CCBC-Net Archives
ccbc-net digest 27 May 2000
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Robin Smith <smithr>
Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 09:31:08 -0500
Because I write about books for the local paper, I sometimes receive books in the mail that I would not buy for myself. I sometimes read picture books by covering up the illustrations. If the story works, then I can proceed with the pictures. I still find wonderful books that work on both levels, but I do find myself wondering how certain titles get published, especially with strong publicity support. I am especially surprised to read books by very respected authors that suffer from poor writing and editing.
If I love a book and am considering reviewing it, I usually read it aloud to my second graders or other children in my school. In my mind, that's where the writing succeeds or fails. I find sentences that are poorly constructed; often causing my to pause and reread. It makes me wonder if I am the first person to read the book aloud.
I am glad that Ginny mentioned My Friend John. What a wonderfully written book! A child in my class brought in an older, out of print Zolotow book called Big Brother and we had a nice discussion about the differences between an "old" book and one published with the newer color technologies. Jonathan said, "I like the old books because you can really hear the story. The pictures in the new books sometimes fool me into thinking the book is better than it is. When I read some new books, I like the pictures and do not like the story." Hmmmm. This is a boy who, when he grows up, wants to be
"a surgeon or a librarian." :-)
Robin Smith
-----Original Message---- From: suelalexander at juno.com
[SMTP:suelalexander at juno.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 27, 2000 8:10 AM
To: ccbc-net at lists.education.wisc.edu
Subject: Re: ccbc-net digest 27 May 2000
For those of us who value good writing in picture books and who struggle
to make our writing the best it can be, it is disheartening indeed to see
picture books published and well-promoted wherein the writing is so bad
as to be offensive -- no matter what the art is like.
Sue Alexander
Visit my Home Page at: http://home.earthlink.net/~suelalexander
~~~~~~~~~~
To remove your address from the mailing list, send a message with the header...
To: listserv at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
Subject: signoff ccbc-net
Received on Sat 27 May 2000 09:31:08 AM CDT
Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 09:31:08 -0500
Because I write about books for the local paper, I sometimes receive books in the mail that I would not buy for myself. I sometimes read picture books by covering up the illustrations. If the story works, then I can proceed with the pictures. I still find wonderful books that work on both levels, but I do find myself wondering how certain titles get published, especially with strong publicity support. I am especially surprised to read books by very respected authors that suffer from poor writing and editing.
If I love a book and am considering reviewing it, I usually read it aloud to my second graders or other children in my school. In my mind, that's where the writing succeeds or fails. I find sentences that are poorly constructed; often causing my to pause and reread. It makes me wonder if I am the first person to read the book aloud.
I am glad that Ginny mentioned My Friend John. What a wonderfully written book! A child in my class brought in an older, out of print Zolotow book called Big Brother and we had a nice discussion about the differences between an "old" book and one published with the newer color technologies. Jonathan said, "I like the old books because you can really hear the story. The pictures in the new books sometimes fool me into thinking the book is better than it is. When I read some new books, I like the pictures and do not like the story." Hmmmm. This is a boy who, when he grows up, wants to be
"a surgeon or a librarian." :-)
Robin Smith
-----Original Message---- From: suelalexander at juno.com
[SMTP:suelalexander at juno.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 27, 2000 8:10 AM
To: ccbc-net at lists.education.wisc.edu
Subject: Re: ccbc-net digest 27 May 2000
For those of us who value good writing in picture books and who struggle
to make our writing the best it can be, it is disheartening indeed to see
picture books published and well-promoted wherein the writing is so bad
as to be offensive -- no matter what the art is like.
Sue Alexander
Visit my Home Page at: http://home.earthlink.net/~suelalexander
~~~~~~~~~~
To remove your address from the mailing list, send a message with the header...
To: listserv at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
Subject: signoff ccbc-net
Received on Sat 27 May 2000 09:31:08 AM CDT
