One thing it took me an embarrassingly long time to learn is that when reading PBs with children, my subconscious assumption that they understood less than I did was compelling me to constantly interrupt the story far more often than was actually necessary to offer my own explanations and interpretations, completely breaking the spell of the story in the process. I think I thought that if they weren't obviously and immediately expressing that they understood every word and joke and reference that I need to rush in to fill the gap, instead of giving them the space to experience the text in their own way and time. Then one day, after a particularly condescending explanation, my four year old rolled their eyes and explained to me how I had missed a detail in the image that changed the meaning of the whole spread. After that, I learned to keep my mouth shut unless asked to offer explanation. :)
I LOVE this line: "When you’re writing for kids, as an adult, a lot of the joy in it is that you’re spending time with a group who still understand and believe that almost anything, any world, is possible." This gives us so much creative freedom as children's book writers - and invites us to "un-blunt" our adult awarenesses and reclaim the joy in curiosity and possibility of childhood for ourselves.
"The quality of listening that they give to a story"—watching a child react to a story is my favorite part of reading aloud. They know something is going to happen, but they still hold no expectations. It may be good, dull, silly, weird, or insightful; whatever it is, they understand it’s worth their time. Children are so much better at recognizing what is worth their time than adults. Following their lead while reading, "meeting as equals," is time well spent.
Thanks for posting her essay. I didn’t know I could love Margaret Wise Brown more than I already did.
I agree with Mac that blunting their awareness is a sad thought! This conversation reminds me of that great passage in The Little Prince about how adults always ask the wrong questions.
I also think there’s a weird gender thing that happens where both boys and girls are “allowed” to keep some of that awareness, but only with respect to certain topics or subjects that are deemed appropriate for their gender. My son is six and a half and very open to thinking and talking about his and other people’s feelings, and I’m wondering if/when this will be taken away from him. I find that so devastating.
I'm consistently surprised by mindset of kids when I read picture books with them or talk to them as an adult. Kids like to be talked as individuals, they share more, they tell more from their hearts.
And while reading picture books together, you feel that they see it completely different from you.
I also love to draw with kids as their imagination helps me to grow my illustrator side.
Loved this essay and of course MWB. How spot on she is - how wise and sad- “kids will be displaced and blunted later,” and hopeful that they “ understand and believe anything is possible.” It does make Kidlit this realm where we can all escape together.
Yes! This is why I love ambiguous endings in picture books. Kids are so smart and thoughtful, and it’s incredible to hear their musings on what might be and why.
A little anecdote and some thoughts in regard to references, which I agree, are not stacked as high in a five year old as they are in a thirty-year old, and not as calcified. They are starting making associations right before our eyes, and none of them are set in stone yet. It’s fun to witness! I remember when I was babysitting a three-year-old many years ago we were watching Toy Story and my little friend turned to me and said, “I know another sheriff buy I forgot…hmmm…Oh! I found it! The Sheriff O’ Knottingham!”
This is so interesting. It got me thinking about the difference between writing for our inner child, the me I remember from my own childhood, what I felt, thought was funny, interesting, etc… and writing for the children you spend time with as an adult. I think in that case I am thinking of how to provoke a reaction - get a laugh, provoke a conversation, entertain maybe. This has reminded me to try and think of a story I’m writing through both eyes, and see how it measures up to both! Thank you. Interesting and thought provoking. And thanks too, to the brilliant Margaret Wise Brown!
Another passage I love from the essay: "What, then, is a five-year-old old's reality and concern? As adults we have forgotten, so we return to the child himself for our leads and to what is left in us that is five-year-old, that in contact with children revives and responds to their interests and feelings."
If separateness is indeed an illusion, their sense of it (healthy upbringings provided) ought to be far afield; duality not yet partitioning their senses. Wholeness: their custom. Exposition, then, between words and images, is needless, given the meaning they synthesize, breath to breath, without effort or pretense. :-)
One thing it took me an embarrassingly long time to learn is that when reading PBs with children, my subconscious assumption that they understood less than I did was compelling me to constantly interrupt the story far more often than was actually necessary to offer my own explanations and interpretations, completely breaking the spell of the story in the process. I think I thought that if they weren't obviously and immediately expressing that they understood every word and joke and reference that I need to rush in to fill the gap, instead of giving them the space to experience the text in their own way and time. Then one day, after a particularly condescending explanation, my four year old rolled their eyes and explained to me how I had missed a detail in the image that changed the meaning of the whole spread. After that, I learned to keep my mouth shut unless asked to offer explanation. :)
I LOVE this line: "When you’re writing for kids, as an adult, a lot of the joy in it is that you’re spending time with a group who still understand and believe that almost anything, any world, is possible." This gives us so much creative freedom as children's book writers - and invites us to "un-blunt" our adult awarenesses and reclaim the joy in curiosity and possibility of childhood for ourselves.
"The quality of listening that they give to a story"—watching a child react to a story is my favorite part of reading aloud. They know something is going to happen, but they still hold no expectations. It may be good, dull, silly, weird, or insightful; whatever it is, they understand it’s worth their time. Children are so much better at recognizing what is worth their time than adults. Following their lead while reading, "meeting as equals," is time well spent.
Thanks for posting her essay. I didn’t know I could love Margaret Wise Brown more than I already did.
What she said! 💛 Loved the essay as well!!
I agree with Mac that blunting their awareness is a sad thought! This conversation reminds me of that great passage in The Little Prince about how adults always ask the wrong questions.
I also think there’s a weird gender thing that happens where both boys and girls are “allowed” to keep some of that awareness, but only with respect to certain topics or subjects that are deemed appropriate for their gender. My son is six and a half and very open to thinking and talking about his and other people’s feelings, and I’m wondering if/when this will be taken away from him. I find that so devastating.
I'm consistently surprised by mindset of kids when I read picture books with them or talk to them as an adult. Kids like to be talked as individuals, they share more, they tell more from their hearts.
And while reading picture books together, you feel that they see it completely different from you.
I also love to draw with kids as their imagination helps me to grow my illustrator side.
You guys have me in tears, again. Thank you. Gonna hug my 5 y/o so hard this afternoon and read stories for as long as she wants to together ♥️
Loved this essay and of course MWB. How spot on she is - how wise and sad- “kids will be displaced and blunted later,” and hopeful that they “ understand and believe anything is possible.” It does make Kidlit this realm where we can all escape together.
Yes! This is why I love ambiguous endings in picture books. Kids are so smart and thoughtful, and it’s incredible to hear their musings on what might be and why.
A little anecdote and some thoughts in regard to references, which I agree, are not stacked as high in a five year old as they are in a thirty-year old, and not as calcified. They are starting making associations right before our eyes, and none of them are set in stone yet. It’s fun to witness! I remember when I was babysitting a three-year-old many years ago we were watching Toy Story and my little friend turned to me and said, “I know another sheriff buy I forgot…hmmm…Oh! I found it! The Sheriff O’ Knottingham!”
This is brilliant! I love MWB all the more. And thanks for bringing it to our attention!
Thanks for the gift of this essay - and the general smartness of the whole post.
This is so interesting. It got me thinking about the difference between writing for our inner child, the me I remember from my own childhood, what I felt, thought was funny, interesting, etc… and writing for the children you spend time with as an adult. I think in that case I am thinking of how to provoke a reaction - get a laugh, provoke a conversation, entertain maybe. This has reminded me to try and think of a story I’m writing through both eyes, and see how it measures up to both! Thank you. Interesting and thought provoking. And thanks too, to the brilliant Margaret Wise Brown!
Another passage I love from the essay: "What, then, is a five-year-old old's reality and concern? As adults we have forgotten, so we return to the child himself for our leads and to what is left in us that is five-year-old, that in contact with children revives and responds to their interests and feelings."
Play; the beginner’s mind.
Sounds like such a great essay! I’ll look up the full one! Thanks!
love this.
If separateness is indeed an illusion, their sense of it (healthy upbringings provided) ought to be far afield; duality not yet partitioning their senses. Wholeness: their custom. Exposition, then, between words and images, is needless, given the meaning they synthesize, breath to breath, without effort or pretense. :-)