Re: Reply to the Salon article on the Newbery's

[Lisa Handelman <HanLGT@AOL.COM>]

Hello group:

Interesting that this author so loved classics at a young age. There are not
many left like her--at least in the places I have worked.   When Dads come
into my library saying that their sons (and worse yet) their daughters, just
won't read Treasure Island or Swiss Family Robinson, which were their
absolute favorites years ago, I tell them there are just things that are more
compelling these days to today's kids.  Also, the writing styles of classic
writers are just plain too hard for most kids to slog through, unfortunately.
 My 11th grade son couldn't get through Oliver Twist even though I kept
telling him he would like it if he kept at it.  Nope, I was wrong.   My guess
is that the advent of email, and the non-use of capitalization, changes in
spelling to make typing easier, and general shortcuts to writing, are the
death knell of the classics for all but the most dedicated child readers.
When I reread the beauty of the simple letters written home to love ones by
young soldiers of the civil war, as example, I see that, well, times and
styles have changed drastically and things are no longer as lyrical or
poetic.  Too bad, but--time marches on!


Lisa Handelman
Sinai Akiba Academy
Los Angeles, CA

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