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Why Children's Books?
21–30 of 78 posts
Re: Why Children's Books?
#22Excellent essay. I hadn’t taken it seriously until I had my own but it’s crazy how variable kids books can be. The stats at the end about access for the poorest are heart breaking. My son loves his books and it’s so nice to see.
There is always the library.
When my children were young, we went so often that once, a friend's child when a trip to the library was scheduled, stated that he was looking forward to seeing my daughter there. When it was gently explained that they couldn't be certain of that, announced, "Of course we'll see her, _lives_ at the library!", having arrived at that conclusion because for the better part of a year, both families had had similar schedules of library visits and so the children had always seen each other there.
Re: Why Children's Books?
#23I think she places too much importance on this: "British children’s books have often taught other truths – that the best thing you can be is white, upper or middle class, and if you are a girl, quiet. " Firstly, there are many exceptions. For example, Aravis in CS Lewis's The Horse and His Boy is neither white nor remotely quiet - she is aristocratic. The Telmarine descended characters in the later books in the serie…
I am not convinced by the author's thesis.
But I'm also not convinced by your defence of Narnia. It's 4 white British middle class kids (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) who have the privilege of being sent to the country during a dangerous time. I'm happy that you were able to identify with these characters. But for the many, many people who prefer to read stories about people like themselves and can't identify with Peter and Susan, I'm glad there is something for them now.
It won't last though. When you're used to privilege, equality feels like oppression. For people who've enjoyed characters who look just like them, who've grown up with experiences just like theirs, any change feels like oppression. See the vicious backlash to any female or gay or non-white video game character nowadays. Game, book and movie producers who want to play it safe will go back to white straight males to avoid that backlash.
Re: Why Children's Books?
#24Great essay, I was disappointed to find no reference to the best-selling author Julia Donaldson, or her masterwork, The Gruffalo.
The Gruffalo inhabits a territory never before seen in children's literature. It goes beyond existentialism and metaphysics and yet retains an adorable accessibility that a 2 year old can understand. Spoilers follow if you are still in the pre-Gruffalo phase of your life.
Already in line two of the whole book our protagonist, the mouse, is in mortal danger when the fox thinks "the mouse looked good" (to eat).
The mouse digs deeps into his dark imagination and concocts an enemy so abominable, based on his own worst possible fears, in the hope that it also scares away the fox. And by some miracle, a few burnished details and a roaring old wives' tale ("his favourite food is roasted fox") he actually extricates himself from mortal danger in front of this fast and formidable foe.
The process is repeated again with the owl and the snake. Each time the mouse digs deeper, building up a fictional image of a catastrophically horrendous creature that no sane animal would ever wish to encounter. Each time scaring off an increasingly deadly enemy. The ongoing survival of the mouse against all odds leads him to a fleeting moment of relaxation...
But then, before his own eyes, looming a footstep away...the very projection of his own and his enemies' worst fears. The Gruffalo - that he himself merely imagined - has been instantiated. His nightmare cannot be undone. The mouse must face his own creation.
But, we are dealing with a mouse of such pluck and chutzpah we know the story must continue. He tickles the Gruffalo with the preposterous assertion that the mouse is in fact the scariest animal in the wood. Chuckled by this, the Gruffalo entertains himself by following along for a few moments.
As they encounter again the snake, owl and fox, each runs in fear of the Gruffalo. But each time the mouse appears to demonstrate that it is in fact him they are running from, not the Gruffalo. Doubts form in the Gruffalo's mind (itself created by the mind of the mouse) and his confidence ebbs (as the mouse's grows).
Finally, in the greatest stanza in children's literature, the masterstroke.
"Well, Gruffalo," said the mouse. "You see? Everyone is afraid of me! But now my tummy's beginning to rumble. My favourite food is - gruffalo crumble!"
This teasing patronisation dispatches the Gruffalo with immediate effect. The mouse has won, against his worst enemies, and against his worst nightmare. From mortal danger he created something even more terrible, and then defeated his own demons with wit and confidence. What a journey!
There is no other children's book like this.
Re: Why Children's Books?
#25I think she places too much importance on this: "British children’s books have often taught other truths – that the best thing you can be is white, upper or middle class, and if you are a girl, quiet. " Firstly, there are many exceptions. For example, Aravis in CS Lewis's The Horse and His Boy is neither white nor remotely quiet - she is aristocratic. The Telmarine descended characters in the later books in the serie…
I am not convinced by the author's thesis. But I'm also not convinced by your defence of Narnia. It's 4 white British middle class kids (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) who have the privilege of being sent to the country during a dangerous time. I'm happy that you were able to identify with these characters. But for the many, many people who prefer to read stories about people like themselves and can't identify with P…
> It's 4 white British middle class kids (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) who have the privilege of being sent to the country during a dangerous time
That is only true for one book in the series.
What about Aravis and the Telmarines who were not white British? The very working class character who founds the original Narnian royal dynasty? Those are just the major characters, what about all the minor characters? Then there are the non-human characters who are not exactly like any of us.
BTW a lot of kids of all classes were evacuated during the war AFAIK - it was not a privilege.
> But for the many, many people who prefer to read stories about people like themselves and can't identify with Peter and Susan, I'm glad there is something for them now.
One of the purposes of literature (and one endorsed by CS Lewis) is to identify and empathise with people unlike yourself. Anyone who only enjoys literature about people like themselves is missing out a lot.
Re: Why Children's Books?
#26I think she places too much importance on this: "British children’s books have often taught other truths – that the best thing you can be is white, upper or middle class, and if you are a girl, quiet. " Firstly, there are many exceptions. For example, Aravis in CS Lewis's The Horse and His Boy is neither white nor remotely quiet - she is aristocratic. The Telmarine descended characters in the later books in the serie…
I am not convinced by the author's thesis. But I'm also not convinced by your defence of Narnia. It's 4 white British middle class kids (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) who have the privilege of being sent to the country during a dangerous time. I'm happy that you were able to identify with these characters. But for the many, many people who prefer to read stories about people like themselves and can't identify with P…
>the privilege of being sent to the country during a dangerous time.
Children of all social classes were evacuated- the slum child evacuated to a prosperous country farmhouse is practically a trope, while some children of wealthy families stayed in London. The only thing that decided whether children went or not was their parents' choice.
Though the Pevensies are relatively privileged in that they have a (EDIT: family friend not uncle) in the countryside who has room for them rather than being sent to a stranger's house.
(EDIT: actually, I can't remember- is there an indication that they knew the Professor before the war?)
Re: Why Children's Books?
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am not convinced by the author's thesis. But I'm also not convinced by your defence of Narnia. It's 4 white British middle class kids (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) who have the privilege of being sent to the country during a dangerous time. I'm happy that you were able to identify with these characters. But for the many, many people who prefer to read stories about people like themselves and can't identify with P…
> It's 4 white British middle class kids (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) who have the privilege of being sent to the country during a dangerous time That is only true for one book in the series. What about Aravis and the Telmarines who were not white British? The very working class character who founds the original Narnian royal dynasty? Those are just the major characters, what about all the minor characters? Then t…
Any reasonable reader would conclude that the Pevensie children are the main characters in that series.
Indeed, that was the whole point - Lewis wrote Narnia for his goddaughter Lucy. That's why she's the main character! He wrote it so she could enjoy a story about a girl just like herself!
Fwiw, I've also enjoyed books and video games all my life, including Narnia. None of the characters have ever looked or spoken like me, unless they were a caricature to be made fun of. I still read a lot because that's my nature. That's fine, it is what it is. But I hope the next generation experiences something better than what I did.
Frankly your comment sounds like cope. You so badly want to identify with this series so you decided that the main characters are the Telmarines.
Re: Why Children's Books?
#28I think she places too much importance on this: "British children’s books have often taught other truths – that the best thing you can be is white, upper or middle class, and if you are a girl, quiet. " Firstly, there are many exceptions. For example, Aravis in CS Lewis's The Horse and His Boy is neither white nor remotely quiet - she is aristocratic. The Telmarine descended characters in the later books in the serie…
I am not convinced by the author's thesis. But I'm also not convinced by your defence of Narnia. It's 4 white British middle class kids (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) who have the privilege of being sent to the country during a dangerous time. I'm happy that you were able to identify with these characters. But for the many, many people who prefer to read stories about people like themselves and can't identify with P…
I don’t know that describing evacuation as a privilege for middle class children is strictly accurate.
Re: Why Children's Books?
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
> It's 4 white British middle class kids (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) who have the privilege of being sent to the country during a dangerous time That is only true for one book in the series. What about Aravis and the Telmarines who were not white British? The very working class character who founds the original Narnian royal dynasty? Those are just the major characters, what about all the minor characters? Then t…
Any reasonable reader would conclude that the Pevensie children are the main characters in that series. Indeed, that was the whole point - Lewis wrote Narnia for his goddaughter Lucy. That's why she's the main character! He wrote it so she could enjoy a story about a girl just like herself! Fwiw, I've also enjoyed books and video games all my life, including Narnia. None of the characters have ever looked or spoken l…
> Any reasonable reader would conclude that the Pevensie children are the main characters in that series.
The main characters even in books they do not appear in (The Magicians Nephew and The Silver Chair) or appear in only as minor characters (The Horse and His Boy and The Last Battle)?
The older two Pevensies are only main characters in two books.
> Frankly your comment sounds like cope. You so badly want to identify with this series so you decided that the main characters are the Telmarines.
That comment is an ad hominem and does not relate to what I sad at all.
I think the difference is that I am actually familiar with the books, and that you cannot let go of preconceived notions.
> None of the characters have ever looked or spoken like me, unless they were a caricature to be made fun of
I do not know enough about you to be able to evaluate that statement.
Edit to add:
> Indeed, that was the whole point - Lewis wrote Narnia for his goddaughter Lucy.
He dedicated one book in the series to his god-daughter. he was written about his motives and inspirations for the series elsewhere and it goes far beyond "writing a book for Lucy".
Re: Why Children's Books?
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
Any reasonable reader would conclude that the Pevensie children are the main characters in that series. Indeed, that was the whole point - Lewis wrote Narnia for his goddaughter Lucy. That's why she's the main character! He wrote it so she could enjoy a story about a girl just like herself! Fwiw, I've also enjoyed books and video games all my life, including Narnia. None of the characters have ever looked or spoken l…
> Any reasonable reader would conclude that the Pevensie children are the main characters in that series. The main characters even in books they do not appear in (The Magicians Nephew and The Silver Chair) or appear in only as minor characters (The Horse and His Boy and The Last Battle)? The older two Pevensies are only main characters in two books. > Frankly your comment sounds like cope. You so badly want to identi…
My Dear Lucy,
I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realised that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand, a word you say, but I shall still be
your affectionate Godfather,
C.S. Lewis
——
This speaks to
1. The sheer magic of reading a story where you are the main character.
2. CS Lewis knew that and wrote this book especially for a young white British girl, so she’d have a story where she was the main character.
You read the books, great. But guess what, I did too.
You’re unable to see the obvious because you want to so badly be right about Narnia. Cool.