Sahail AshrafFavourite Kids’ Books?
September 4th 2007 03:44
I was thinking the other day about how dramatically writing for kids has changed over just one generation. Mine were the days of mostly Enid Blyton adventures. ‘The Magic Faraway Tree,’ and Famous Five being among my favourites. The language was very structured and formal. It was certainly an adult writing for children in neat prose.
Today’s children’s books seem much more daring and come out with the voice of a child rather than of an adult telling a child’s story. The language is short, witty, punchy and at times irreverent. References to bums, penises, farts and everything icky provide hilarity and fun stories. The writings of the Paul Jennings’ of today would have been banned a short time ago, but now they have gained huge popularity with kids, but are also well accepted by schools and parents.
Then there is the modernized revisiting of traditional fantasy. J.K Rowling tells such stories that are almost a today’s version of the Lord of the Rings of yesterday.
Gone are the days of didactic story telling, as the trend heads towards stories purely for the purpose of entertainment.
What were your favourite stories as a kid? What about today’s kids? What’s your take on books for kids today as opposed to a generation ago?
Today’s children’s books seem much more daring and come out with the voice of a child rather than of an adult telling a child’s story. The language is short, witty, punchy and at times irreverent. References to bums, penises, farts and everything icky provide hilarity and fun stories. The writings of the Paul Jennings’ of today would have been banned a short time ago, but now they have gained huge popularity with kids, but are also well accepted by schools and parents.
Then there is the modernized revisiting of traditional fantasy. J.K Rowling tells such stories that are almost a today’s version of the Lord of the Rings of yesterday.
Gone are the days of didactic story telling, as the trend heads towards stories purely for the purpose of entertainment.
What were your favourite stories as a kid? What about today’s kids? What’s your take on books for kids today as opposed to a generation ago?
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I grew up reading the Famous Five, Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown.
My favourite though was Where the Wild Things Are, even though it was apicture book instead of novel.
Comment by David
The one book longer than a Phantom or Superman comic, I do remember reading as a child was 'My Side of the Mountain' by Jean Craighead George.
There's some good info on it, and her other books for children on:
Amazon
I like the way one reviewer described it as Magic without Witchcraft.
David ...
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
The first ones that popped into my head were anything by Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl. I'm sure I'll think of more and pop in again later,
Tracy
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
My brother and I also used to draw a lot of comics and write short stories when we were young.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Lord of the Flies and The Outsiders were also influential to me.
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Of course "Green Eggs and Ham", The Foot Book et al were mandatory bedtime reads as well.
These days - my youngest is captivated by everything from Roald Dahl to Harry Potter - in fact if it has the written word on parchment - she's into it. Genuine escapism on her part - refreshing given what's not on offer on the box.
MNG
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I love looking at books from my childhood, they had such a profound effect on me. I loved Heidi and Black Beauty, which my mother gave me; also Roald Dahl, Paul Jennings, Enid Blyton, Mem Fox, The Jolly Postman books, Aesop's fables and about a billion others!
Lovely post,
Michaelie
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Dr Suess books, Beatrix Potter books,Mem Fox books. I loved those and my kids love them too.
Enid Blyton.
When I was a bit older I used to read Sweet Valley High.
My daughter is currently into Fairy Books - they're a series and I can't think of the proper title. I think the first is called Ruby the Red Fairy or something like that. Well she's only read the first one and I'm waiting for her to ask for the second.
I have several Enid Blyton books on my bookshelf just waiting for my daughter to get a little better on the reading stakes.
But I picked up a Tim Winton book, Lockie Leonard - Human Torpedo. I think there's a few books using the Lockie Leonard character. Anyway, they've turned this into a television series which is shown at 4pm or something. Anyway, I read a bit of this book and I did think WOW. I think it's aimed at 9 year olds but it should be for older kids. The writing is great, Tim Winton is great.
What I get annoyed at is when I go into bookshops everything is part of a series so I end up forking out a fortune. There are very few stand alone books out there.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Timely comment about stories becoming more 'personal' these days, as i just waded through a project with one of my girls, yesterday, where we google'd Olde English Slang, to catch a few phrases we hadn't heard before... and blow me down if I didn't come across pages and pages of absolute obscenity... the mind set of the humour nowadays is so anal and 'below the belt.'
I'm sufficiently incensed to post the 'exercise of olde' that I was doing, on An Ordinary life (later today) ... in order for people to re-read how we used to think.
I blame colonialism.
But, back to the topic ; as a prolific reader I am with you with Enid Blyton... my God, how I devoured her Secret Seven and Famous Five adventures.
Then there were the classics like Swiss Family Robinson, Heidi, pilgrims progress : which all fuelled a whole string of books about survival in the Cotswolds of England. Stories of living on the cold windy moors and sunny summer fox-downs. I particularly remember one called REX, about this dog. Of course there was the Silver brumby too.
My mother was a great fan of all the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales...and made me read every single one. She lived there in fairy land and I'm sorry to say that they eventually took her away too...(but that's another long story) *chuckle* I'll always be grateful for the immuinity she gave me... (know thy enemy and don't make deals with faeries)...
After that came Science Fiction for me and The Clan of The Cave bear began an epic trail through wondrous lands and far off places...I always remember Micheal Morcock’s, Dancers at the End of Time, too.
Then came Kurt Vonnegut and JD Salinger and other synics like him, including Tim Robbins... on and on, and so it goes.
An interesting post Candice, thanks for the trip down memory lane, I just wish I could remember some of all the dozens of other books I enjoyed, when life was young and time was so plentiful ... and how times have changed ... my children don't read nearly as much as I did, and really, outside of Harry Potter I doubt than many kids are reading at all, you have to give Rowlings credit for that, at least.
Wild stormy hugs,
Lilla ...
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
I also like a series called The Great Brain... the food sounded so good back then, 5 cent chocolate bars...
The Rats of NIMH?
Jacob Two-Two and the Hooded Fang!
Comment by Candice
I've never heard of Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown, what were they about?
The Outsiders and Lord of the Flies also influenced me hugely. I still have my copy of Lord of the Flies - it's a fascinating look at human behaviour too!
Where the Wild Things Are is an incredible picture book. It's amazing how some books become timeless too. The Very Hungry Caterpillar was a favourite of mine and my daughter now has her own copy that she adores too!
Comment by Candice
I love the sound of these stories. I might have to have a look at one or two. Thanks for the link.
Hi Tracy,
I never really read much Roald Dahl when I was a child - I guess I just didn't know of his stuff, but I've definitely enjoyed it as an adult and will have to keep it in mind for my daughter. My niece loves Dahl.
Hi Always Eighteen,
LOL, usually it's the kids secretly hiding the sex book between the pages of another book. My daughter loves the Spot books, although she tore all the flaps of Spot Goes to School. I'm a bit more careful with the ones we borrow from the library.
Hi MNG,
That's great your daughter's into reading. Mine's only two but she can't get enough of books - I hope it doesn't change. We're Dr Seuss lovers too, I can't believe how long my daughter's concentration can be held on such lengthy books. She even knows many of the words to Green Eggs and Ham.
I haven't heard of the Jack and Daisy series. Might have to check them out.
Hi Michaelie,
You mention so many great books and authors. I love Mem Fox, and I'd completely forgotten about the beautiful Heidi and Black Beauty stories.
Hi Anon,
My daughter's two also so I'll definitely have to check out "Two Tough Teddies" for her.
Hi Mrs M,
You've reminded me of so many books I have loved and love now. It's great for thinking of books for my daughter. She's a mad Dr Seuss fan. I love Tim Winton, his imagery and ways of seeing the world are wonderful to read.
Are you talking about the Rainbow fairy books? My niece loves those. I had a read of one the other day, they're very sweet and great adventure stories too.
It's funny how the trend is towards series' now. I wonder why that is. There are so many box sets coming out too. Though the parents aren't enjoying it, I bet the authors and publishers are.
Hi Lilla,
I look forward to that one! So many books I'm remembering through your reminicense too. My sister gobbled up Silver Brumby books. I loved the Anne of Green Gables series. And the Secret Seven books were other Blyton books I adored.
It's sad to think kids aren't reading. There's nothing quite like being caught up in that magical world of stories.
Hi Cibby,
I love the sound of the Great Brain books. I'd go some 5 cent chocolate thanks very much. I used to envy Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I would have given anything for some of that flavoured wallpaper in my bedroom.
I'm definitely going to have to take a look at this Encyclopedia Brown you guys are talking about too.
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
. I guess you have to give that much to JK Rowling, she did get the kids of today reading despite the average diet of sugar and additives... even if the stories are a little mute.
hopefully, from little seeds...
Lilla ...
Comment by Candice
I definitely think that anything that gets kids reading is a good thing. My hubby never read when he was a kid but one of his teachers got him onto those Choose Your Own Adventure books. He's been a big reader ever since.
Comment by sandeye
Bird Story
San Francisco Music News
Yoga Tap
Comment by Candice
I loved the faraway tree books too, especially reading about all the wonderful characters that lived in the tree.
Some of the Golden books are great for little kids. My daughter loves this one she has about a sailor dog. I have to sing the song at the end of the story all the time and she dances around to my very out-of-tune voice.
Thanks for dropping by.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
My mum used to tell the story of how my parents bought me the entire secret seven series when I was about 7 (I think there was 14 or 15 books????) and I read the lot in a matter of 2 weeks. And she didn't believe that I'd read them all. So sat with me and would pick books at random and ask me what the story was about. She eventually gave up and admitted that I had just really loved them and read them quickly when I was regaling her practically page by page. I really loved those books!
When I was really young I loved the Noddy and Big Ears books....though I'm saddened to think that political correctness has gone so far that there are no longer golliwogs in the stories and that Big Ears and Noddy don't share a bed anymore.
Oh and the Mr Men and Little Miss Books....they were awesome!
I love the Harry Potter books. I think they're brilliant. They're fun, engaging and don't try too hard to be literary. I tried to read Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and the like and just found them deathly boring. I read to be entertained, and I think JK Rowling has done a great job. And she hasn't just gotten kids reading again, she's even gotten adults reading again.
Ah, such good memories of childhood books.....makes me want to go out and read them again!!
Kylie
Comment by Candice
I'd completely forgotten about the Trixie Belden books. I read loads of them, they were such great adventure, mystery stories.
I love that story about your mum not believing you'd read all the Secret Seven books so quickly.
I loved the Mr Men and Little Miss books too. I have a few now that I read to my daughter. She loves the simple drawings in them too!
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Great post! I loved Enid Blyton books and Roald Dahl was one of my all time favourites! He is a great story teller and varies his writing from wee little uns to adults.
Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys were also some of my favourites and a set of books my grandmother bought me - Uncle Arthur`s Bedtime stories.
'Redwall' was another favourite - and a book that I read so many times but for the life of me can never remember the title (doh~) about a young boy who ran away from home and lived in a hollowed out tree up in the mountains. His adventures were grand!
I could go on.... I loved the escapism of books, nothing like curling up on the bed on a rainy day and being transported into another world.
Great post.
Ash
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Comment by Candice
Thanks for your comments. I'm definitely going to have to pick up a copy of that book, it sounds like such a wonderful adventure story.
Absolutely! I still love doing that now. It's special I think to have that love of books.