From: Kathleen Horning <bogus_at_does.not.exist.com>
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 09:15:28 -0600

Several people have made eloquent, thoughtful comments about Russell Freedman's biographies over the past week and a half. Thank you all so much for those well-reasoned contributions.

Ginny Kruse raised a question about sharing Freedman's books with children and I'd like to respond and ask for other reponses. I myself am a huge fan of Freedman's bios (especially "The Wright Brothers") and used to promote them all the time to children at the public library. I was always disappointed, however, that there were rarely any takers
(except for parents who overheard me talking about the books). I should mention that the I only had trouble with Freedman's biographies (even when kids were specifically looking for books about Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt) and it happened whether I'd promote one as the best book on the subject they were researching or as a recommended biography or as recreational reading.

I never had any trouble finding readers for "Children of the Wild West,"
"Cowboys of the Wild West," or "Immigrant Kids" so I don't think it was the format that was turning kids off. Perhaps it was just that most kids aren't interested in the people Freedman has chosen as subjects? What do you think? Have other people had a similar experience or have you found a way to "sell" Freedman's bios to kids?

Kathleen Horning (horning at mail.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education UW-Madison
Received on Wed 08 Apr 1998 10:15:28 AM CDT