Children's fantasy (fairy tales)

[Squeek]

Ugh I can't stand JK Rowling...  The whole Harry Potter fad is killing me.  I never liked the concept of the book in the first place.  Then it spread...like wildfire.  It'll die down, like everything else does.

So anyway what I think is missing from books these days is pictures.  Kids hate reading details (I know I did).  If you describe something but portray no visual image, the mental image of whatever it is can be distorted beyond reasoning.  You have to give the kid piccys man!  That and definitions of the "big" words in the back.

~Squeek

[Adrian]

Greetings everyone,

First of all, J. K. Rowling has been credited with getting the kid of the nation reading again instead of watching TV etc.. I am certain this is true. I think Timeless makes an excellent point on the tone of the books. One reason why Harry Potter is so successful (and appeals equally to adults) is that J. K. does not treat kids in a patronising sort of way. She made note of that in the interview when she says that the characters will all grow up like all kids do, complete with difficult teenage characteristics, and where Harry has a temper, the kids start to have relationships and so on. This is life - my eldest son has a girlfriend at 12 years old - unheard of in an Enid Blyton book [] J. K. Rowling actually used a comparison with Enid Blyton's Famous Five books, where she said the most a kid was acknowledged as growing up in those books was when Anne laid out a picnic nicely and was told that she would make someone a good wife one day []

My eldest son who is now 12, never read any childrens books. Instead, from the age of about 7, he was reading books on astrophysics, the big bang theory (he carried those books in the car to read on the way to school), dinosaurs, and of course Astral projection - he is a big fan of Robert [] My other two sons aged 11, and 10 are similar.

I really believe that anyone who writes books for the kids of today in the J. K. Rowling mode are really onto something.

I believe one excellent test of how good a book is, is by asking the question "would this make a great film".

Kids love things to do with magicians, wizards, sorcerers and so on, and "other worldly" things, and there is no doubt that is a winning formula. It is also a formula that is assisting with the global expansion of consciousness which is now occuring and will gain pace.

With best regards,

Adrian.

[Nerezza]

I have no idea how an adult can write children's stories. I tried to write a children's horror story but made it as far as the second page before where the mother became the town whore and the children engaged in incest, with the daughter become pregnant, and I don't even want to tell you what's on the third page(havn't written it yet anyway). I'm a failure as a children's writer.

However, there is one story which may make it. "The Educator's Hag" is being written and so far no one is pregnant, nor are any child murders being committed....yet.

But I do agree, children do not like to be patronized.

[Nerezza]

It's only a short story so I need to get it in as early as possible.[]

[timeless]

Lately I have been surveying young adult literature at both the library and bookstore.  

My Conculusions:
(1) Many books underestimate the comprehension and complexity of a twelve year olds mind.  The books almost talk down to the kids.  This is especially true of books written before 1990.  Thank goodness for J.K. Rowlings.

(2) Children's and young adult books seemed to be judged by adult literary standards.  Meaning, most symbology and details loved by children are missing from the books.  The source of this error could be editorial.  Definitely one does not want to over adjective or adverb any book.  What is missing are the amusing details or the symbolic details kids love. In my mind, these are what entices a child to read a book for a second time. 'Stuff' many adults think is superfluous or might not get. Any fairy tale has its root in symbology but symbolic details are more like cookies along the way to grandmother's house. These cookies seem to separate the big sellers from the average selling kids books.  Since I enjoy amusing details and symbology my chances of going through the 'standard' publishing circuit could be low[?]

If you guys and gals have noticed attributes kids love in stories please post.  I would greatly appreciate your input.[]

Best Regards,
timeless