thoughts on the news of the day: where the wild things are

hmmm…..

            We have lost some significant children’s book authors this year.  First, Dr. Seuss and now, Maurice Sendack, a prolific writer who is most well-known for his best selling book, “Where the Wild Things Are”.  Sendack passed away yesterday in Connecticut at the age of 83. 

            To me, the most amazing thing about both of these authors is their ability as artists to visually entice us.  They were able to picture the characters in the stories and then create a message for both children and adults in their works. These are the books parents don’t mind reading to their children because they are so inventive.

            I wonder what will happen to the children’s book industry as digital reading becomes more and more popular.  It has been an easy adjustment for me to go from paper to my kindle; easier than I thought it would be.  Most folks think they will miss holding a book in their hand and I did, too.  But I found that holding a kindle is about the same; plus the screen is illuminated, so there is no problem reading in dim light.

            But what about those classic children’s picture books?  Tasha Tudor’s soft watercolors could never be reproduced on plastic.  Probably, “Cat in the Hat” and “Where the Wild Things Grow” are out in electronic versions … but is the quality and the texture well-reproduced on the lighted screen?

            Myself, I have a collection of children’s books.  I have gotten rid of a lot of my fiction and non-fiction paperbacks but the children’s books will remain. I want my grandchildren to know what The Little Prince really looked like in Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s classic.  On a lighted screen, it just wouldn’t be the same.

            hmmm…..