Musings on Good Books in Children’s Lit:

Q:What makes a good book?
A: What your patrons like. Or, in library terms, what circulates well. Unfortunately, this might not include what YOU like, or what your years of grad school work tell you is good literature. Immediate Reward is one of the criteria that guarantees that a person will read. A good portion of what children read is prescribed reading. Prescribed – whether by teacher, parent, or other authority figures – Reading is the opposite of Immediate Reward. Prescribed Reading is not retained beyond the end of the assignment calling for the reading, leads to a negative view of reading, and hinders the development of good reading and comprehension skills. Prescribed Reading causes reading to be something to dread and avoid. But reading based on the interests, background, and desire of the child (Immediate Reward) develops a joy of reading, a yearning to learn more, and good comprehension skills.

Q:How do we figure out what circulates well; what our patrons like?
A: By considering the following: *Ethnicity of the reader
*Lifestyle of the reader
*Socio-economic concerns of the reader
*Interests of the reader

Q: How do we determine these considerations?
A: By engaging and connecting with the individual reader whether by a traditional reference interview, a casual conversation, or observation of reading habits over time.

By gaining a sensitivity towards and understanding of the reading community the library serves by studying census data, previous monthly and annual reports generated by the library, recorded circulation trends, articles from professional journals relating to aspects of the particular community. Equally important is the immersion of the librarian into the community by outreach efforts to schools, churches, day cares; by attending street festivals, block parties and other events in the community; by eating at local dining establishments; shopping locally; by walking the neighborhood; by being open and approachable at the library and outside the library.

Bottom Line: “When we read words that have meaning for us, we know ‘it’s worth it.’” (Jacobs & Tunnel, Children’s Literature, Briefly. 2000. p.5). The challenge to the librarian is to create a collection that allows as many patrons as possible to have this experience.