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How Far Is Too Far?
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From: Esme Raji Codell <esme>
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 13:34:38 -0500
Hmmm! I don?t think farts and poop fall into the same category as sex and drugs when it comes to books for children. Roald Dahl wasn?t afraid of a touch of rudeness in his books, and managed to slip some pretty enjoyable literature in between gross-outs. William Kotzwinkle, author of Walter the Farting Dog, also wrote Trouble in Bugland: A Collection of Inspector Mantis Mysteries, which I consider a beautiful and accomplished contribution to the shelves of children?s literature. Though I certainly do appreciate when people ?strive for better,? I also appreciate the right for these books to coexist in the market. Just as adults have a choice between outstanding literature and a ?fluff read,? maybe children enjoy that same option. Who knows, maybe by having both, it helps consumers develop criteria, as is slowly happening with celebrity books. I think it helps to have open discussions with children about the books, connecting the children with the themes and intent by asking ?what is the author/illustrator trying to say by creating this book?? I don?t think the author of Captain Underpants is trying to do the same thing as the author of How Green Was My Valley. While I can appreciate the moral outrage, I don?t want to go back in time and for kids to just have the clean McGuffey Readers to choose from, or books that have their content passed through some sort of tight-holed moral colander; there are already textbooks that do that. I like that trade books can still largely reflect the individual artists behind them, whether I personally prefer their work or not. I still have faith that people can make good choices when they are informed and offered those choices. I am frankly not mad at authors or illustrators for creating books that play (or prey) on pop culture, celebrate bad taste, or celebrities for creating mediocre work, I am mad when publishers and booksellers push them to the exclusion of other work. I guess the most powerful thing to do if we don?t like the content of the book is not to buy it and not to recommend it.
Personally, I often find the marketing of books far more offensive than the content. I have stopped buying and recommending YA with covers that feature headless girls with their navels showing. I think that is too weird in a world that increasingly exploits children sexually, I can?t support it; not to mention it is just plain confusing. Given my own litmus test, I can?t figure it out: what is this kind of cover trying to say?
Esme Raji Codell Site Director
Visit PlanetEsme.com: A Www.onderful World of Children?s Literature!? http://www.planetesme.com 2646 West Pratt Boulevard Chicago, IL 60645
(773) 764710 How to Get Your Child to Love Reading makes everyone a children?s book expert! Sing a Song of Tuna Fish, now in stores, for your laughing pleasure! Diary of a Fairy Godmother grants your fondest reading wish! Spring, 2005!
On 6/22/05 11:24 AM, "Emmaattic at aol.com" wrote:
any r,
, ot
Received on Wed 22 Jun 2005 01:34:38 PM CDT
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 13:34:38 -0500
Hmmm! I don?t think farts and poop fall into the same category as sex and drugs when it comes to books for children. Roald Dahl wasn?t afraid of a touch of rudeness in his books, and managed to slip some pretty enjoyable literature in between gross-outs. William Kotzwinkle, author of Walter the Farting Dog, also wrote Trouble in Bugland: A Collection of Inspector Mantis Mysteries, which I consider a beautiful and accomplished contribution to the shelves of children?s literature. Though I certainly do appreciate when people ?strive for better,? I also appreciate the right for these books to coexist in the market. Just as adults have a choice between outstanding literature and a ?fluff read,? maybe children enjoy that same option. Who knows, maybe by having both, it helps consumers develop criteria, as is slowly happening with celebrity books. I think it helps to have open discussions with children about the books, connecting the children with the themes and intent by asking ?what is the author/illustrator trying to say by creating this book?? I don?t think the author of Captain Underpants is trying to do the same thing as the author of How Green Was My Valley. While I can appreciate the moral outrage, I don?t want to go back in time and for kids to just have the clean McGuffey Readers to choose from, or books that have their content passed through some sort of tight-holed moral colander; there are already textbooks that do that. I like that trade books can still largely reflect the individual artists behind them, whether I personally prefer their work or not. I still have faith that people can make good choices when they are informed and offered those choices. I am frankly not mad at authors or illustrators for creating books that play (or prey) on pop culture, celebrate bad taste, or celebrities for creating mediocre work, I am mad when publishers and booksellers push them to the exclusion of other work. I guess the most powerful thing to do if we don?t like the content of the book is not to buy it and not to recommend it.
Personally, I often find the marketing of books far more offensive than the content. I have stopped buying and recommending YA with covers that feature headless girls with their navels showing. I think that is too weird in a world that increasingly exploits children sexually, I can?t support it; not to mention it is just plain confusing. Given my own litmus test, I can?t figure it out: what is this kind of cover trying to say?
Esme Raji Codell Site Director
Visit PlanetEsme.com: A Www.onderful World of Children?s Literature!? http://www.planetesme.com 2646 West Pratt Boulevard Chicago, IL 60645
(773) 764710 How to Get Your Child to Love Reading makes everyone a children?s book expert! Sing a Song of Tuna Fish, now in stores, for your laughing pleasure! Diary of a Fairy Godmother grants your fondest reading wish! Spring, 2005!
On 6/22/05 11:24 AM, "Emmaattic at aol.com" wrote:
any r,
, ot
Received on Wed 22 Jun 2005 01:34:38 PM CDT
