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Eeew gross!
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From: Susan Daugherty <kdaugherty>
Date: Sat, 2 May 1998 12:31:11 -0500
I sprinkle the types of books Nina is talking about into my repertoire too, but to play devil's advocate for a minute, though I love to laugh too and to get kids laughing, but don't you all think that we might be going over the line now in producing, purchasing, and using "gross humor." I think of a recent book, LITTLE RED MONKEY, which seems to me to have one claim to fame, the use of the word "underpants" in the first couple of pages. I have teachers in my school who always want tradebooks for their units that are
"gross" or "weird." We have already talked about the problem on this listserv, I think, about the problem of getting teachers to go beyond Silverstein and the like in using poetry with kids. The many excellent suggestions last month should help with this problem. But I see it as part of the bigger problem of helping parents, teachers, and librarians to see the wonderfully big picture of children's literature and not to take the easy way out: using the books that you know will grab kids but not do anything more.
A related problem to this one has hit me lately. A good friend of mine, a librarian, was complaining about picturebooks that are "too talky." She was referring to one of my favorite books, EVAN'S CORNER, to my horror! At a recent book selection meeting, I heard librarians talking about picture books with too much text and wondered if they were complaining about the same thing. Sometimes you need more words in a picture book. Not all books are ROSIE'S WALK!
I find that when I present a book to kids with enthusiasm, most kids respond to the book, whether it is gross, sad, serious, or whatever. All people who use books with kids should remember the wonderful range of books, which I guess is what this listserv is all about, with the great range of topics we discuss.
Susan Daugherty
avorite kind of humor to use in storyhours with kids (of any age) is "Eew Susan Daugherty Librarian Franklin Elementary School Madison, WI 53505
kdaugherty at madison.k12.wi.us
Received on Sat 02 May 1998 12:31:11 PM CDT
Date: Sat, 2 May 1998 12:31:11 -0500
I sprinkle the types of books Nina is talking about into my repertoire too, but to play devil's advocate for a minute, though I love to laugh too and to get kids laughing, but don't you all think that we might be going over the line now in producing, purchasing, and using "gross humor." I think of a recent book, LITTLE RED MONKEY, which seems to me to have one claim to fame, the use of the word "underpants" in the first couple of pages. I have teachers in my school who always want tradebooks for their units that are
"gross" or "weird." We have already talked about the problem on this listserv, I think, about the problem of getting teachers to go beyond Silverstein and the like in using poetry with kids. The many excellent suggestions last month should help with this problem. But I see it as part of the bigger problem of helping parents, teachers, and librarians to see the wonderfully big picture of children's literature and not to take the easy way out: using the books that you know will grab kids but not do anything more.
A related problem to this one has hit me lately. A good friend of mine, a librarian, was complaining about picturebooks that are "too talky." She was referring to one of my favorite books, EVAN'S CORNER, to my horror! At a recent book selection meeting, I heard librarians talking about picture books with too much text and wondered if they were complaining about the same thing. Sometimes you need more words in a picture book. Not all books are ROSIE'S WALK!
I find that when I present a book to kids with enthusiasm, most kids respond to the book, whether it is gross, sad, serious, or whatever. All people who use books with kids should remember the wonderful range of books, which I guess is what this listserv is all about, with the great range of topics we discuss.
Susan Daugherty
avorite kind of humor to use in storyhours with kids (of any age) is "Eew Susan Daugherty Librarian Franklin Elementary School Madison, WI 53505
kdaugherty at madison.k12.wi.us
Received on Sat 02 May 1998 12:31:11 PM CDT
