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Re: Preference for Fiction with Printz Award
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From: Lynn Rutan <lynnrutan_at_charter.net>
Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2012 21:31:09 -0400
I agree with Kathleen’s post that the predominance of fiction on the Printz doesn’t lie with the structure of the award. The Printz rules are clearly open to the consideration of different genres and we’ve seen fantasy, science fiction, horror, poetry and a graphic novel be recognized.
I know how hard the award and selection committees work and I truly believe that people come to the table with a sincere intent to consider everything equally. My guess - and it’s purely a guess based on serving with a variety of committees - is that many of us are insecure in our ability to adequately judge nonfiction. So many of us are confident and comfortable with the elements of fiction and that means that we are confident in our abilities to weigh and balance the strengths and weaknesses of fiction. We are comfortable saying something like, “Well, the plot had a few holes but the character development, setting and voice were so outstanding that they outweighed this issue.” Or something to that effect ;-)
But with nonfiction many of us are far less assured. How much weight do we give a factual error? If I find one does it mean there are others I’m not finding? What if I’m not an expert on the subject matter - can I judge it adequately? Does a brilliant narrative structure outweigh an issue with captions or a statistic? And so on. And I think it is this insecurity that often affects confidence in selecting nonfiction, especially in the intense pressure of those concluding negotiations for an award like the Printz. Everyone has to be totally behind the winners, totally convinced that the selections are the very very best. Any shade of doubt will handicap a book and I think there is often that shade of doubt lies within us as evaluators. I think it is unconscious but I think it is often there.
I’m speculating here and willing to have you all knock holes in my theory ;-)
As a lover of nonfiction, I am hoping that the increasingly outstanding nonfiction for teens will receive the award recognition it deserves.
Lynn Rutan Printz Chair 2008 Bookends - Booklist Online Youth Blog lynnrutan_at_charter.net
Received on Mon 06 Aug 2012 09:31:09 PM CDT
Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2012 21:31:09 -0400
I agree with Kathleen’s post that the predominance of fiction on the Printz doesn’t lie with the structure of the award. The Printz rules are clearly open to the consideration of different genres and we’ve seen fantasy, science fiction, horror, poetry and a graphic novel be recognized.
I know how hard the award and selection committees work and I truly believe that people come to the table with a sincere intent to consider everything equally. My guess - and it’s purely a guess based on serving with a variety of committees - is that many of us are insecure in our ability to adequately judge nonfiction. So many of us are confident and comfortable with the elements of fiction and that means that we are confident in our abilities to weigh and balance the strengths and weaknesses of fiction. We are comfortable saying something like, “Well, the plot had a few holes but the character development, setting and voice were so outstanding that they outweighed this issue.” Or something to that effect ;-)
But with nonfiction many of us are far less assured. How much weight do we give a factual error? If I find one does it mean there are others I’m not finding? What if I’m not an expert on the subject matter - can I judge it adequately? Does a brilliant narrative structure outweigh an issue with captions or a statistic? And so on. And I think it is this insecurity that often affects confidence in selecting nonfiction, especially in the intense pressure of those concluding negotiations for an award like the Printz. Everyone has to be totally behind the winners, totally convinced that the selections are the very very best. Any shade of doubt will handicap a book and I think there is often that shade of doubt lies within us as evaluators. I think it is unconscious but I think it is often there.
I’m speculating here and willing to have you all knock holes in my theory ;-)
As a lover of nonfiction, I am hoping that the increasingly outstanding nonfiction for teens will receive the award recognition it deserves.
Lynn Rutan Printz Chair 2008 Bookends - Booklist Online Youth Blog lynnrutan_at_charter.net
Received on Mon 06 Aug 2012 09:31:09 PM CDT
