pushy, pushy

Have you heard the buzz about the latest New York Times article that's getting posted around on Facebook?  Well, if you're like me, with lots of FB friends who are parents and/or educators, then perhaps you've seen it- Picture Books Languish as Parents Push Big-Kid Books.  The buzz that I've heard has been a mixed bag.  Educator friends are touting it as fodder for thought- remember that we are early childhood people, and the kids that we work with are exactly the ones at whom picture books are aimed.  But there has also been a backlash against the article from some folks in the kidlit blogosphere.  Pam of MotherReader urges bloggers not to get too riled up from the article, and her opinion of the NYT and an assessment of the lack of quality journalism in this piece form the backbone of her perspective.  I agree with some of her points, especially about the economic downturn in general not being discussed in enough detail as a factor on book sales.  And apparently, Amanda Gignac's quotes in the article were seriously taken out of context, as she explains on her blog, The Zen Leaf. 

Okay, so let's put aside the fact that this may not have been the most well-researched piece of journalism and that it's much more alarmist than it perhaps needs to be.  And the whole taking someone's perspective out of context and twisting it to fit the swing of one's article is so very not cool.  But if there is something positive to come out of this article, I see it as the discussion that can be started, especially among those of us who have young children in our lives.

Now here's my opinion after reading this piece, and I have to say that my perspective is influenced by a couple of factors. 

1. The last 13 years of my life have been immersed in the world of young children-- first as a preschool teacher, and then as a mom.  As a reader myself, I've always made books a high priority in both my classroom and home environments.
2. Nine of those years were spent in a laboratory school setting on a university campus.  Thus, the majority of the population of families I worked with were highly educated, and often affluent.
3. Living in the DC metro area is a significant factor all on its own, especially when it comes to parenting practices.

So, given all those factors, I have to say that much of the article rang true to me.  Now, perhaps this would have been better featured as an opinion or editorial piece rather than a news story, which might have lessened the negative responses, I'm not sure.  But here's the thing, I've spent years hearing parents enthusiastically espouse many of the points of this article.  Hearing a parent of a four year old tell me "We're reading Harry Potter together as a read-aloud," as a way to convince me of their child's above average intelligence honestly makes me cringe.  Over the years, I've been witness to many, many of these "genius children"  (Washington, DC, is very much like Lake Wobegon when it comes to smart children), and many of these parents dismiss picture books as below their children's abilities.

C'mon!  I have three genius children of my own, and I credit their exposure to picture books as a major factor!  My ten year old was an early reader, and has always "tested" as reading on a much higher level than his age, but guess what?  He still enjoys listening in on read-alouds that I'm having with his younger siblings, and when I rave about a new picture book that came in for review, he pulls it off the shelf to see for himself.  I've read in some comments in reaction to this article that some people see picture books purely for read alouds, for use only with an adult who can "translate" it for kids.  Oh no, I strongly disagree.  My four year old can't read (she's still learning her letters, which could be seen as developmentally delayed by some folks in this area), but she can kick a picture book's ass all on her own, creating a story from the pictures that often rivals the author's own creativity.

I look at this issue just as I do the reading aloud issue.  Just because your child knows how to read independently, that doesn't mean you should stop reading to them.  Sharing a story by read aloud is enjoyable for people of all ages, and it shouldn't be a badge of honor that you don't "have to" read aloud to your child anymore.  As it is with picture books- their beauty and stories and value shouldn't decrease just because a child can read a chapter book on their own.  And as parents, we're the ones who influence our children's exposure to materials like books-- so I encourage parents to keep the picture books around for enjoyment long after they seem to be at your child's "reading level." 

But for the article itself, my own personal experiences back up much of what is discussed.  So much of parenting often feels like a competition (again, living in the DC area might be a major factor here); from sleeping through the night to potty training to learning to read, everything is open to comparison.  If our success as parents is seen through the lenses of our children moving on to the "next step," which is unfortunately the case for many whether they admit it or not, then reading skills and materials are huge events.  Education as a whole has been "pushing down" curriculum and expectations to younger and younger children, and parents often follow suit.  So while it may not be representative as the best news story, I certainly can relate to the piece on an anecdotal level. 

Just my two cents, for what that's worth.  In no way do I mean to degrade anyone else's opinion on the matter or on the article itself, but I felt compelled to offer my perspective to the mix.


Humbly pressing 'publish post,'