I read an article about this subject that was written five years ago. It starts out by saying:
"...more adults pick up books aimed at young readers. Are we yearning for old-fashioned stories, seeking spiritual solace, or merely dumbing down?"
Okay, that last part didn't sit too well with me. I'm glad the investigative writer posed another theory.
"More and more adults are realizing that some children's writers are maybe providing something that adult authors aren't." Says David Almond. "One of the things I've found is that when you are writing for children you can be very direct about things that you're really interested in. The power of narrative becomes very important. A discipline comes with making sure the page keeps turning."
Jonathan Stroud continues this line of thinking with, "A lot of adult fiction hasn't got such a strong narrative drive. A successful book for children must have a strong narrative, otherwise the kid is not going to read it. The kid is not going to be impressed by trendy, pretentious, hifalutin stuff which some adults will be enraptured by."
That's a little more like it!
I really respect this quote that I found from an adult who enjoys reading children's literature.
"I have read books for children and teens for years. I enjoy the clean writing style, the unpretentious language, and the strong narrative line. I enjoy their subject matter more too, where I don't have to worry about graphic murders and explicit sexual scenes dominating the book. I also find more treasures, more books that will stay with me for years, more worthwhile reading than when I read bestsellers aimed at adults."
I really must agree with that one. I can relate on every level. I actually did not get hooked on children's literature until I was an adult. It all started when I read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. I loved it and couldn't stop there.
Did Harry Potter help add more adults enjoying children's literature today or did Stephenie Meyer?
Are you hooked? What did it for you?
By the way, this is in no way bashing adult books or the people who read them.
5 comments:
You've brought tears to my eyes, Deanna, What a great blog! You know I do my fair share of reading, but I really enjoy children's quilting books. They're all about quilting, sewing machines, etc. Whenever I find one at a yard sale or in a book store, I just have to have it. I have a lot tucked in between my collection of fabric in my sewing room. I even share them with my sewing group down here in Arizona during the warm winter. Guess you'll be inheriting them one day. How fun!! This is a great blog. I'm proud of you. Love, Mom
I LOVE IT! Thank you. I totally agree. I have been trying all these books- best sellers, supposedly great and when I'm done I feel like they were such a waste of time. I am so excited to find out what you are reading so I can find some good books.
For me- it started with Harry Potter which just changed the way I saw things. Then came Eragon and other series that I read to my boys and I thought- man, these are great books! We are just about to finish Fablehaven and we LOVED it!
I like this post a lot, too, Deanna. I actually wrote a post on this topic back when I first started my own blog - but I didn't find neat author quotes like you did. I like the phrase "narrative drive". I think that's a very central point.
Thanks for commenting on my blog today - I'm glad that I found yours.
What a fantastic post. I absolutely love this. Thanks for your great insights.
I'm a little late in coming to your "party" over here. Glad to have found your blog. I was just thinking about this topic today. My brother makes fun of me for not reading "real" books. It's hard to explain to him that, not only is it my job (school librarian), I just happen to like a lot of them better. I love chic lit too, but after so many, who can tell one from another anymore?
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