Anne Fine says there is no hope in modern children’s books
It would seem, and certainly for Anne Fine, that an era of magical children’s books, that were predominantly based on hope, in part by continually providing unrealistic happy endings, have been replaced by on kids bookcases by books where gritty realism is much more common, and over-bearing.
Speaking to The Times at Compelling Novels, Vulnerable Children, an event organised by the umbrella group Children in Scotland for the Edinburgh Book Festival, she commented: “In the Fifties, when a strong child was dealing with difficult circumstances, there was always a rescue at the end of the book and it was always a middle-class rescue. The child would win a scholarship to Roedean or something, and go on to do very well. That was felt to be unrealistic and so there was a move away from that. Books for children became much more concerned with realism, or what we see as realism. But where is the hope? How do we offer them hope within that? It may be that realism has gone too far in literature for children. I am not sure that we are opening doors for children who read these books, or helping them to develop their aspirations.”
The words of the former Children’s Laureate were not universally accepted, and in fact the current incumbent, Anthony Browne, disagreed, he said: “There are both types of endings, happier and unhappier. I prefer open endings. I don’t think we are living in an age of depressing, dark endings. If you look at Jacqueline Wilson, she does deal in gritty realism, but her books don’t lack aspiration.”
Browne also recently changed the ending to his forthcoming book, a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, so that the ending was more positive. “My original version had Goldilocks being chased out of the bears’ house and her ending up on bleak, dark streets. I decided to give it a more ambiguous ending, so now she is running toward something that may or may not be her mother.” He said.
Initial comments on The Times’ piece would indicate that parents are mindful of both, being able to inspire children, but to also give them healthy doses of realism, as to help them deal with difficult issues they may face themselves, either in childhood or later in life.
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