Children's Books

[dwanollah]

It was also interesting to read in Betsy-Tacy Go Downtown how people in Deep Valley reacted to the inclusion of telephones and cars in their lives

*happy sigh* Currently writing papers on both Betsy AND Harriet!

[chonies]

Maichen, I think (although I'm probably wrong about this) the only Judy Blume book that was "updated" was Are You There God, it's Me, Margaret, and only the reference to the sanitary pads as belts with hooks was changed. I don't agree with it either, although I can understand, since it seems to be leaned on so heavily that it is often perceived as a factual manual on menarche and puberty. However, once you start tweaking one thing, the whole balance kind of gets messed up. The later Harriet Adams versions of Nancy Drews are nothing but irritation--she takes a helicopter everywhere? That's like those "in the year 2000, each family will have a helicopter and eat breakfast in tablet form" predictions from 1971.

I love all the old stuff in books that's just kind of workaday and time-capsule. However, I'm reading a galley of Haters, Alisa Valdez-Rodriguez's new YA novel and I could only make it through the first 20 pages before I through it across the room. Seriously, it was larded with brand name references to the point of extreme aggravation. Ipod, Harley, Porsche, etc. I know there's a lot of social critique embedded in this point, but surely not *everyone* has an iPod--maybe someone has a Dell pod, or a radio shack version? It was really pissing me off--more than the stilted narration. It is supposed to sound "authentic" but it really sounds irritating and false. Also, using name brands works for some people (Patrick Dennis, anyone?) but he did it with finesse and they contextualizes the stories, rather than dating them.

Lastly, I was at a workshop this weekend and the presenter gave major props specifically to Betsy-Tacy and works like it as essential to certain collections. Holla.

[maichen]

chonies, I was going by what ladymadonna said upthread about reading her kid's versions of Blume books, but it sounds from her post like maybe only the younger-age books (Superfudge, Sheila the Great) were updated? Aside from the infamous sanitary pad change, of course!

stargirl, I love Rosamond DuJardin books. My grandmother gave me a copy of Practically Seventeen when I was nowhere near that age myself yet, and then I was lucky enough to be able to track most of the other ones down at various libraries. A few years after that the area libraries started culling them, and I got some great old editions from library sales and half-price bookstores. Which was nice for me, but it made me sad that other children wouldn't get to read them, then.

If anyone else is interested in reading DuJardins or other older books (like 40s, 50s, 60s works), I found a source for reprints at Image Cascade Publishing . I've been debating completing my collection with them, but I think I'm going to hold out and save up my pennies and get authentic copies.

[ownlife]

I'd been looking for the duJardin books for years and finally purchased the reprints from Image a couple of months ago. Junior Year Abroad, one of the non-series books, was an interesting story based on the author's daughter's experiences as an American in France (as well as the rest of Europe) in the late 50s.

[BinkyBetsy]

maichen said:

chonies, I was going by what ladymadonna said upthread about reading her kid's versions of Blume books, but it sounds from her post like maybe only the younger-age books (Superfudge, Sheila the Great) were updated? Aside from the infamous sanitary pad change, of course!

I recently saw a copy of It's Not the End of the World that had an author's note about the dated-ness of the story: more wives work outside the home since the book was first published, and it's possible to get a divorce without going to Reno for six weeks. That's necessary, IMO, because both those plot points are terribly outdated, yet they can't be changed without rewriting the whole thing. But updating technology? C'mon! I can remember reading books that were outdated when I was a kid, and I did something really far-out: I asked my parents if I didn't understand something.

[Deleted]

So, it was a really slow day at the bookstore today (a.k.a. my place of employment for the North American summer...summer in July, it is so very very odd for us displaced Aussies) so I picked up The Tale of Despereaux at the recommendation of one of my co-workers. Anyone out there read this one?

If you haven't, READ IT. I absolutely could not put the thing down, and I finished it literally about five minutes ago. Beautiful story...how can you not like a story about a mouse scampering off to save the day? And best of all, it was cute without being "cutesy". I've read children's books that feature animals as the main characters, and authors all too often fall into the trap of making the story more about how adorable the animals are and less about, well, the story. Kate DiCamillo (the author) didn't do that in this one. Oh, and she didn't dumb it down either. This book is old-school children's lit, i.e., it has some slightly darker stuff in it. But it was so wonderful...highly recommended!

[Deleted]

Any Hank the Cowdog fans here? Or is the Head of Ranch Security with delusions of grandeur too lowbrow for this crowd? I enojoyed the heck out of reading a bunch of them to Little Duke years ago and now Little Duchess wants me to read them to her. I really get into it, with the voices and everything (recordings by the author are available, they are great for road trips.) One of the great things about being a parent is your kids give you cover for your second childhood. My second is a hell of a lot better than my first.

[whatever]

Does anyone remember a book for pre-teens about a girl named Jemima who lived during the Revolutionary War, and hated her tutor who was British, but it turned out he was a spy for the Americans, and they fell in love? Very PG, of course. But it's driving me nuts that I can't find it for a friend's daughter who loves historical books.

ETA: I also have to recommend for pre-teens the Richard Peck books about Blossom Culp - The Dreadful Future of Blossom Culp, Ghosts I have Been, The Ghost belonged to me. Good creepy fun!

[Deleted]

Yes, I do, whatever! It's "Time Enough For Drums" by Ann Rinaldi. Loved it when I was 13 or 14. It's one of the best YA historical books that I've read.

[whatever]

stargirl said:

Yes, I do, whatever! It's "Time Enough For Drums" by Ann Rinaldi. Loved it when I was 13 or 14. It's one of the best YA historical books that I've read.

Eeeek!!! I love you stargirl - thanks so much!

***Rushes off to Amazon to buy***