Let’s start with what I don’t care about. The mode. I don’t care if it’s graphic novel, digital or interactive. I agree with Wu, Mallan & McGillis (2013, p.xii) that children’s literature should entertain, provoke and educate. And in that order. Children’s literature at the bottom end, that is, books for zero to six year olds must be entertaining for both parent (the reader) and child. If they are not, then these children won’t even make it to beginner chapter books, books for tweens or YA. They have switched off. This is the world that I work in. My students are predominantly from low socio-economic, non-english speaking backgrounds. Very few have ever been read to or have ever owned a book. As the teacher librarian I need to hook both students and parents with entertaining, read aloud books. Which means that the many of the shortlisted and notable books from this year’s CBCA awards missed the mark.
It was term 3 and we were locked down and I had been asked to make recordings, reading stories to the younger students. I had no wish to encumber them with anything deep and meaningful or educational. They were anxious and bored. I just needed to entertain them with the magic of words and pictures. I had brought home the only 10 books from the notables list that had arrived before lockdown. Bin Chicken was too sad. And yes there is a beautiful ending but remember I was looking for entertainment. There’s No Such Thing was funny until the end. I’m still confused. Are students supposed to be cured of their night time terrors or scared because thee author/illustrator is suggesting they really exist? Bronte: Me and My Boots and We Love You, Magoo were just too simple for my goal of entertaining. Thank goodness for Bronwyn Bancroft’s Coming Home To Country and Edwina Wyatt’s Sometimes Cake (in a different category I know). For me, these two authors can educate and provoke you without you even knowing. And that, for me, should be the goal of all children’s and YA authors.
Who will be the drivers of change? I don’t know. I suppose it’s the big publishing companies, social media influencers and the consumers, the latter of which includes little ole me. So if the publishing companies are listening – my goal is to buy books that first and foremost entertain. Books that are entertaining for my culturally diverse school community. And yes, they must be beautifully written and illustrated with a rich vocabulary and images that encourage deep thinking. There must be characters and stories that build my reader’s empathy and their creativity but don’t force it down their throat. Be subtle. I cannot buy every book that is published and therefore, I am automatically a censor. So please, publishers, you should also know that I am sick of fart and poo books. Don’t get me wrong, I loved them to start with. I am also sick of minor celebrities writing books. Sometimes they even write them about fart and poo so that is a definite no from me.
So, in a perfect world, the future of children’s literature would be about creating stories that hook the audience and turn them into avid readers. If new multimodal presentations of the book make them more appealing or more accessible or even more interesting that is wonderful but not necessary. Your audience, whether you think of them as readers or consumers won’t come back for more unless they have been truly entertained by a good story.
Reference
Wu, Y., Mallan, K. & McGillis, R. (Eds.) (Re)imagining the world: Children’s literature response to the changing times (pp. 1-13). New Frontiers of Educational Research.
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