Classroom teachers, librarians and parents read to their children and influence what they believe and support particularly if the children love the characters in the story. Often the stories however present a perspective that children should follow rules, obey adults and in general live lives that are passive and uninformed. But are there books that provide role models for children that encourage curiosity, caring for others, standing up for what is right, courage and other behaviors that represent a rather different model than how to be a princess or a prince. The best stories of 2014 provide an opportunity for young people to be their own protagonists and to embark on life journeys that will help them be individuals less influences by the media and more reliant on their own sense of self. Over the years, publishers have relied on stories that support movies (i.e. Frozen) and although that in and of itself is not a problem, when a popular story becomes an industry, authors begin to self-censor and write less important stories. As critical thinkers we have a responsibility to encourage publishers to find powerful stories for our young people and create opportunities for those stories to be available particularly for children who have little access to good literature. This paper will review some of our best new books and critique the influence of “popular” books.
About the presenterJ Cynthia McDermott
Consultant Educators Abroad Los Angeles who believes in progressive teaching practices