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arlene
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From: Lisa Dunseth <dunsethl>
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998 17:16:25 -0700 (PDT)
The ARLENE SARDINE discussion has been fascinating. It has taken me a while to make sense of it. I found the book very weird and wasn't sure how I felt about it or exactly what I thought. Raschka's books have that affect on me but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.
What really interests me is the reaction of those reviewers and librarians who are upset by this book Some people are reacting to Raschka as if he is some kind of interloper or fraudothers are praising him.
Raschka is different from many other children's book author/illustrators. He is not just an illustrator. And I don't know how to say this without sounding supercilious. He appears to approach his work as an artist would; concept, inspiration and idea lead to the finished product, which in his case, happens to be picture books. There is a complexity to his process. He is not merely illustrating a story (a task I am in no way demeaning.)
This produces interesting, complex pieces that may or may not be for children. They are definitely picture books, so the audience seems to be kids. But they aren't typical and easily classifiable which seems to be causing the raging debate.
I love that some people love this crazy book. And I don't mind seeing the negative reviewsthey provide some balance, are stimulating discussion and indicate the wide-ranging responses to it. All of this pushes me to continue thinking, especially about that special interplay between childlike-ness and that peculiar sense of sophistication which children often surprise me with. It's important to be caught off guard sometimes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa Dunseth, Easton Branch Librarian Burlingame Public Library (650) 34394 1800 Easton Drive Voice Mail (650) 34283 x171 Burlingame, CA 94010H12 Fax (650) 34394
Email: dunsethl at pls.lib.ca.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.pls.lib.ca.us/pls/bpl/services.html
opinions my own...
Received on Wed 30 Sep 1998 07:16:25 PM CDT
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998 17:16:25 -0700 (PDT)
The ARLENE SARDINE discussion has been fascinating. It has taken me a while to make sense of it. I found the book very weird and wasn't sure how I felt about it or exactly what I thought. Raschka's books have that affect on me but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.
What really interests me is the reaction of those reviewers and librarians who are upset by this book Some people are reacting to Raschka as if he is some kind of interloper or fraudothers are praising him.
Raschka is different from many other children's book author/illustrators. He is not just an illustrator. And I don't know how to say this without sounding supercilious. He appears to approach his work as an artist would; concept, inspiration and idea lead to the finished product, which in his case, happens to be picture books. There is a complexity to his process. He is not merely illustrating a story (a task I am in no way demeaning.)
This produces interesting, complex pieces that may or may not be for children. They are definitely picture books, so the audience seems to be kids. But they aren't typical and easily classifiable which seems to be causing the raging debate.
I love that some people love this crazy book. And I don't mind seeing the negative reviewsthey provide some balance, are stimulating discussion and indicate the wide-ranging responses to it. All of this pushes me to continue thinking, especially about that special interplay between childlike-ness and that peculiar sense of sophistication which children often surprise me with. It's important to be caught off guard sometimes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa Dunseth, Easton Branch Librarian Burlingame Public Library (650) 34394 1800 Easton Drive Voice Mail (650) 34283 x171 Burlingame, CA 94010H12 Fax (650) 34394
Email: dunsethl at pls.lib.ca.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.pls.lib.ca.us/pls/bpl/services.html
opinions my own...
Received on Wed 30 Sep 1998 07:16:25 PM CDT
