Parental censorship of aspects of Picture Books

This is a dedicated forum to allow parents to post questions, discuss issues and to ask for, and receive advice about, any concerns they may have regarding their children and the reading instruction that they are given at school.
Post Reply
User avatar
Debbie_Hepplewhite
Posts: 2498
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 4:42 pm

Parental censorship of aspects of Picture Books

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

I found this to be an interesting and thought-provoking piece so have added it to the Parent Forum:
Omitting the F Word: Parental Censorship of Picture Books

Jonathan Emmett
http://picturebookden.blogspot.co.uk/20 ... rship.html
I sometimes describe writing a picture book as like writing a script, because picture books are often read aloud to a child by an adult. I want the reader to give a good performance, so I think it’s essential that a picture book text reads well aloud. However a good script is only the beginning of a good performance; a good picture-book performer will add a great deal themselves, creating character voices and sound effects and adjusting the timing and delivery of lines to make them funnier, more suspenseful or more dramatic.


It wasn’t until I read a Slate article entitled I Censor the Books I Read to My Child. I’m Not Ashamed! that it occurred to me that a performer might actually TAKE something from the script as well. And, as an author/script-writer, I am troubled by this.
Post Reply