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[CCBC-Net] celebrity--a bit long
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From: bobr at vtlink.net <bobr>
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 14:32:53 -0400
Interesting discussion. But I don't see how we can talk about celebrity children's books without acknowledging how much of American culture (the only one I know well enough to speak about) is celebrity driven, not just books.
Children rarely have heroes who have done something significant or important with their lives. They have heroes who are famous for being rich or famous because they're famous (if that makes sense). Television creates instant celebrity with American Idol and reality shows (I have never seen one of these, but I sure know they exist). But children still crave heroes. They take what they can get, so they grow up with media-created superstars (See survey below).
Is it not true that many parents are likely to purchase books by names they recognize because they've had years of such media targeting? Publishers don't have much choice, do they? Would any editors/publishers on the list like to speak out?
While I can't think of any children's book writers
(other than the celebrities mentioned over the last few days) who are too famous to go outside, that kind of fame isn't something devoutly to be wished, is it? Celebrity does not a happy camper make.
(Here's a recent survey report from England: "For today's children, celebrity and heroism appear virtually indistinguishable. Idolising footballers such as Wayne Rooney and David Beckham or pop stars such as Girls Aloud is the order of the day, rather than looking up to more traditional figures. Indeed, under-10s believe that being famous is the best thing in the world, according to a new survey of British and European children, organised to coincide with the first National Kids Day. Children spend a lot trying to imitate the appearance of their heroes. In 2005, 11-14s spent an average of
?10.30 a week on clothes, ?9 per week on computer games, ?5.40 on music and ?4.93 on hobbies." http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article1191961.ece
That's something like $60 a week, egads.
leda, who seems to be blithering on www.ledaschubert.com
Received on Thu 07 Jun 2007 01:32:53 PM CDT
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 14:32:53 -0400
Interesting discussion. But I don't see how we can talk about celebrity children's books without acknowledging how much of American culture (the only one I know well enough to speak about) is celebrity driven, not just books.
Children rarely have heroes who have done something significant or important with their lives. They have heroes who are famous for being rich or famous because they're famous (if that makes sense). Television creates instant celebrity with American Idol and reality shows (I have never seen one of these, but I sure know they exist). But children still crave heroes. They take what they can get, so they grow up with media-created superstars (See survey below).
Is it not true that many parents are likely to purchase books by names they recognize because they've had years of such media targeting? Publishers don't have much choice, do they? Would any editors/publishers on the list like to speak out?
While I can't think of any children's book writers
(other than the celebrities mentioned over the last few days) who are too famous to go outside, that kind of fame isn't something devoutly to be wished, is it? Celebrity does not a happy camper make.
(Here's a recent survey report from England: "For today's children, celebrity and heroism appear virtually indistinguishable. Idolising footballers such as Wayne Rooney and David Beckham or pop stars such as Girls Aloud is the order of the day, rather than looking up to more traditional figures. Indeed, under-10s believe that being famous is the best thing in the world, according to a new survey of British and European children, organised to coincide with the first National Kids Day. Children spend a lot trying to imitate the appearance of their heroes. In 2005, 11-14s spent an average of
?10.30 a week on clothes, ?9 per week on computer games, ?5.40 on music and ?4.93 on hobbies." http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article1191961.ece
That's something like $60 a week, egads.
leda, who seems to be blithering on www.ledaschubert.com
Received on Thu 07 Jun 2007 01:32:53 PM CDT
