where the line is, where the lines are. By knowing this, he accords respect to the intellect and experience of his young readers.
What are your experiences with young readers of this biography or any of the other biographies Freedman's written? How do they respond? ... 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 (www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/)
Received on Wed 01 Apr 1998 02:22:20 PM CST
