From: jpcairo
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 20:02:55 -0400

Megan Schliesman wrote:



There seems to be a "between-world" in the literary appreciation of Rylant's works. In my (K-8) school library I have not had kids who are enthusiatic about her books for older readers. I think this has at least something to do with the particularities of kids here. But what I am wondering after Megan Schliesman's comment on Friday may again relate to genre in some way.

Could there be a "third kind" here --books for children's lit gourmets like us? Sometimes I think there are many books like this. I re-read The Wind in the Willows every summer because I love it, but never have gotten any kids (even my own) to go beyond the (was it Disney?) movie. I am not at all proposing a literary connection between Kenneth Grahame and Cynthia Rylant (!), but I do think there can be a split between what we as adults appreciate and would love to have kids appreciate (and keep trying to lead kids into appreciating...) and what kids really do select on their own and love.

Paula Cairo Friends Select School Philadelphia, PA 19002 Home for summer at: jpcairo at bellatlantic.net
Received on Sat 25 Jul 1998 07:02:55 PM CDT