by Anonymous Logician, Copyright September 16, 2006, all rights reserved. 637 views
A short essay from Intro to Children's Lit.
__________
I think the major role of a picture storybook for kids is to delight and to entertain them. I see lectures/sermons and art as two distinct (and important) genres. In the lecture or the sermon, teaching–academic or spiritual content–is primary, and aritstic emphases, while welcome, are ancillary. In other words, we go to class primarily to learn, but we're grateful for interesting and entertaining lectures. When it comes to art, literature, and film, our primary goal is to be entertained, and I think the same thing applies to kids. Storybooks should not be preachy; they should tell an engaging story.
That said, there is a sense in which morality (not moralizing) is appropriate. In fact, it's inescapable. Any story will have unavoidably value-laden philosophical underpinnings, even if only the most rudimentary. (One example that comes to mind is the hilarious movie The Emperor's New Groove, which, though fun and silly, is full of values like the limits of power, the importance of family, and the need to honor your word.) When it comes to children's storybooks, I think moral messages should be subtle, appropriate, and tastefully woven with the story. Age appropriateness and parental values come into play as well.
When adults share literature with children, they should primarly let the child enjoy the story while being open to questions the children have. When a character faces a difficult moral choice, or when the reader is faced with a character with bad behavior, this becomes more important.