tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post8099778519296339683..comments2024-03-05T06:09:38.554+00:00Comments on chaosmos - out of chaos comes order: Children's books reflect harsh reality - haven't they always?Ness Harbourhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-82207196360754460442012-07-10T16:03:22.107+01:002012-07-10T16:03:22.107+01:00Nick, I think your points are vital, particularly ...Nick, I think your points are vital, particularly the fact you raised about the books being prize winning but judged only by adults. Where were the children in this research....the elephant in the room methinks. This research has serious issues and limitations. Thank you for highlighting them and so pleased you enjoyed the blog.Ness Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-67076805207371238132012-07-10T15:59:54.083+01:002012-07-10T15:59:54.083+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ness Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-33434105475088770182012-07-10T14:07:15.461+01:002012-07-10T14:07:15.461+01:00I think there's a real sample bias in that res...I think there's a real sample bias in that research. Only certain books will get selected for those major prizes and they will tend to be more heavyweight and issues-led. They are also children's books selected by adults, which skews the whole sample. Children's fiction is a broad church of light and dark, but that research fails to acknowledge that.<br /><br />On age banding, I don't want to see it on the front of a book, but a little note inside the cover on the suggested emotional age of the reader would help me choose as a parent.<br /><br />Great blog, BTW.Nick Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02571077124165351007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-6440744168277552032012-07-09T20:04:51.847+01:002012-07-09T20:04:51.847+01:00Thank you Emma,glad you liked it.The media has a l...Thank you Emma,glad you liked it.The media has a lot to answer for as do some of these people undertaking this research.Ness Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-63516515468085021162012-07-09T20:02:43.826+01:002012-07-09T20:02:43.826+01:00The recent media attention given to these 'dar...The recent media attention given to these 'dark books' is just proof of where our society is heading...wrapping up children in cotton wool and pretending these issues don't really happen is completely the wrong road to go down. And what better way to make children aware than by using stories.<br />I fully believe that allowing children to explore the dark side of reality through books is integral to their development.<br />And surely book sales like those of Melvin Burgess etc, are just proof that these are the sort of stories children want to read...who are we deny them of that!<br />As you said, there are plenty of 'light' books out there too, I think this is just another example of how the media hype everything up and try to make a big deal out of nothing.<br />As for the age certification, I completely agree. It is complete lunacy to certify a novel!<br />Nice post btw :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09411143055943102129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-75938551318395985722012-07-09T19:17:37.472+01:002012-07-09T19:17:37.472+01:00Sorry this was in response to Sally's comment ...Sorry this was in response to Sally's comment above but I was obviously typing at the same time as Candy and Nicky!Ness Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-87647565613481722652012-07-09T19:17:02.996+01:002012-07-09T19:17:02.996+01:00You are so right Nicky. Balance is vital that is w...You are so right Nicky. Balance is vital that is why there should be a choice of books out there. It would be good if you could post a link to your post too if you wouldn't mind.Ness Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-76201414329361567192012-07-09T19:13:31.322+01:002012-07-09T19:13:31.322+01:00Really good point Candy. Thank youReally good point Candy. Thank youNess Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-59726638081273181562012-07-09T19:12:15.698+01:002012-07-09T19:12:15.698+01:00Couldn't agree more. I found it difficult to k...Couldn't agree more. I found it difficult to know where to stop history wise in the post. Wasn't it Philip Pullman who said that there were some issues that were too big for adult books but children's lit was the right place for them? In the same way that Melvin Burgess has suggested that teenagers can contend with anything as long as it is in context. It just irritates me that the media has picked up on this and sensationalised it all without really thinking about it.Ness Harbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07370427313780759711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-6389560657082933532012-07-09T19:11:46.519+01:002012-07-09T19:11:46.519+01:00Abandonment has always been a rich seam for childr...Abandonment has always been a rich seam for children's books because it taps into a child's deepest fear.Candy Gourlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-64952888919860338172012-07-09T19:11:16.400+01:002012-07-09T19:11:16.400+01:00It is, as ever, that old thing about balance. I w...It is, as ever, that old thing about balance. I wrote a similar blog post a few months back - except I'd focussed on the prevalance of dystopian fiction and the need to see the lighter side of life too. All people read what they feel the need to read at any particular time - sometimes that may be something heavier or darker, sometimes it will be something lighter. The book world needs to have space for both, just as art reflects life and we have both lightness and darkness in every day.<br />As for age classification - no, that's just all wrong. It would mean that as a 13 year old I shouldn't have been reading Anna Karenina. Again, it comes back to balance and the need of the invidual. Generic "packaging" is just a cop out and an insult to the individual reader.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04871239587214383387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961986208219275679.post-49021731386869733512012-07-09T19:06:40.476+01:002012-07-09T19:06:40.476+01:00Let’s not forget fairy tales, if you’re talking of...Let’s not forget fairy tales, if you’re talking of 'abandonment', you don't have to look too far even the obvious tales like Hansel and Gretel it their biological parents who abandon the children in the woods. <br /><br />For 'alienation' we have Cinderella, with her step mother and step sisters alienating her plus to add insult to injury forcing her in to life of servitude. <br />Then for ‘Homelessness’ we have The Little Match Girl freezing to death. <br /><br />Children’s Literature has always been about the heavy stuff, preparing kids for LIFE. It’s also interesting to note that in other cultures according to folklorist Maria Nikolajeva’s in Gramarye Journal by SCFF… <br /><br />…“In my [her] culture, there was no practice of retelling scary books into nice and cute ones, nor selecting only stories deemed suitable for children.”Sallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12759992873045228788noreply@blogger.com