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His Dark Materials
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From: Lynn Rutan <frutan>
Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 08:30:53 -0400
During the last year I have been thinking hard about the question of what makes a book great and trying to develop a personal definition. Knowing this discussion was coming; I decided to ask my students what they thought about this question and whether HDM is great. My 6th- 9th graders had some strong opinions about those questions. It was as fascinating as this discussion. There were no lukewarm responses! My students told me that a great book was one you couldn?t put down and a book you wanted to read again. They told me that a great book was a book that made you think. A sixth grader told me that a great book was one you wanted to own for yourself. Every student but one in my small survey (21) told me that they thought this trilogy was great.
Did they all like the books? No, most did but a few told me that didn?t like the ending of Amber and two felt that the religious view was opposite of their beliefs. But, those two also followed that statement by saying that they had never read a book that made them think about their faith before and they liked that. The younger students were swept away by the sheer adventure and captivated by the strong and fascinating characters. But, my older students had been pursing the big questions that Pullman poses. One student said,? I hated this book! I?ve can?t think about anything else since reading it and now I?m going back and starting over again with Golden Compass.? A 9th grader who had just finished the book said that she wasn?t ready to talk about Amber yet, she need to think a while first. An 8th grade boy told me that he had never read a book that made him think so much before.
I am still working hard on my definition of book greatness but I agree with the kids on a lot of their ideas. I think it has to stand up to (and demand) re-reading. I think a great book should allow a variety of interpretations and responses. I think it should generate passionate discussion and, certainly, it should engage the reader. (Yelling at the book qualifiesJ.) A great book should make you think. His Dark Materials does all that.
I am a rabid science fiction/fantasy fan having been infected from childhood and I loved these books. But I think it is clear that the books speak to universal themes that all readers respond to. They have generated passionate discussion from a far wider group than just we sci?fi/fantasy nuts. We only have to look at the numbers enthusiastically posting to CCBC to see that. A similar discussion on YALSA-BK this winter almost came to verbal blows! Are there flaws? Yes, certainly. I am, however, awed by the scope of what Pullman has attempted and accomplished. I think generations of readers will be discussing the books for years to come. Perhaps that is the definition of greatness?
Lynn Rutan, Librarian
Macatawa Bay School
Holland, MI
Received on Sun 06 May 2001 07:30:53 AM CDT
Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 08:30:53 -0400
During the last year I have been thinking hard about the question of what makes a book great and trying to develop a personal definition. Knowing this discussion was coming; I decided to ask my students what they thought about this question and whether HDM is great. My 6th- 9th graders had some strong opinions about those questions. It was as fascinating as this discussion. There were no lukewarm responses! My students told me that a great book was one you couldn?t put down and a book you wanted to read again. They told me that a great book was a book that made you think. A sixth grader told me that a great book was one you wanted to own for yourself. Every student but one in my small survey (21) told me that they thought this trilogy was great.
Did they all like the books? No, most did but a few told me that didn?t like the ending of Amber and two felt that the religious view was opposite of their beliefs. But, those two also followed that statement by saying that they had never read a book that made them think about their faith before and they liked that. The younger students were swept away by the sheer adventure and captivated by the strong and fascinating characters. But, my older students had been pursing the big questions that Pullman poses. One student said,? I hated this book! I?ve can?t think about anything else since reading it and now I?m going back and starting over again with Golden Compass.? A 9th grader who had just finished the book said that she wasn?t ready to talk about Amber yet, she need to think a while first. An 8th grade boy told me that he had never read a book that made him think so much before.
I am still working hard on my definition of book greatness but I agree with the kids on a lot of their ideas. I think it has to stand up to (and demand) re-reading. I think a great book should allow a variety of interpretations and responses. I think it should generate passionate discussion and, certainly, it should engage the reader. (Yelling at the book qualifiesJ.) A great book should make you think. His Dark Materials does all that.
I am a rabid science fiction/fantasy fan having been infected from childhood and I loved these books. But I think it is clear that the books speak to universal themes that all readers respond to. They have generated passionate discussion from a far wider group than just we sci?fi/fantasy nuts. We only have to look at the numbers enthusiastically posting to CCBC to see that. A similar discussion on YALSA-BK this winter almost came to verbal blows! Are there flaws? Yes, certainly. I am, however, awed by the scope of what Pullman has attempted and accomplished. I think generations of readers will be discussing the books for years to come. Perhaps that is the definition of greatness?
Lynn Rutan, Librarian
Macatawa Bay School
Holland, MI
Received on Sun 06 May 2001 07:30:53 AM CDT
