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[CCBC-Net] writing quality of celebrity books
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From: Ryan, Pat <PRyan>
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 19:53:03 -0700
I don't recall ever being asked for a book by Madonna, either by a parent or a child. At our library system, for the past two years purchasing is done centrally; we can buy extra copies of things with branch money.
The two Madonna books for children owned at my branch are picture book Mr. Peabody's Apples which has only checked out 12 times in four years - which is NOTHING for a picture book - and The English Roses - in Chinese - which hasn't checked out since 2005.
There are five copies of Mr. Peabody's Apples in English owned in our system of eleven branches, and all of them are sitting on the shelf.
What we do get asked for by parents are books about values; they mean books that SAY they're about values. When you try to explain that children's literature IS about values, children learning about themselves and how to live in their world, quite often they are not convinced.
And kids just want the latest book in the latest series - but they're READING! And often they're reading old, shabby copies of Vicki Cobb books, or Magic School Bus. They can't get enough of them!
Patricia Ryan, Children's Librarian Union City Library 510-745-1464 ext. 19
"Now, when I read constantly about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that the door is closing and that American society has found one more way to destroy itself." I, Asimov.
________________________________
From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu on behalf of L. Brown / M. Regenold Sent: Thu 6/7/2007 4:45 PM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] writing quality of celebrity books [**JUNKMAIL WARNING**][text]
As a student in the Vermont College MFA program in writing for children, last semester I analyzed several celebrity-written picture books and wrote a snarky essay about them, which I posted on my blog: http://iowakid.blogspot.com/2006/11/how-to-write-picture-book-guide-for.html
Last fall at a children's writer conference I asked a HarperCollins editor why his house publishes celebrity-written books, which he admitted aren't the world's greatest literature. He answered as expected--to make money. The theory is that a few PBs that do really well will help support his buying other, "smaller" books that he's really excited about but that don't have a huge market.
How do librarians respond to celebrity authors? Are you more apt to purchase such books because you think parents will ask for them?
Just curious.
Michele Regenold
_______________________________________________ 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 07 Jun 2007 09:53:03 PM CDT
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 19:53:03 -0700
I don't recall ever being asked for a book by Madonna, either by a parent or a child. At our library system, for the past two years purchasing is done centrally; we can buy extra copies of things with branch money.
The two Madonna books for children owned at my branch are picture book Mr. Peabody's Apples which has only checked out 12 times in four years - which is NOTHING for a picture book - and The English Roses - in Chinese - which hasn't checked out since 2005.
There are five copies of Mr. Peabody's Apples in English owned in our system of eleven branches, and all of them are sitting on the shelf.
What we do get asked for by parents are books about values; they mean books that SAY they're about values. When you try to explain that children's literature IS about values, children learning about themselves and how to live in their world, quite often they are not convinced.
And kids just want the latest book in the latest series - but they're READING! And often they're reading old, shabby copies of Vicki Cobb books, or Magic School Bus. They can't get enough of them!
Patricia Ryan, Children's Librarian Union City Library 510-745-1464 ext. 19
"Now, when I read constantly about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that the door is closing and that American society has found one more way to destroy itself." I, Asimov.
________________________________
From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu on behalf of L. Brown / M. Regenold Sent: Thu 6/7/2007 4:45 PM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] writing quality of celebrity books [**JUNKMAIL WARNING**][text]
As a student in the Vermont College MFA program in writing for children, last semester I analyzed several celebrity-written picture books and wrote a snarky essay about them, which I posted on my blog: http://iowakid.blogspot.com/2006/11/how-to-write-picture-book-guide-for.html
Last fall at a children's writer conference I asked a HarperCollins editor why his house publishes celebrity-written books, which he admitted aren't the world's greatest literature. He answered as expected--to make money. The theory is that a few PBs that do really well will help support his buying other, "smaller" books that he's really excited about but that don't have a huge market.
How do librarians respond to celebrity authors? Are you more apt to purchase such books because you think parents will ask for them?
Just curious.
Michele Regenold
_______________________________________________ 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 07 Jun 2007 09:53:03 PM CDT
