Sunday, February 8, 2009

Violence in Children's Books

Mia doing her spelling work a couple weeks ago.



Here is what I remember of the conversation I had with Mia at bedtime tonight.

Mia: Mom, why is there so much violence in children's books these days? (Using her I'm-on-a-soapbox/six-year-old news anchor voice.)

Me: Violence in children's books? What are you talking about?

Mia: You know. Violence in children's books. Why do they make so many books for little children that have so many violent parts in them?

Me: Like what?

Mia: Like scary parts with battles and fighting and bad guys.

Me: What are you reading today?

Mia: King Arthur [and the Nights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green]

Me: Oh. Actually, that's not a book meant for six year olds. That's an older kid book. Most younger children are reading books like Mr. Putter and Tabby and those don't have violence in them.

Mia: Oooooooh.

Me: Are you afraid to go to sleep tonight? Did you read something scary in this book?

Mia: (with a sheepish smile) No.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow....she never ceases to amaze me...

Unknown said...

I'm beginning to wonder if maybe Mia and Hezekiah should get married...but then again, we may not want to combine brains that big...

Anonymous said...

Wow...... amazing!