Part of my job involves children’s literature, specifically six novels that are part of a curriculum program: Number the Stars, Maniac Magee, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, So Far from the Bamboo Grove, Taking Sides and Bridge to Terabithia.
Five of the books are Newbury Medal winners and three are American Library Association Notable books. Though the most “recent” book was published in 1991, a full 18 years ago, these books are considered “classics” in the world of children’s literature and many are regularly included in middle school curricula and summer reading lists. Nearly all continue to top best-sellers lists for children’s literature, year after year.
When we surveyed the teachers we work with, a couple commented that the books were outdated. I admit I was surprised by the comments. Can classic novels be outdated?
This generation of children is a digital one. Children in middle school today were born in the mid to late 1990’s. Computers and the Internet have always been a reality. With 24/7 access to the web, video games galore and the latest gadgets, reading falls by the wayside. According to a study released by the NEA in November 2007, less than one-third of 13-year-olds are daily readers and as they get older, children and teens read less.
When they do read, they tend to gravitate towards contemporary thrillers (i.e., Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother) or fantasy adventures (i.e., Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book). So of course a book written in the 1970’s or 1980’s will seem outdated. Things that happened last year are now outdated in this fast-paced world of ours. The nature of the program means that we can’t always update the curriculum to reflect the latest trends in children’s literature, which is partly why “the classics” are used.
But my argument here is that the classics are “classic” for a reason. They continue to sell well for a reason. Despite whatever publication date they bear, these books have stood the test of time and teachers and educators return to them again and again because the messages they contain last longer than the decade’s fashion trends.
Jess and Leslie may have first existed in 1977, but the pain and hurt of losing a best friend doesn’t change with time. Nor have we stopped dreaming up stories about star-crossed lovers or bad first impressions. These books last because human experiences last. At our core, we’re not so different from people 20, 50 or 100 years in the past.
Then again, I might be biased. I reread Pride and Prejudice every year. After all, it’s a classic.
[Image from Amazon.com]
