Children's Books in Media

Oh friends I am so sleep deprived, why am I making a blog post. This is wrong.
It really is.
I know, right? But I'm falling behind. So here we go
Maybe you should make bi-annual zines instead.
Ah but can you network with that?
Do both.
Both is good.


AHEM.
Well blogspot, it's been a while. I've been busy doing things I'm too tired to write about. There's a fine, even balance for doing this and I do not have it. If all one of you are hungering for more regular updates, hop onto twitter, I'm managing the 140 characters alright.
What's that? Get on with it?
Fine.

So Children's Books in Media - Where do children's books belong in the press? was an event I attended a week ago today. This was yet another CBI event, hosted as part of the Dublin Book Festival. Indeed, it was the only festival event I managed to get to, which was somewhat unfortunate. Due to all my magical illustration adventures around Dublin recently, I wasn't expecting anything too new, but in the end it was an interesting insight and I learnt that later, in theory, I could actually study children's literature now. It's opening this year and it looks super fab. It's a year long course. Maybe someday I will...

Anyway, the talk (Which was hosted in Smock Alley Theatre) was more of a discussion, with four main panelists to talk about issues/perspectives and answer questions (More information here). Children's books get very little coverage from media (they are in fact, usually the bestsellers, but as they're kids' books they're not counted into the lists). Children's books get roundups and that's about all. A line of text as a review, nothing in-depth, which the panelists were saying was a big issue as far as coverage goes, of course. As is the norm, in other countries, children's books do get the attention they deserve, and picture books are acknowledged as the craft that they are, but unfortunately over this side of the puddle particularly, there's very little at all. Saddening stuff.


Many publishers aren't submitting for reviews for one thing. Eithne Shortall, of The Sunday Times was saying that they've gotten no children's books to review at all this year?? Missed opportunities, no?

Another issue brought to light was a lack of format for children's books reviews. When a reviewer reviews a book are they writing for the parents? Are they writing for the kids? Many reviewers are also uncertain as to how to review illustrations - Something extremely important when it comes to children's books. You may get an in depth review of everything types along with one or two words on the images...
_{("very nice" /groan groan)}

It's something that needs changing, but for now all that can be done is to reveal these problems. I'm not certain I'd worry too hard though, hopefully within a year there will be new M.Phil. graduates in children's literature spilling out of College Green and striding up to papers and magazines.

"Good afternoon." they'll nod, firmly placing their briefcases down on the editors' desks "I'm here to review your children's books submissions. It's time."
The editors will slowly double take and look around, a little wary, but eventually give in once they approach the window to find seven thousand people staring up demanding to know what kids books are hot and what are not.
"Never again" shouts a protestor, a young man named James with a rather doleful childhood behind him "Will Grannies and Grandads stumble blindly into bookshops and simply buy the first children's book that catches their eye! No no, we will have proper books for our children!! Something that will keep them reading for the rest of their lives!".
The murmur of agreement will ripple through the streets, and soon the presses will begin to pump, and teach us what's hip to the kids these days.
And everyone will actually live happily ever after. The end.

Also bring back the Funday Times,
Damn.