My Gorgeous Illustrator and I hope to collaborate on some kids' books if we ever get the time.
Until then, we take the kids to the library often. We check out over a dozen books a week and have learned a few truths about children's books.
Some are visually beautiful to a humbling extent. The “wow, we could never do that” category.
The Man in the Moon by William Joyce
Others are brilliant but simple. Smart with a clear message and minimalist illustration. The “why didn't we think of that” category.
Others are brilliant but simple. Smart with a clear message and minimalist illustration. The “why didn't we think of that” category.
Zero by Kathryn Otoshi
And we found the biggest corporations make the worst books. With few exceptions, Disney, Nickelodeon and Sesame Street make terrible books completely focussed on drilling their characters into kid's heads.
Once read a Sesame Street book of numbers that was so front-loaded with Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster that they ran out of pages and stopped at seven. The “millions and billions of dollars and you came up with this” category.
Not giving you a link to that.
And we found the biggest corporations make the worst books. With few exceptions, Disney, Nickelodeon and Sesame Street make terrible books completely focussed on drilling their characters into kid's heads.
Once read a Sesame Street book of numbers that was so front-loaded with Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster that they ran out of pages and stopped at seven. The “millions and billions of dollars and you came up with this” category.
Not giving you a link to that.
I don't blame you for not passing on a link. They obviously thought they could capitalise on their characters rather than actually entertain or teach the children who read them. I suppose it's one way of making sure they get longevity, but I don't agree with that philosophy!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, Carlie! Children's books should inform and entertain and teach. If you can use characters to do that, wonderful, but books should be more than just bound marketing.
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