“Dumbing Down”: Why Children’s Books are Being Simplified And What This Means for All of Us

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By John E. Mitchell, Parenthood Magazine

Consider these sentences:

“There was once upon a time . . .

‘A king!’ my little readers will shout together.

No, children you make a mistake. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood.”

– beginning of Pinocchio, 1882

“There was once a poor woodcarver named Geppetto who made fantastic clocks and music boxes and every kind of toy you can imagine, each one a work of art.”

– also the beginning of Pinocchio, 1978

The latter, less playful words belong to a Walt Disney book adaptation of the movie, Pinocchio, which is itself an adaptation of a novel published in Italy in 1882. The movie, released in 1940 and followed by decades of related paraphernalia, ensured that the puppet Pinocchio would be legendary in the world of children’s fiction – not as Italian writer Carlo Collodi’s greatest creation, but as another notch in Mickey Mouse’s magic wand.

This process of simplifying – and popularizing – classic children’s literature has been called “dumbing down.” The term was mentioned most recently in regard to the wildly popular Harry Potter books, in which American publishers replaced certain British terms with Americanized equivalents, so as not to trouble the apparently easily confused American reader.

....

Marketing’s Powerful Role

Prior to the 1980s, the children’s book market was largely institutional. Libraries were well-funded and a great source for the material, since the buyers were literature experts. But in the 1970s, dollars once earmarked for libraries began to be put into block grants; libraries lost some of their funding and as the institutional market declined, the consumer market rose. Advertising became more important, putting the real power behind the availability of quality children’s books in the hands of marketing and sales professionals.

...

The Educated Consumer

An uninformed public feeds into the marketers’ actions, Barrett contends, and little can change until the market is populated primarily by educated consumers.

“What happens is that most books are not sold in Barnes and Noble – they’re sold in Wal-Mart,” she says. “And most parents don’t understand the difference between trade books and mass market books. Most parents don’t understand that when they do go into a bookstore, all those books that are face-out are paid advertising from the publishing companies; they are promoting the books they want to sell, not necessarily the best books on their list. There is also a tendency for people to buy what’s familiar.”

...

What Parents Can Do

How can parents combat this influence of mass marketing? The first obvious solution is to opt out of the marketing culture and plunge into the wealth of old and new books for children that have nothing to do with this trend.

“Libraries are still very useful and supportive for children’s books in particular,” says Jahn-Clough. “Most children’s librarians are very involved in the field. There’s an almost underground movement in the children’s field, with teachers and librarians who are dedicated.”

Still, many believe it’s a shame that the creative and intellectual life of children is relegated to a grassroots movement. For Mary Brigid Barrett, the book may be the last battlefield for the creative survival of our nation.

“If a democracy is to survive,” she explains, “we need kids who can not only read and write, we also need kids who can think creatively and think critically. And the book and story are that last bastion of independent thinking.”

Parents also need to be proactive in teaching their kids not to be slaves to the market and to practice critical thinking:

• Research children’s books as you would a car. Teach children to qualify entertainment as they would food.

• Don’t stop reading aloud to your kids.

• Try to keep reading fun and enjoyable,

http://www.parenthood.com/articles.html?article_id=6945

Edited May 22, 2007 by Steven_and_Jinky

[Jenn! 918]

Tough issue. You want kids to enjoy reading, and they seem to love all the series - Junie B. Jones, Captain Underpants, Goosebumps, Limony Snicket, etc. But I do find them somewhat "dumbed down".

When I was growing up, I wasn't allowed to read "those types of books". My mother had a lot of control over what I was reading. I must say that I didn't really begin to enjoy reading until I didn't have such restrictions...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Kids publishing is about marketing these days. A mate of mine who still works at the bookstore in CA keeps telling me how frustrated he is that all kids seem to be interested in are books like Harry Potter (which lets be fair – are pretty well-written as far as kids books go) and the Eragon series (which is a big stinking rip-off), but can’t convinced them even to touch the likes of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

There are some good kids book out there – even those which are retellings of stories written by other people. One of my all-time favourite kids books was actually a Roger Lancelyn Green adaptation of Lancelot of the Lake. Pretty accessible story – far more so than the original sources. There are kids versions of Greek Myths and even The Iliad and the Odyssey which are pretty decent and still broadly true to the original story.

There is a point here – marketing driven publishing makes it near impossible to get an original work published. The J.K Rowling’s are flashes in the pan, and even she was a published author before she did Harry Potter.

Few people seem to realize that its not just a case of writing a good story and sending it out. You’ve got to convince someone to read it – and a lot of the time new book submissions are never read, or are otherwise skimmed over and returned without comment (or worse – tossed in the trash). Hence the large number of literary agents out there – unless you write something fantastically popular, like HP or that makes the NTY bestseller list – you’re not going to make much of a living from writing…

[Saddle Bronc 124]

As late as the 1970's, the "Noddy" series was good (and available) for (UK and Indian) children to start on, after which they could proceed to "Famous Five", "Secret Seven", "St. Clare" and "Mallory Towers"--almost none of which were even known in North America (though I DID see once a copy of a "Noddy" book in now-defunct Woodward's in Calgary).

(the "Noddy" series was exactly my first reading material, btw; my sister did have the "St. Clare" and "Malory Towers" as well, but these went to relatives when we emigrated to Calgary).

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Tough issue. You want kids to enjoy reading, and they seem to love all the series - Junie B. Jones, Captain Underpants, Goosebumps, Limony Snicket, etc. But I do find them somewhat "dumbed down".

When I was growing up, I wasn't allowed to read "those types of books". My mother had a lot of control over what I was reading. I must say that I didn't really begin to enjoy reading until I didn't have such restrictions...

I found this article when my 6 yr. old stepson brought home one of those, Scholastic book ordering forms - only this one didn't even have a catalog. Job's selection were penciled in by an adult - he wanted 4 items - 2 of which were video games for $19.95 and the total would be about $70! The items all displayed on tables or specially marketed displays. I was shocked to say the least. So I told him that I'll take him to the public library this weekend (I've been putting it off). I just hate how marketers target young kids like that and try to take away the decision making from the parents, who can be more discriminant. They essentially took away my decision making right as a parent and I felt bad this morning having to tell Job that we're not going to order those things. Damn that pisses me off to be manipulated like that!

[ivona 0]

While I do agree with the point being made, there are still some very good- thought provoking books out there. But it IS up to the parents to research them.

We bought one book in the Captain Underpants series at my sons school book fair and I find it absolutely mind nubming and just plain stupid. Thankfully, my son didn't find much interest in it.

But then on the other hand, you also have books like Miss Spiders Wedding- a really, really good story written in poetry; funny but also forcing the kid to think and figure out some though wordds.... there's a great trilogy on the market called Uglies, dealing with a hypothetical society in which everyone receives an operation that makes them pretty as they turn 16... I love it, and hope I can get my daughter interested in it when she's old enough....

Even HP, is VERY thought provoking.... not to mention almost all of P.Pullmans books....

There ARE some great books out there, the real question is how involved do the parents want to be in their childs reading

[Jenn! 918]

I found this article when my 6 yr. old stepson brought home one of those, Scholastic book ordering forms - only this one didn't even have a catalog. Job's selection were penciled in by an adult - he wanted 4 items - 2 of which were video games for $19.95 and the total would be about $70! The items all displayed on tables or specially marketed displays. I was shocked to say the least. So I told him that I'll take him to the public library this weekend (I've been putting it off). I just hate how marketers target young kids like that and try to take away the decision making from the parents, who can be more discriminant. They essentially took away my decision making right as a parent and I felt bad this morning having to tell Job that we're not going to order those things. Damn that pisses me off to be manipulated like that!

That Scholastic stuff is such a racket. Personally, I think buying books is nonsense. That's what libraries are for. It's all just a huge money maker under the guise of encouraging our children to read.

[Dr_LHA 3]

Even HP, is VERY thought provoking.... not to mention almost all of P.Pullmans books....

I agree. As much as people like to bash HP (because its popular) they really are excellent childrens books. Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials is simply amazing as well, I'd be very happy for my child (if I had one) to read those books, they're extremely intelligent and thought provoking.

I could murder Disney for how they've ruined Winnie the Pooh though.

[Jenn! 918]

There ARE some great books out there, the real question is how involved do the parents want to be in their childs reading

I think it's crucial that parents are involved, but not pushy. My mom always pushed historical fiction on me because that was her favorite genre - it made me hate reading when I was young.

And then it becomes an issue when all your kids' friends are reading Captain Underpants and your kid isn't because you've "banned" it. What to do? They really do not make it easy for parents, that's for sure.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't agree with canvassing schools like that - they should really send the catalogs directly to the parents.

I think its tied up with the relationship that educational publishers have with teachers - who have to buy classroom materials at their own expense (which is outrageous IMO). They're probably given incentives to have kids order things from the catalogs in return for discounts on educational product.

[Jenn! 918]

I think its tied up with the relationship that educational publishers have with teachers - who have to buy classroom materials at their own expense (which is outrageous IMO). They're probably given incentives to have kids order things from the catalogs in return for discounts on educational product.

Oh yes, I know that's true for a fact. Teachers get a certain number of points based on the orders by the students. Then they can get classroom books and supplies.

[ivona 0]

I found this article when my 6 yr. old stepson brought home one of those, Scholastic book ordering forms - only this one didn't even have a catalog. Job's selection were penciled in by an adult - he wanted 4 items - 2 of which were video games for $19.95 and the total would be about $70! The items all displayed on tables or specially marketed displays. I was shocked to say the least. So I told him that I'll take him to the public library this weekend (I've been putting it off). I just hate how marketers target young kids like that and try to take away the decision making from the parents, who can be more discriminant. They essentially took away my decision making right as a parent and I felt bad this morning having to tell Job that we're not going to order those things. Damn that pisses me off to be manipulated like that!

That Scholastic stuff is such a racket. Personally, I think buying books is nonsense. That's what libraries are for. It's all just a huge money maker under the guise of encouraging our children to read.

A child has to be taught in this just like in everything else... I watched increduously as kids were coming into the book fair just this last week with money their parents gave them to buy whatever they want....half of them didn't even buy books but other trinkets

BUT

IT IS UP TO THE PARENTS, I' m not ready to blame Scholastic for this, they are about profits just like all other publishers- you cannot begrudge them that.... you simply need to be willing to dig beneath the layer of profit making, kids enticing things...Scholastic has some really good books, but without proper guidance a kid will always first go for something they recognize from TV...

Side note: His Dark Materials are brilliant, but also Pullmans Sally Lockhart trilogy- I highly recommend[/color]

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think its tied up with the relationship that educational publishers have with teachers - who have to buy classroom materials at their own expense (which is outrageous IMO). They're probably given incentives to have kids order things from the catalogs in return for discounts on educational product.

Oh yes, I know that's true for a fact. Teachers get a certain number of points based on the orders by the students. Then they can get classroom books and supplies.

I found out the other day that the educational dept of the company I work for is being laid off (as am I) as the company that just bought us out is doing away with niche markets like education. We had a client base of 50,000 teachers nationwide – those teachers will now have to deal directly with the publishers.

[ivona 0]

There ARE some great books out there, the real question is how involved do the parents want to be in their childs reading

I think it's crucial that parents are involved, but not pushy. My mom always pushed historical fiction on me because that was her favorite genre - it made me hate reading when I was young.

And then it becomes an issue when all your kids' friends are reading Captain Underpants and your kid isn't because you've "banned" it. What to do? They really do not make it easy for parents, that's for sure.

The only sure way to get your kid to do something is to ban it

And I really don't believe in banning books, I'm talking about gentle guidance....Yes, read C. Underpants but we will also read another book and then talk about how they are different....

When it comes to Scholastic since that is most present in schools, we always try to find the balance of letting our son pick something he likes (he will usually go for Pokemon, and this last time he picked Scooby Doo which I was okay with it since it is an actual story as opposed to just a reference type of thing) but then *I* also picked several books and presented them to him to pick from those, and that's how we ended up with both Pokemon, Scooby Doo, but also Miss Spiders Wedding, When I go to the Moon, and the Perfect Punctuation Book....

Gentle, unintrusive guidance

[Alex+R 0]

Wait, we have a consensus here that Harry Potter is well written ? Good storytelling, maybe, but each book is more shoddily put together than the last. If that is what "well written" looks like, our standards are in the toilet.

I'm in favor of anything that gets kids reading, including materialism (like allowing kids to enjoy the pleasures of buying new books). Parents should let their kids read whatever the kids want to read, including books for adults, and if they must force their kids to read certain books, those books shouldn't take the place of books the kids already want to read.