From: Kristin Butcher <kristin>
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:28:31 -0700

I have been following this discussion on the Hidden Adult with interest -- as well as a degree of skepticism.

As a reader of kid lit, a former teacher, a mother of former little people, and a current writer of books for young people, I truly don't think that writers consciously impose an adult perspective into the stories they create for children. That is not to say that the 'hidden adult' doesn't subconsciously present itself, but I don't believe that the majority of writers intentionally push an adult didactic viewpoint into their works. I know I don't. I write stories to entertain. That's it.

In fact, I laugh when I think back to my years of teaching. If you want to know what the theme of a book is or the symbolism it contains, don't ask the author. Ask a teacher. It is the job of educators to teach this stuff, so they find the bones, as it were. Most writers are probably quite surprised -- and impressed -- to discover they actually had themes and symbolism in their work.

I'm sure there are authors who use their writing as a vehicle for teaching, but I don't think they are the norm. The fact of the matter is that adults are doing the writing, and it is close to impossible to remove their 'adultness' from their writing. Why try? And why worry about it? We, as writers, are adults writing stories for children. We do so with one foot in the past (in childhood memories) and one in our present state of adultness (not a word, I'm sure, but you get my drift).

As far as I'm concerned, the bottom line is not how adults perceive the work, but how kids do.

Respectfully,

Kristin Butcher www.kristinbutcher.com
Received on Sun 19 Jul 2009 01:28:31 AM CDT