Post ASvKk1SLJLbpeh4Rma by Rachel_Thorn@queer.party
(DIR) More posts by Rachel_Thorn@queer.party
(DIR) Post #ASvKjyLUsLLo0aqRCC by Rachel_Thorn@queer.party
2023-02-21T22:32:14Z
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I wish people who tried to make comics for kids put more thought into 1) what age range precisely they are aiming at, 2) what vocabulary that age range can handle, and 3) if the concepts presented are ones that age group can wrap its head around. For example, a 7-year-old has no real concept of different forms of government, or even what government is. They also have trouble understanding the concept of history. I’m not saying you shouldn’t challenge them, but start from a place that’s familiar.
(DIR) Post #ASvKjz8lv8lYTPtn04 by Rachel_Thorn@queer.party
2023-02-21T22:38:48Z
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This is true of picture books, too. Often writers who are accustomed to writing beautiful prose for adults think they can do the same thing for kids, but end up writing something that parents will love and kids will be indifferent to. The parent will get all choked up reading the book aloud, while the child is like, “I have no idea what’s happening, but it’s making Mommy/Daddy/Maddy cry.” It’s self indulgent. If you want to reach kids, you need to understand where they are. It takes research.
(DIR) Post #ASvKjzuH4WlOqk7j2e by Rachel_Thorn@queer.party
2023-02-21T22:58:18Z
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Dr. Seuss's Beginner Books are perennial bestsellers not just because he was a genius, but because he worked with experts who told him, "Here are the words these children know; use only these words." The books where he wasn't following those guidelines don't sell as well, because children don't understand them. Oh, the Places You'll Go! is for grownups whose children are growing up. It's not for the "you" in the story. I haven't met a child who genuinely likes that book.
(DIR) Post #ASvKk0OlFB9MNIO4Yq by Rachel_Thorn@queer.party
2023-02-21T23:04:57Z
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Book banners/burners obsess over the themes of children's books. I am absolutely not talking about that. You can teach children about gender identity and sexuality, you can teach them about racial injustice, you can teach them about the rights of the disabled. My 7-year-old has deepened her understanding of such things by reading books that she can understand and enjoy, and that was possible because the writers put a lot of thought in how to convey these ideas to children her age.
(DIR) Post #ASvKk0tbOVotuwohdI by Rachel_Thorn@queer.party
2023-02-21T23:14:31Z
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This is something you should keep in mind when gifting children's books, too. If you don't have a child, or your's is grown up and you're memory is a blur, it's easy to fall into the trap of giving a child a book that the child isn't old enough to appreciate because you love the book yourself. BTW, the recommended ages on Amazon are a joke. Look for a Publisher's Weekly review or check the original publisher's site.
(DIR) Post #ASvKk1SLJLbpeh4Rma by Rachel_Thorn@queer.party
2023-02-21T23:17:57Z
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Take The Tea Dragon Society. It's so pretty and simple looking that you might think even a preschooler could enjoy it, but a child younger than 9 will be frustrated by the first page alone. What's a "blacksmith"? What's a "healer"? What's "shod" mean? What're hooves? What's "slay"? What does "forged" mean?
(DIR) Post #ASvKk22r7aofTw9bhA by publius@mastodon.sdf.org
2023-02-22T02:32:31Z
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@Rachel_Thorn If you say so.I saw someone ask, "what is a good gender-neutral term for a grandparent?" and I answered "Honored Progenitor". They responded "my five-year-old can't handle words like that!"I certainly could at that age.Did that mean I was fully capable of grappling with complex concepts like political systems? No. But I can tell you for sure I knew what a "blacksmith" was, and what "hooves" were, and could infer what a "healer" did, by age 9!
(DIR) Post #ASvKkAURitdhfp7koK by Rachel_Thorn@queer.party
2023-02-21T23:27:56Z
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You might remember I was looking for age-appropriate comics by creators of color for my daughter for Christmas. I had to make a guess about some because there was no information about age range and I could only read the first few pages online. Half the books I bought turned out to be too difficult for her right now, so I set them aside to give to her when she's ready. This shouldn't involve so much guesswork! Creators and publishers need to be honest with themselves and buyers about this stuff!