From: Walker Evans <wlevans_at_gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:52:33 -0500

This is a good discussion, and while I don't have enough experience in children's publishing or children's librarianship to weigh in intelligently on the issue of What Can Save Picture Books, I do feel that price is more o f a factor than we've been admitting here. Sure, a picture book is a wonderful way to connect with your kids, you can read it again and again, it's cheaper than going to the movies or shopping at Toys R Us. But there are plenty of people for whom a $16 or $20 picture book really is prohibitively expensive. I think it's a disservice to suggest that anyone can afford books like these if they're simply dedicated enough, or a true enough reader.

Library budgets too have been under siege for years, and today are being hi t particularly hard. I certainly don't mean to suggest that picture books aren't worth it or shouldn't be part of a C/YA collection, but costs are real and money's a relevant concern - both for institutions and individuals .
Received on Fri 05 Nov 2010 05:52:33 PM CDT