Children’s Lit: The Undiscovered Frontier

Children's Lit blog badge created by Jorie in Canva.

Books provide the backdrop and blueprints into our lives,… their very essences escape from the written word, and enter into our unconsciousness, becoming insatiably a ‘part’ of us. We keep the stories inside us for years to come, and those characters, settings, and stories stay with us evermore.

Books are the keys to unlocking the hidden dimensions of the written word. We can leave the physical reality and transcend into the temporal-imaginative reality for spells at a time.

Which key would you pick!?

And, who says you have to be limited only to just ‘one’!?

Ahh… alas! A plausible dilemma! Which to choose? And, if you choose, did you choose the right book for the living moment that you’re in, so that the story your about to delve into matches not only your mood but your overall outlook or state of mind!?

The possibilities are endless, start ‘leaping’ into the unknown. Unlock the mysteries yet seen. Travel to places beyond mere comprehension. Imagine the locales. Engulf yourself in the atmosphere. Delve into the psyches of the characters.

Immerse yourself in the totality of the experience.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Children’s Literature:
The Undiscovered Frontier

In my humble opinion, the world in which children’s literature thrives is this amazing space of illuminating horizons and uncharted territories, that allow a child or an adult re-discovering the genre to circumvent reality for worlds full of innocence, self-discovering phases, adventures of grand proportions, curiosities and imaginative explorations, all whilst wrapped up in the eyes and understandings that come to us within our childhoods. The books that writer’s pen under this branch of literature endeavour to give children of all ages something worth contemplating and to give the youngest readers something positive to chew on whilst dealing with the woes that are fraught whilst growing up and growing into our own skin. Nurturing our ability to think and contemplate heavy issues as well as the ordinary whisperments that accrue during the every day hours of youth.

This is such a hearty slice of literature, that for the determined reader, one can carve out an impressive array of offerings that are not overtly dark OR cumbersome in their mirth for violence. Mind you, I understand there is a convergence of a theory that the state of the world in 2013 is withered and tethered to the gritty, the grimly, and the grimed. Yet. I am one who chooses to go a different way, to choose the path not readily taken or yielded too, and to always seek out the light and the positive. The world’s issues and tragedies have always been in the back of all of our minds’ for centuries upon centuries,… the world will always face difficulties inasmuch as we struggle individually, but to concede defeat and ‘just go with the flow’ of the masses is not something I am willing to do. Therefore, the books that you will see me place on this page are not the usual children’s books that might be spoken about elsewhere.

Their the hidden gems of this broad spectrum of the genre that includes: early/new reader books, picture books, chapter books, board books, juvenile fiction,  young adult fiction, and various sub-headings I am sure I have not touched upon. This is the ultimate undiscovered frontier whereupon a reader of any age can pick up where they first left off and jettison back into the age of childhood adventure and enable them to pass on what they find to anyone who appreciates the quality of story mixed with the exuberance of our growing years. Literacy is a lifelong pursuit which blissfully can begin at any chapter of our living years.

It ought to be noted, that my curious foothold into Children’s Literature at the tail-end of my twenties began ever so innocently as I wanted to be in a position to recommend titles to my nieces and nephews, inasmuch as my future children. I may or may not have succeeded in my original endeavour but what a testament I can attest in ‘discovering’ a sliver of blissitude in my eager pursuit of ‘the next wicked sweet Children’s Lit’ which fancies my eye, whet’s my appetite for imaginative bliss, and carves out a niche in my heart for the characters I am soon to be acquainted and happily well-known.

{*NOTE: The link behind the titles will jump you to the review of my impression of the book after I read it whereas the link behind the author’s name will catapult you to the author’s direct website. Further still, it should be reflected that nearly all the books I am discovering now were happily first seen contained within my local library’s card catalogue. If my memory serves otherwise to note of a book specifically found on ‘the shelf’ of a big box book shoppe OR that of an indie book shoppe, I shall make that notation on the review.}

Library badge provided by Squeesome Designs and used with permission.I shall always direct readers to go straight to their local library at full speed ahead — such an act will result in a hearty stack of books which might topple out of one’s arms if a canvas sack or any reusable bag is not carried in ahead of standing gobsmacked at the enormity of the selections that await you! Simply said: Libraries rock my world, what are you waiting for to seek out one near you?

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

A sampling of the Books of my Growing Years:

{all of which I still stand by as being as well received today as they were then, as time stands still clasped in a suspended stasis in certain things during our lifetimes, and the importance of story and character held within the cherished books of our youth is one such existence of suspension}

Most of the links per authors listed here will direct you to the Wikipedia page about them, as I could not find a contemporary site to share. IF you’d like to travel down memory lane for your own reading adventures, scope out this page to read through Children Literature Authors.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Books I am Discovering Now:

Prior to a new local library {1999-2009}: {whereupon I had to lean on big box book shoppes to chart new territory and re-immerse myself in a corner of literature I had not walked in quite awhile, as far as picking up the books and actually ‘reading them’ verse acknowledging the changing styles and formats by which the books populate on the shelves, which emerging authors were becoming mainstays, and how very frustrated a lot of young people were in knowing which book on the shelf might implore them to seek out. I personally would have preferred a lovely indie in my backyard, but fear not, dear readers, you make do with what you have in front of you!}

*NOTE: These {*} are titles that I knew of growing up but for one reason OR the other did not read. I could have perhaps watched a motion picture adaptation of the work OR a tv series of the work in lieu of the actual books. I always meant to read them, and I still plan on doing just that!

Thereafter and henceforth onward {2009+}: {I am forever grateful that we live in an age where the ‘card catalogue’ has gone virtual whereupon the intrepid literary wanderer such as myself, can log on ‘nearly at any given hour’ (nearly here refers to the fact most library catalogues shut down after the midnight hours, which is angst for night owls everywhere!) and where your happily able to roam the ‘stacks’ which might per se be contained at five separate branches within your library system? Save the petrol, go virtual!}

Read about why I am committed to seeking out #EqualityInLit whilst supporting the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Literary Wanderer badge with self quote by Jorie made in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Kamil Lehmann

{ This list is a compliment to my Story Vault }

Stories of Middle Grade

{ links route to reviews if their on the “titles” }

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Stories of Young Adult

{ links route to reviews if their on the “titles” }

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Picture Books OR Early Reader | Chapter Books:

{ links route to reviews if their on the “titles” }

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

[content warning]

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

I am particularly concerned about explicit vulgarity inclusive to certain novels within the Young Adult & New Adult genres due to how unnecessary I feel they are to be included at all. I am also keen on not seeing excessive violence and violently graphic sequences included in any work of Children’s Literature irregardless of where it ends up on the bookshelf.

I believe all works of Children’s Literature should be ‘clean reads’ for young & developing minds to not only draw empathy out of the life lessons within the stories but to encourage a better tomorrow for the generations growing up in today’s world. The fact that strong language was always heard on school grounds when I was growing up and moreso today, does not constitute a need to include the street language that is so very rampantly inclusive to stories within certain age brackets.

Part of reading is to better ourselves and the world view we have of the outside world past our homes and personal environments – why then not learn how to better use our own words to describe our thoughts and feelings of everyday life?

Follow my ‘Fly in the Ointment‘ notations to understand where I stand on this growing issue and debate; as I am not limited to hoping to find ‘clean reads’ in Children’s Lit but in Adult Lit as well.

I decided to move these out of my Story Vault due to the Content Warnings.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

 Updated: 2020 March

{SOURCES: Children’s Lit blog badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo. Local Library badge provided by Squeesome Designs (free to use for book bloggers).}

NOTE ON COPYRIGHT:
All writing and content on this blog is of my own creation, unless otherwise attributed and/or sourced. No unauthorized use and/or duplication of writing or content without permission of blog author and owner is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2013-2020.