From: Robin Smith <smithr>
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 14:53:47 -0500

The kids in my class DO notice things that are out of date and DO point it out. They also understand the concept of being out of date and they certainly know that players change teams and that books about a living, active player will never be exactly up to date. They seem to be able to understand it.

HOWEVER, when historic facts are wrong and they notice it---they are outraged. It is kind of fun to watch them look up information to disprove the printed word. This happens a lot with history books for young children.

It has happened with a couple of baseball books, which is especially amusing. Children who really know baseball are the children who memorize the information on each basball card, subscribe to baseball magazines and spend endless hours quizzing each other on the esoteric nature of the rules and history of the game. They pride themselves on knowing the height of the Green Monster or the depth of each field's infield. My own son learned all the Negro League teams and many of their players and dates of induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This type of child loves raw information and is outraged when a fact is not right. Why publishers have not learned to have 8 and 9 year old baseball fanatics work as fact checkers, I will never know.

Play on, Robin Smith
Received on Mon 10 Sep 2001 02:53:47 PM CDT