Eeny, meeny, miney, mo... do these books have to go?
I picked up a copy of The Times dated Friday 13 at Bangkok Aiport on our way home to NZ at the weekend and was taken by this illustration and story.
Bestselling author, and former children's laureate, Anne Fine, argues that rewriting books to reflect changing times, as she has done with her own work, is better than prohibition. Have a read and see what you think. She argues her case well.
Anne Fine has her own website. And this is the Wikipedia website for her.
2 comments:
One of my favourite stories as a child was Little Black Mingo which featured the kerosene tin, matches and the exploding crocodile scene. I was absolutely fascinated by that picture and the story around it. Not disturbed just fascinated. Actually I was reminded of it on Saturday when I opened up the latest NZ Listener and there was a child's illustration of human being after being hit in a road accident. Just like Helen Bannerman's - with bits of limb everywhere. She dealt so cleverly with themes around danger...fascinating stuff.
They were definitely books of their time though. Fine to rewrite them so long as the originals don't get censored out of existence.
Lee
Well put Lee, you have hit the nail on the head. I totally agree with you.
And of course we have a noted NZ writer who has been,somewhat controversely, re-writing some of his earlier work.I refer to Witi Ihimaera.
Post a Comment