skygiants

(Hee - comforting LJ presence? That is good to hear, I think! <3)

My thoughts are all confused too, which is wy I haven't commented on it! I mean, I personally was never a big fan of the 'problem novel' growing up, in the way where I kind of fled into the fantasy section and did not come out for many years . . . but on the other hand I feel like it is doing a disservice to kids to say they can't handle Srs Bsns Issues, you know? I mean, if you want to talk about rape and incest and abandonment issues, I read Mists of Avalon in fifth grade. Hah.

I don't know. I guess when it comes down to it I think balance is the key. I mean, obviously no one can say, "Writers, don't write Problem Novels!" because they really are meaningful to a lot of the people who read them, a lot of them are legitimately very good books that I would be very sorry to have vanish into the ether. (And the ones that aren't people eat up like candy anyways! Everyone I knew read Face on the Milk Carton.) I think where the frustration comes from is the fact that schools only seem to assign Deep Dark and Depressing books, and I do get that frustration; the dead dog jokes kind of make themselves. I definitely think it would be a good thing to mix up the reading lists a little - keep a couple of the Problem Novels, but also throw in some Daniel Pinkwater and Judy Blume and Tamora Pierce and Diana Wynne Jones (who totally has her fair share of Dark Problem Issues in her books as well, even if they're covered over with a candy coating of wizardry and wackiness, and I don't think reading them scarred me . . . anyway, tangent) so that kids can really get a sense of the richness of Literary Options that are out there. But, I mean, as far as Finding Literary Merit In Things goes, I am way out on the radical lefty scale that firmly believes there is literary merit in any and everything. I'd happily give the kids Babysitter's Club books and discuss that - why not? There's interesting cultural stuff going on there. So, uh, the world at large may not abide by my opinion.

. . . and now I just word-vomited all over you and you are probably sorry you asked. :D But your thoughts, I want to know yours!