There were two articles in the New York Times today I feel compelled to link to. The first is about the Queens Library's acquisition of materials in languages other than English. As fascinating as the main point of the article was, I was more intrigued by one librarian's comment that some of her (Chinese) patrons bring in suitcases to bring their books home, they take out so many. Suitcases! I hope they are the rolling kind.
The other is about the appointment of Walter Dean Myers as the national ambassador for young people's literature. I'm familiar with the nature of his work but confess I haven't read any of it. But the quote the article closes with caught my eye: "People still try to sell books that way - as 'books can take you to foreign lands.' We've given children this idea that reading and books are a nice option, if you want that kind of thing. I hope we can get over that idea." Now, if he means that books are not merely an option but a necessity, I agree wholeheartedly. But if he is disparaging the idea that "books can take you to foreign lands" - well, I have to object. While his works are realistic fiction which perhaps serve a purpose of allowing their readers to explore some of the difficulties in their lives, there is a place for books that take you to different lands, too. Not to mention that the land that Walter Dean Myers describes is very foreign to some.
Your title intrigued me....lol because I am from NZ, but I see now you are not from down this way. Thats alright, your forgiven..lol. I have been to New York twice and loved it. Hopefully return one day. Found you via Comment Challenge, hope to catch up with you again real soon.
ReplyDeleteI love the title of your blog. When I saw it listed on Comment Challenge, I had to come check it out. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is my favorite picture book of all time.
ReplyDeleteThe comment intrigued me too. I took it as meaning that books teach us about ourselves as much as about other people and places. I hope that it is not to disparage speculative fiction.
ReplyDeleteSuitcases?! Wow, I have a hard time keeping track of the handful of books my kids pick out. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope he didn't mean it that way, either. Think about all the make believe lands that only exist in books, and yet people can feel like they've really been there.
Walter Dean Myers's platform is "Reading is not an option!" so he definitely meant that reading is a necessity. :) He says more in this interview at SLJ: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/893183-312/slj_exclusive_interview_walter_dean.html.csp
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After reading about the suitcases people use to cart home library books, I no longer feel as though I take too many at a time!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great links. I love libraries - we don't bring in a suitcase but we definitely fill our bag and then some. I wish I could say that we read all of the books we bring home - but I like my kids to be able to choose books they are excited about, even if we don't read them all!
ReplyDeleteI love Walter Dean Myers, but I agree, this is sounding a bit like "eat your veggies."
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