Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books

[author_by_night]

[Error: unknown template qotd]Disney. The sexism - it burns.

Actually, I think "sexism" is a bit unfair, just because a, they're simplistic because they're for kids, and b, they weren't exactly written in progressive times. Still, one of the reasons I liked Enchanted was because it pretty much parodied all those themes. Not just that, but it was by Disney itself. (Granted, Disney decades later after these books and movies were written/made.) But old school Disney is just filled with anti "ugly" women themes and "ditch it all for lurve" themes.

And then there's The Baby-Sitter's Club books - not because they were sexist or anything, but the idea of a bunch of thirteen year old girls being trusted to take kids through NYC alone and stuff... *shudders*

Also, Harry Potter... though in that case, it was on purpose. But back when I first read them, I didn't think anything of a bunch of preteens fighting three headed dogs and dark lords and dealing with attempted mass murder. I mean, I always thought the books got darker in the third book, but when I think about it... yikes. O_o Obviously it was Jo Rowling's point, but I don't think I really got how chilling it was until later.

Comments

[sea_thoughts]

I was already 17 when I started reading HP, so I definitely got a lot of the darkness. That was why I was happy when OotP came out, because it felt like JKR finally took the gloves off and said, "Okay, let's do this." *lol*

[eir-de-scania.livejournal.com]

True, but unfortunately the whole series are labelled as kids books.

[sea_thoughts]

Yes, but you and I both know that people who call them that are people who've never read them. ;)

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Or who at least read them in a bit of a simplistic fashion.

[moonreviews]

They're all in the 11+ bookcase in the bookshop here. There are just too many books in the 13+ bookcase (just moved His Dark Materials from the 13+ to the 11+ bookcase as well, but I think those are less dark than HP).

I think especially the first three books are fun to read for children :) Book 5/6/7 not so much for younger children.

[vytresna.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Those ten-year-olds at the DH release party? Oh, man.