One of the students came in with her four children who needed help finding the kid's book (a rare commodity at a community college library) so they could read while she got some studying done. "Do you have any princess books?" one of the girls asked as I led the flock to the PZ section of the library (that's code, literally, for children's literature or as the Library of Congress calls it "fiction and juvenile belles lettres"). I reveled in that moment.
I feel that even though this blog is technically for a short stories class I must make a shout out to children's literature (perhaps kid lit is by necessity could be considered a sub category of short stories?). Plus I'm in between books in my literature classes. Next week I'll be able to blog about The Awakening and perhaps soon after that Paradise Lost. So the well's run dry as far as reading journal-esque inspired posts are concerned.
Anyway, sidetracked... I love children's literature! I think my favorite books to read my former nanny children were the works of Dr. Seuss. But there are other great ones, too. We're Going On a Bear Hunt. Giraffes Can't Dance. Amelia Bedelia, Bookworm. Any book featuring mice... I think the thing I enjoy most about children's books is not only that it encourages a growing passion for reading in young ones but also that it has a variety. You have the shallow and silly, to the unexpectedly profound. You have the ones that the kids for some strange reason ask for over and over again yet the parents try to hide. Or the ones that can even get a parent to cry (Love You Forever, anyone?).
I will not hesitate in saying that there is just as much variety in children's literature as in adult literature (and to think it only gets the PZ section of the library... not cool). Even from a writer's perspective that is exciting. The opportunities are endless. I had never really thought of writing specifically for children (vs. writing child appropriate content for adult readers) until one of my last days at work over the summer. My dear little ones had just inherited a younger brother and were telling me all about the things they were going to teach him as he grew up. Quite precious. Writing for children however has challenges.
For example there is the obvious: making it understandable/relate-able to children. And the not so obvious: finding/coordinating with an illustrator. I'm working on that second one right now. So if I do make any further progress you'll be among the first to know because children and literature are two things that I am greatly passionate about and its hard not to get excited.
While we're on the subject I'd like to mention that the picture on the right (not the one of me, below that one... no not the one of my journal, even further down... yep, the third one down!) has five "references" to literature and four of those are children's literature. Any guesses?
That's all for now,
Jessica
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