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[CCBC-Net] series snobbery and a professed love for animorphs
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From: Melody Allen <melody_allen>
Date: Thu, 01 Dec 2005 14:43:55 -0500
I'd like to add two more reasons for formula series books for grades 3 and 4.
One is the bicycle theory. You wouldn't want to bicycle uphill all the time; every now and then you want to coast downhill. There is a lot of learning, especially related to language and reading in the first seven years. By age 8 (or so), a kid deserves a little chance to coast and consolidate skills, rather than push continually upward.
The second is the best friends theory. Babysitters CLUB (my emphasis) had it just right by appreciating that this age group is deep into issues of friendship and fitting into a group. A kid wants to read what his/her best friend is reading. They want to lend # 4 to their best friend. The books (hooray!) are one way of binding friends together (and making instant new ones).
Melody Allen (who read the Happy Hollisters) melody_allen at gw.doa.state.ri.us
>>> "Mercado, Nancy" <Nancy.Mercado at us.penguingroup.com> 12/01/05 01:06PM >>>
I must admit to being quite the series snob when I was a kid. I was happy to read the Carolyn Haywood books and others like that , but for some reason
I turned up my nose at The Babysitters Club. There seemed to be a fundamental difference to me at the time, though I'm not sure I would have been able to vocalize what that was.
It wasn't until I worked in a bookstore and devoured every single Animorphs book (a quick read when you are standing behind the customer service desk!) and encountered the same kind of snobbery from parents that I realized how damaging these preconceived notions about series books can really be. Kids would beg their parents for an Animophs book and I would plead on their behalf convincing the parents that the Animophs include lots of science
(details about the animals that the kids turned into, the flight patterns of the hawk, the thought process of a dolphin etc!) and making sure they promised to read at least one.
These days I like the idea of giving each series its due by reading at least one before I judge. Not all series are created equal!
Enjoying the discussion, Nancy
****************************** Nancy Mercado Editor Dial Books for Young Readers
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Received on Thu 01 Dec 2005 01:43:55 PM CST
Date: Thu, 01 Dec 2005 14:43:55 -0500
I'd like to add two more reasons for formula series books for grades 3 and 4.
One is the bicycle theory. You wouldn't want to bicycle uphill all the time; every now and then you want to coast downhill. There is a lot of learning, especially related to language and reading in the first seven years. By age 8 (or so), a kid deserves a little chance to coast and consolidate skills, rather than push continually upward.
The second is the best friends theory. Babysitters CLUB (my emphasis) had it just right by appreciating that this age group is deep into issues of friendship and fitting into a group. A kid wants to read what his/her best friend is reading. They want to lend # 4 to their best friend. The books (hooray!) are one way of binding friends together (and making instant new ones).
Melody Allen (who read the Happy Hollisters) melody_allen at gw.doa.state.ri.us
>>> "Mercado, Nancy" <Nancy.Mercado at us.penguingroup.com> 12/01/05 01:06PM >>>
I must admit to being quite the series snob when I was a kid. I was happy to read the Carolyn Haywood books and others like that , but for some reason
I turned up my nose at The Babysitters Club. There seemed to be a fundamental difference to me at the time, though I'm not sure I would have been able to vocalize what that was.
It wasn't until I worked in a bookstore and devoured every single Animorphs book (a quick read when you are standing behind the customer service desk!) and encountered the same kind of snobbery from parents that I realized how damaging these preconceived notions about series books can really be. Kids would beg their parents for an Animophs book and I would plead on their behalf convincing the parents that the Animophs include lots of science
(details about the animals that the kids turned into, the flight patterns of the hawk, the thought process of a dolphin etc!) and making sure they promised to read at least one.
These days I like the idea of giving each series its due by reading at least one before I judge. Not all series are created equal!
Enjoying the discussion, Nancy
****************************** Nancy Mercado Editor Dial Books for Young Readers
**************************************************************************** This email may contain confidential material. If you were not an intended recipient, please notify the sender and delete all copies. We may monitor email to and from our network.
****************************************************************************
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Thu 01 Dec 2005 01:43:55 PM CST
