MY VIEW
Children’s books are serious business today
Nearly bursting with pride, I experienced my first literary “reading” in kindergarten. It was my turn to bring a book for the teacher to read and, after much deliberation, I chose “The Ducks of Dingle Dell.” I no longer remember the story, but the alliterative string of D’s in the title were fun to say, as were the G’s in the line that ended each page: “ And the green grass grew all around.” Each time the line was read, I grinned as the class responded with an appreciative squeal.
These thoughts drifted back more than 50 years later as I shuffled through a writer’s guide to children’s literature. But I noticed that times have changed. Life seems less innocent. Little value is placed on playfulness or reading for pleasure. Publishers now seem more interested in social issues and agendas. Children’s books have become a serious business.
So, very tentatively, I tried my hand at a story about an adopted English girl who swam across the Atlantic in a storm, rescued a flock of endangered Florida pelicans and then marched boldly northward toward Canada to thwart a vicious plot to melt down the Stanley Cup. It seemed ecologically correct — and, well, yes, it did encourage self-esteem in young girls — but it still lacked something.
Only one editor wanted modern stories based on known fables. This sounded better, more rooted in tradition, and much more enjoyable. Encouraged, I decided on Aesop’s “The Fox and the Crow.” But there were several conditions. For a required “new twist,” I decided to eliminate the old-fashioned moral and offer a more realist reflection of modern life. For a new, more vibrant setting, I selected Niagara Falls.
My list of characters included the Fox, a lover of the arts; the Crow, an undiscovered vocalist; and a group of financially challenged gray Squirrels.
In the required summary of the plot, I described the gray Squirrels languishing in poverty. With only a modest bingo hall, they are looked upon with scorn by wealthier red Squirrels who attract flashier, up-scale entertainment to their large casinos. That is, until the Fox discovers the potential of a lovely singer billed as “The Charlie Parker Bird.” With a lot of practice and guidance from the Fox, she expands her repertoire and becomes a sensation.
As a result, the gray Squirrels throw off the shackles of poverty and build a magnificent new casino. Now wealthy, the Fox and the Crow buy expensive designer clothing and wear only the finest imported Italian sunglasses. They have their hair done at trendy salons and appear frequently on talk shows.
In the denouement, the Fox, while overcome by a desire to give back, decides to run for governor of New York State, offers to cut taxes and is elected in a landslide victory. He eventually retires, builds an enormous mansion overlooking the Hudson, amasses an important collection of minimalist art and the green grass grows all around.
I was thrilled when a letter from the publisher finally arrived — and hand written!— from somebody, as I recall, by the name of Minnie. Actually it was more of a yellow, sticky-pad note, but she was very kind and considerate. She even wished me a lot of luck in placing the story elsewhere.
And as she said, she really did enjoy reading it. But there was her “mission” as a publisher and — well, perhaps if the songbird had won her term as governor . . .
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