What is my vision for the future of children’s literature? Who will drive the upcoming change?
My vision for the future of children’s literature is one where children’s books are well-written, well-produced and available in abundance. Children’s books are vital for children. Through reading we can step out of our world and into the shoes of someone else. Children’s books show us places we may never go, introduce us to people who we might never meet and create worlds we hate to leave. They teach about life, without us even knowing it. Today publishers have at their disposal technology to make quality children’s books available to the everyone.
We live in a time of excess – including books. Children’s books are now written for children, they embrace a range of genres and themes and they are increasingly connected to multimedia (Barone, 2011). They allow children to read for both pleasure and learning. They allow children choice. They provide a sanctuary and a classroom. I hope the future of children’s literature grow and change and reflect the world we live in (just as it has in the past), providing stories to excite, anger, surprise and challenge.
We have lots of lovely books available, and as a lover of hardcopy books, especially for children, I think it is important that we still make books. Digital readers such as Kindles are wonderful (we can carry all the Harry Potters and not break a back) but books themselves bring a tactile, multisensory experience that screen reading does not.
With the extinction of smaller independent publishers some authors and stories struggle to find an audience in hard copy, however the internet has allowed these authors to bring their stories to light. We need to incorporate these stories into children’s reading as well. Providing children with a range of texts, presented in a range of formats to develop a love of reading.
Change will occur, it always has, and in a society where the consumer is Queen, readers will be at the forefront of change. What they want to read and how they want to read will drive what is available. However, they will not be alone. The artists who produce books will continue to push what is written and how it is presented. Changes in technology will also influence what and how we are reading. Incorporating digital tie-ins will be important, but it must be relevant and additive (Harvey, 2013).
Bibliography
Barone, D. M. (2011). A brief history of children’s literature , Chapter One, p8-19. In Children’s literature in the classroom: Engaging lifelong readers. New York: Guilford Press.
Harvey, E. (2013). Five trends affecting children’s literature. Book Business. Retrieved August 2013.
Just Read: The Feather by Margaret Wild and Freya Blackwood
