“Dumbing Down”: Why Children’s Books are Being Simplified And What This Means for All of Us

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Wait, we have a consensus here that Harry Potter is well written ? Good storytelling, maybe, but each book is more shoddily put together than the last. If that is what "well written" looks like, our standards are in the toilet.

I'm in favor of anything that gets kids reading, including materialism (like allowing kids to enjoy the pleasures of buying new books). Parents should let their kids read whatever the kids want to read, including books for adults, and if they must force their kids to read certain books, those books shouldn't take the place of books the kids already want to read.

Well there's a certain amount of subjectivity on that score - J.K Rowling is no C.S Lewis, or J.R.R Tolkien - but then few are. And that's even if you view people like that as being technically "good" childrens writers. As an adult - my appreciation for those authors has diminished somewhat - not specifically for the Judeo-Christian religious subtexts, but mainly because I find their prose to be somewhat overstarched and sugar-coated.

As for general reading standards I'm not sure its really fair to single out J.K Rowling when there are many very successful writers for the adult market who are infinitely worse. A short list (doubtless a lot of people will disagree):

Dan Brown

Clive Cussler

Michael Crichton

James Patterson

In fact, really any of those mass market mystery/thriller type authors are pretty terrible IMO (with the exception of the Elmore Leonards of the genre). As popular as he is I think Stephen King writes turgid (unscary) rubbish - but judging by his sales there are plenty of people who seem to like it well enough.

Rowling I think garners a lot of unfair criticism in that regard as do many authors who write something with huge mass appeal - it gets subjected to so much scrutiny that even the smallest flaw becomes a gaping chasm. But as a series of children's book I can't really complain. She can tell a story, is able to create convincing drama with characters and situations, and develop her characters - not really sure what more can be asked - for a childrens book at least. Though granted, the last book was essentially window-dressing for Book 7. Not that Rowling is the best kids writer out there - not by a long chalk.

Incidentally - Lloyd Alexander died over the weekend at age 83.

[tom&tata 2]

"Famous Five", "Secret Seven", "St. Clare" and "Mallory Towers"--almost none of which were even known in North America

Those were my childhood books. Love them. Didn't know they are not known in North America.

We even formed our own Secret Seven with neighbour kids.

[MissStacey 1]

This is #######.

See ####### Run.

Run ####### run!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I found this article when my 6 yr. old stepson brought home one of those, Scholastic book ordering forms - only this one didn't even have a catalog. Job's selection were penciled in by an adult - he wanted 4 items - 2 of which were video games for $19.95 and the total would be about $70! The items all displayed on tables or specially marketed displays. I was shocked to say the least. So I told him that I'll take him to the public library this weekend (I've been putting it off). I just hate how marketers target young kids like that and try to take away the decision making from the parents, who can be more discriminant. They essentially took away my decision making right as a parent and I felt bad this morning having to tell Job that we're not going to order those things. Damn that pisses me off to be manipulated like that!

That Scholastic stuff is such a racket. Personally, I think buying books is nonsense. That's what libraries are for. It's all just a huge money maker under the guise of encouraging our children to read.

A child has to be taught in this just like in everything else... I watched increduously as kids were coming into the book fair just this last week with money their parents gave them to buy whatever they want....half of them didn't even buy books but other trinkets

BUT

IT IS UP TO THE PARENTS, I' m not ready to blame Scholastic for this, they are about profits just like all other publishers- you cannot begrudge them that.... you simply need to be willing to dig beneath the layer of profit making, kids enticing things...Scholastic has some really good books, but without proper guidance a kid will always first go for something they recognize from TV...

Side note: His Dark Materials are brilliant, but also Pullmans Sally Lockhart trilogy- I highly recommend[/color]

I agree that it is up to the parents, however, it's very frustrating for parents when a company like Scholastic purposefully tries to circumvent parent's involvement in the manner. When I saw the order form, it was like - 'just give us the money because we already let your child decide.' It's deceitful to give a child the impression that it's up to them to choose what books to buy and if your parents step in, they're taking away that freedom. Grrrrrr...

[ivona 0]

I understand how that can be frustrating but we don't have that experience with Scholastic... the school has regular book fairs for which we just get a catalog of sorts...

and I think, twice in the year we received a catalog for order but with a blank order form....

[JODO 2]

I admit that I bought Madonna's English Roses for my niece. Hey but I liked that book!

Edited May 22, 2007 by JODO