I've seen it happen many times before: A parent comes to the library and asks for help in finding some good, "classic" books for their child to read. This parent is very well-intentioned, and I give the parent a lot of credit for wanting his/her child to read high-quality books. But "classics" or even award-winners aren't always the answer. There are lots of other things to consider when selecting books for your children. This issue came up not too long ago when I was talking with a relative of mine, and I went on a bit of a tirade that I'd really like to share:
Just because a book is old doesn't mean it's good. And just because a book is new doesn't mean it can't be amazing. The thing to keep in mind too is that things change over time: Writing styles have evolved and changed, children's expectations of books have changed, society's values as a whole have changed, and our collective understanding of child development and children's needs has changed. This means that in 2009, children will not react the same way to certain "classic" books as they would have in 1959 or in 1909.
There's also the issue of children's interests. Fact: If you want your child to love reading, they need to read books that they love. Believe it or not, your child might not love Swiss Family Robinson or Tom Sawyer. Or maybe they do. But there are very few children who will like reading every single book an any given recommended reading list. That's just the way it is, and there's nothing wrong with that. Now in school, since there are certain lessons that need to be taught and a teacher can't cater to every child in his/her classroom, a child will inevitably be forced to read something that is not of interest. But that's the exception to the rule. And a teacher should always try to find the book that will get the lesson across AND appeal to the most kids because otherwise that lesson is going to be lost an a class full of kids. For recreational reading, kids should ALWAYS have some say in what they're going to be reading or it's not going to be fun anymore and they will learn to dislike reading.
Fact: Just because a book is "classic" or has won an award doesn't mean that children will love it. See above for the rant about why classics could potentially no longer be appealing.
Awards are another sticky issue, especially with the much-beloved Newbery Medal. This award is given annually by a committee of librarians to the most distinguished work of literature for children. However, the fact remains that these grown-ups are recognizing literary merit and quality of writing. Yes, this means that the books that win this award will certainly have excellent, or at least interesting/unique writing. But sometimes the topics of these books, or even the very style that is being recognized, is difficult or even unappealing to kids. Many (including myself) have criticized the Newbery for picking books very appealing to adults, but that don't always resonate with children. There are plenty of great award winners that I would definitely recommend to most children, but there are also plenty that just make you want to roll your eyes.
There is plenty of value to be found in any book. Even if the writing isn't award-worthy, and even if it's subject matter is "fluffy," every book has an opportunity to influence a child positively. Maybe loving a book will simply help a child learn to love reading and inspire him/her to find other books. Maybe the subject matter is teachable and discussable - I feel that this is always the case if you just look hard enough. No, not every book is brilliant. But there are plenty of solid, usable, teachable books out there that aren't on classic or award-winning reading lists. And I'm not saying that you shouldn't read classic or award-winning books either - there are plenty of amazing ones out there that will probably appeal to your child. Just think about why you're giving this to your child to read first.
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