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[CCBC-Net] Retro Reading or Timeless Topics
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From: Megan Schliesman <schliesman>
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:18:43 -0600
It's time to begin our discussion for the second half of February: Retro Reading or Timeless Topics
****
As were were reflecting on the trends and themes in children's books during 2007 here at the CCBC, we couldn't help but notice a number of books that seemed to be reflections of adult nostalgia more than anything else. The /Dangerous Book for Boys/ (HarperCollins) led to several imitators: /The Boys Book: How to Be Best at Everything/
(Scholastic), /For Boys Only: The Biggest, Baddest Book Ever/ (Feiwel & Friends), /The Curious Boys? Book of Adventure/ (Razorbill), and the gender-equity editions that include /The Daring Book for Girls/
(HarperCollins) and /The Girls Book: How to Be Best at Everything/
(Scholastic). All of these volumes would be at home?at least visually--on the shelves of the CCBC Historical Collection, next to their nineteenth century counterparts, /The Boy Craftsman/ and the
/American Girl?s Handy Book/.
We also noted a dozen or so 2007 books that dealt with manners and etiquette, another type of book that was more prevalent in earlier centuries. These ranged from the earnest (/The Golden Rule/ by Ilene Cooper) to the hilarious (/Do Unto Otters/ by Laurie Keller), from books for toddlers (/Emily?s Magic Words: Please, Thank You, and More/ by Peggy Post and Cindy Post Senning ) to books for teenagers (/Teen Manners: From Malls to Meals to Messaging and Beyond/ by Cindy Post Senning and Peggy Post). We?re not quite sure what accounts for the sudden onslaught of etiquette books. It?ll be interesting to see if there is any noticeable improvement in the behavior of the general population over the next several years.
So what is going on? We'd like to hear your take on what is happening, and also your experiences and observations of how children and teens have responded to books like these.
Megan
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:18:43 -0600
It's time to begin our discussion for the second half of February: Retro Reading or Timeless Topics
****
As were were reflecting on the trends and themes in children's books during 2007 here at the CCBC, we couldn't help but notice a number of books that seemed to be reflections of adult nostalgia more than anything else. The /Dangerous Book for Boys/ (HarperCollins) led to several imitators: /The Boys Book: How to Be Best at Everything/
(Scholastic), /For Boys Only: The Biggest, Baddest Book Ever/ (Feiwel & Friends), /The Curious Boys? Book of Adventure/ (Razorbill), and the gender-equity editions that include /The Daring Book for Girls/
(HarperCollins) and /The Girls Book: How to Be Best at Everything/
(Scholastic). All of these volumes would be at home?at least visually--on the shelves of the CCBC Historical Collection, next to their nineteenth century counterparts, /The Boy Craftsman/ and the
/American Girl?s Handy Book/.
We also noted a dozen or so 2007 books that dealt with manners and etiquette, another type of book that was more prevalent in earlier centuries. These ranged from the earnest (/The Golden Rule/ by Ilene Cooper) to the hilarious (/Do Unto Otters/ by Laurie Keller), from books for toddlers (/Emily?s Magic Words: Please, Thank You, and More/ by Peggy Post and Cindy Post Senning ) to books for teenagers (/Teen Manners: From Malls to Meals to Messaging and Beyond/ by Cindy Post Senning and Peggy Post). We?re not quite sure what accounts for the sudden onslaught of etiquette books. It?ll be interesting to see if there is any noticeable improvement in the behavior of the general population over the next several years.
So what is going on? We'd like to hear your take on what is happening, and also your experiences and observations of how children and teens have responded to books like these.
Megan
-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 608/262-9503 schliesman at education.wisc.edu www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/Received on Thu 14 Feb 2008 10:18:43 AM CST
