The True Value of Children's Literature
Authors obviously respect the authority of children’s books
as they switch from writing adult books to children’s fiction. Some great
authors have written children’s classics, Ian Fleming who wrote the James Bond series also wrote the famous
children’s novel and film Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang. The wonderful J.R.R. Tolkien wrote both The Hobbit and The Lord
of the Rings Trilogy; both novels were written on the same strand but one
written for his own children whilst the other captured the imagination of
adults everywhere, selling over 150 million copies. All the books are now being
turned into films aimed at an adult audience, this demonstrates the slippage
between adult and children’s books as authors carefully tread between the two.
Furthermore, children’s books cause massive controversy, the
storm which surrounded the release of Fifty
Shades of Grey is nothing compared to the outcry due to the release of
great children’s classics To Kill a
Mockingbird and The Catcher in the
Rye (which remained banned in some school in America until 1997). These
children’s books confront issues such as institutionalised racism, class and
gender roles that most adult fiction happily shies away from. There are loads
of benefits of reading a children’s book when you are older as you have a
greater understanding of the text and you can understand the complexities of
the metaphors as you can see what they really mean. George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a parody of the Russian
Revolution and the consequences of a communist society, all played out by
talking animals that parody actual Russian leaders. This idea is so complex and
executed perfect; to simply disregard this book as a children’s novel would be
a disservice.
It is not only the children’s books that have caused
controversy that should be acknowledged. Illustrated books are a great example
of how children are educated about the world but also how we as adults (through
the author) impart our social expectations and ideologies onto children. It is
true that pictures can say a million words, but it is the hidden meaning within
the pictures that can often become overlooked. The words can be saying very
different things to the picture, but when you look at the book you are more
likely to get the meaning from the picture. The illustrations in books add a
lot to what is being said but with the notions of what constitutes an ‘adult’
book is means that the sense of seeing beyond the words is
lost when we are reading the newest bestseller.
So, next time you come across a children’s book in the
library or your little cousin asks you to read them a bedtime story, do not
sign in disdain because you might actually learn something because children’s
books are definitely not just for children.
Lots of Love
Elouise
xxx
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