By Brock Wager on Thursday, February 22, 2001 - 08:36 pm:
Here's an interesting topic.
Books like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books or Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy... Are they kid's books or not?
I remember when I was working in the bookstore having the first Harry Potter book classified as being an adult fiction book. And The Golden Compass was in the normal sci-fi/fantasy section.
It wasn't till each series had started to garner some critical acclaim that I noticed new covers on both series' books and they were re-classified as Children's Lit.
I've read all of the Harry Potter books and can see how they're just overall great books for any age (lots of subtext to them if you look).
I've only read the first two books of the His Dark Materials trilogy (Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife) but I have a hard time classifying them as kid's books. They're the kind of books that I could see some kids reading, but not the kind that would be normally marketed towards them. These books are VERY dark and quite depressing. They also involve a LOT of religious subtext... but maybe the kids just like the great adventures. Who knows?
Just my take on 2 series.
By wumpus on Friday, February 23, 2001 - 12:20 am:
You know, Brock, this has NOTHING to do with you, but I can't help seeing that name and thinking "Brock Landers and Chest Rockwell." I just.. can't.. help.. myself.
Sorry, I know I'm cluttering up the thread with a personal problem, but maybe I should name my first child Brock Landers Atwood if it's a boy. Rock!! He's gonna grow up to hate me anyway, so why not start early, I say?
wumpus http://www.gamebasement.com
By Lee Johnson on Friday, February 23, 2001 - 09:11 am:
Where would you put C.S. Lewis' Narnia books?
By Brock Wager on Friday, February 23, 2001 - 11:01 pm:
The Narnia books are interesting. I remember my mom reading the series to my brothers and I while we were cottaging (over a few years) and they were great fantasy stories...
But you come back to them now, years later, and the whole Christian allegory is there, plain as your face.
What's with kids books (that have an adult subtext) usually involving some kind of religious theme? Could it be because many religious stories already take the form of parables and allegory?
Hmm... Just curious :)
And your kid WOULD hate you if you named him that, Wumpus :)