GEN: Discussion point: "Depressing books?"

["Joanne E. Ladewig" <shatz@LIGHTSIDE.COM>]

Netters:

This morning Joyce McMurray posted this:
"I have a 5th grade teacher at my school who just finished reading a very
heavy-hearted book to her class and feels that so many of the new "good"
books are sad or depressing with extremely serious content.  She came down
yesterday to ask for a suggestion for a read aloud for her class that would
be light, and hopefully, even funny or humorous.  I was challenged, but
couldn't come up with much of a list for her."

I must agree with the teacher - it seems that all the strongly recommended
titles are very heavy on the emotions or deal with very serious topics. I
realize that "this is right where they live" for many of today's kids but
with all the serious issues and stress we all deal with, perhaps more
"comic relief" is what we need!

The "funny" books all seem to be about second or third grade level -
Cleary's books, The Baily Street series, Horrible Harry, Zelda series,
Sideways Stories series, The Plant that Ate Dirty Socks, etc.  Perhaps this
is why so many older kids want joke books? (or is it their short attention
span?).

In 1997 I prepared an "Opening Day" collection for my new K - 8 school. I
utilized Follett's "Titlewave" so I could select the titles with the most
recommendations. As I read the blurbs for the recommended titles for 4th
grade and above, they seemed to all be serious, and more serious as the
grade level increased - less and less humor, and very few "just every day
life" stories. So many of the contemporary ones seemed to have death,
gangs, drugs, very dysfunctional family situations, etc.

Yes, this is a realistic reflection of our society today, and I guess a lot
of what I read in junior high and high school (late 60's - early 70's, so
of course the books were from the 50's & early 60's) was "pap" - but it
didn't depress me or cause me to view my world a a dreadful, hopeless
place. (Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit here, but if all you have time to read
is the "blurb," this is the impression you may get - perhaps the books
aren't quite so "heavy.")

I asked my 17 year old daughter her opinion, and she said that kids seem to
want books with lots of action or excitement. Maybe that's one reason why
the "Goosebumps" and other chiller/thriller series are/were so popular.
Character development seems less important than action. Hmmm. . . people
are less important than "what's happening."  Hmmm. . . now that's a
thought-provoking idea!

Perhaps that's the contrast - reviewers (being adults) appreciate and look
for good character development as well as a good plot. That type of book
would most likely be more of a serious nature. Kids, on the other hand,
have shorter attention spans, and like more action than thought-prevoking
content.

Well, I've rambled on long enough about this - but I'm interestd in what
others have to say and think. Since this is not a "target" per se (I don't
want to compile this in a list and post it) but rather a point of
discussion, I invite you to post your thoughts to the listserve, rather
than reply to me personally.
Thanks - Joanne


Joanne Ladewig
Information Center Director
Fairgrove Academy
(a K-8 public school focusing on the Visual and Performing Arts, and
Technology)
La Puente, CA
jladewig@ns700-1.enet.hlpusd.k12.ca.us     (all lower case)
home email: shatz@lightside.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
    All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
 listserv@listserv.syr.edu         In the message write EITHER:
 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
 3) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv
 For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=