Do you have a vision for the future of children’s literature?

Having grown up with classic texts such as The BFG (Dahl, 1982), A Lion in the Night (Pamela Allen, 1985) and Misery Guts (Morris Gleitzman, 1991), my vision for the future of children’s literature is that it primarily entertains children and stimulates the imagination.  I have a great fear that with the time pressures of the modern age, time for reading to children for pleasure will no longer be prioritised.  Without access to fiction and picture books, children will lack imagination which will effect their ability to problem solve and think creatively.

I also believe that children’s literature should be free from political agendas and subliminal messaging.  Whilst children are still young and innocent, they deserve to be allowed to bask in the wonder of imagination without always needing to read between the lines for what a text is actually meaning.

Finally, my vision for the future of children’s literature is that, as well as the amazing digital literature that is available, we maintain physical books.  There is nothing better than sitting down with a book and escaping to a different world!

 

Who will be the drivers of change?

The drivers of change will include:

  • Teacher librarians as they are highly regarded for their knowledge of children’s literature and are often the ones to introduce certain literature to students
  • Teachers as they plan and program for the use of literature within their classrooms
  • Parents as they are the forefront of driving enthusiasm for reading
  • The children themselves as they can have the ability to advocate for their own learning