As I child I grew up in an area
where money was generally in short supply and books were luxuries that most
could not afford. Thankfully, I was one of the lucky ones; my parents
considered books to be essentials, and as a result, I grew up in a house that
was full of reading material. On top of this, the local library was one of our
most frequent destinations on trips out, and the school library became my
playground – I much preferred being there to being outside.
My
school library was a gateway to a world beyond the grey walls of my cold and
shabby school. It allowed me to step into the worlds of fantasy and wonder. I was
never drawn to books based in the real world and had no desire to sink into
stories of high-school drama or teen romance. Instead, I craved a world of
mystery and the macabre, of science-fiction and imagined wonder. I worked my way through everything that my poorly
funded school library offered in the way of children’s books, and then started
on works of classic gothic fiction. The librarian would not let me borrow these
(she considered me too young) and so I had to return to the library day after
day to read through them.
Jumping
forward a few years (OK, decades), I finally had a library of my own to run
and, needless to say, I ran it a little differently from the freezing mausoleum
that I used to frequent. My school library was warm and welcoming, with comfy
corners in which to settle with a story. However, that is not the biggest
change. I am lucky to be both a writer and a children’s librarian in a new Golden Age of fiction for our younger readers. In the twenty-five years I
have worked with children’s books I have watched with glee the rise in the
quality of books for younger readers.
The
shelves are no longer are full of stories adults consider ’worthy‘. We no
longer have to stock library shelves with books that are designed only to teach. Now more
than ever, children’s and young adult books are written for enjoyment and
pleasure. These books allow younger readers to indulge their own tastes for
fiction without the sole purpose being the vehicle of a concealed moral
message. There is, however, still a lot of work to be done to make the
bookshelves perfect. We are a long way from this new Golden Age shining its apparent glow on children from all backgrounds and walks of life. I still see the lack
of BAME writers and illustrators on the shelves of mainstream bookshops and
supermarkets, and I still see the domination of so-called “celebrity authors”
taking up all the space on the shelves.
I
read mainly children’s books, and often feel a bit disappointed by books for
adults. Adults will perhaps tolerate a book heavy on unnecessary description
and slower-moving dialogue, they might even put up with a few plot holes, but something
my long career has taught me is that children will not. If a book is too long-winded
on description, or too dialogue-heavy, a child will often skip large chunks to
get to the action. Children have the most incredible eye for detail and pick up
loose threads in a flash. I’ve heard endless discussions from children about
tiny details that had passed me by. They are deeply critical readers who are
not afraid to express their opinions. Children’s books need to be able to cut to
the quick in a way that brings each scene to life with tight yet detailed
descriptions – a hugely challenging task.
Sadly
children are also easily influenced by aggressive marketing, which is precisely
why publishers do it. To claw back that super-massive advance they have to
convince children (and adults) that the books that swamp our shelves are the
BEST they have to offer, but that’s all too often far from the truth. We must
empower young readers to be critical, and selective, and to put pressure on
publishers to not only put out what makes money. To do that we need choice, and
we need publishers to acknowledge their duty of responsibility in this. We need
more diverse and inclusive publishing practices, and we need a solid investment
in both school and public libraries.
Thankfully we are lucky enough
to have writers of outstanding calibre seizing that challenge and publishing
superb books that create addicted readers. These books will set in place a
pattern of reading that will last readers their whole lives, and give them
endless pleasure. We have children’s writers and illustrators who deliver work
that is scalpel-sharp and diamond bright, and which leaves the reader
breathless and hungry for more.
For
a librarian this is a joy and for a writer, it is an inspiration. To be a children’s
writer these days has never been harder. Money is tight and opportunities few and
far between, but still we do it. On top of all of the challenges we face every
day we are still asked the inevitable question, “will you write a real book one
day?”
But what is more “real” than
the books that sculpt and mould the imagination of future generations? What is
more “real” than writing books that lay the creative foundation for the
people who will eventually be in charge of our whole world?
Nothing.
Dawn Finch is a children's writer, librarian and library activist.
3 comments:
Yes! Nothing more to be said, is there? except Yes, again. Thanks for this post, Dawn. I hope it will be widely shared.
Dawn, your background sounds like mine, right down to the cash-strapped parents who thought books were a necessity.
And why did people ever think that you could only learn from 'worthy' books and not ones read for entertainment? I learned enormous amounts from the Kipling books I read as a child but I didn't know I was learning. Later, I learned a huge amount of social history from reading my mother's collection of Georgette Heyer and Norah Lofts, but I only read them because I enjoyed them. Almost any book you read will teach you something, even if it's only how not to write a book!
I totally agree. Thank you for all you do.
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