Fairytales versus Modern Stories...What to Read?

There are many decisions a person needs to make when it comes to reading, especially to children. Some things a person wonders when it comes to reading is if it is the appropriate book, will the child understand the story, are there too much or too little illustrations, or what is the best time to read. Even as teachers we must think about what is appropriate to read to our class. Reading to a child can eventually seem like a daily task or a job you are not getting paid enough for. When we start approaching reading as a job, the child does not get the initial outcome intended. Nicola Morgan states “reading must be fun, not work” (2000). There are many advantages to reading to a child at any age. Some of the advantages Morgan researched on are:

• “it gives experience of different types of language, rhythms and sounds
• research shows that pre-school children who are exposed to plenty of language (books and conversation) tend to do better at school
  
• it teaches about many topics which wouldn't come up in conversation
• it is a wonderful way to bond with your child
• it is very calming” (2000).
  

Dust Collectors or Beloved Classics
What adults want to read to children and what they should read to children collide in society today. For example, adults want to read the stories they heard when they were younger but instead they read the appropriate books to encourage reading. Today many adults want a child to read at an early age. But book selections has changed to meet the needs of the child. So classic fairytales become dust collectors on the shelves. Those stories are “no longer appropriate to soothe youngsters before bed” (Paton, 2009). In an article about politically correct stories, Graeme Patron did numerous studies with parents and what they chose to read to their children.

The Facts
One survey stated “almost 20 percent of adults say they refused to read Hansel and Gretel because the children were abandoned in a forest - and it may give their own sons and daughters nightmares” (Paton, 2009). Parents today fear reading stories they heard when they were little due to the perception that the world is a lot scarier than it used to be. One example is the simple story of Little Red Riding Hood can give a child nightmares and illusions of a wolf coming to eat them. But who does not think a wolf in grandma's clothes is nothing but funny! Another survey stated “65 per cent of parents preferred to read their children happier tales at bedtime, such as the Mr. Men, The Gruffalo and Winnie the Pooh” (Paton, 2009). They want their child to feel safe and secure, especially when it comes to literature. When you are reading to children, you are “showing your child how reading works” (Morgan, 2000).

What Means More
Why read to children? You run the risk that whatever you read may be politically incorrect. The stories I grew up listening to were ones with the most memorable moments, such as Alice in Wonderland and The Gingerbread Man. Now those stories I grew up on are on a list of what should not be read to children according to Paton. Those stories are the ones with the best morals and values compared to modern stories today. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Winnie the Pooh describes to children what the characters like to eat and what they do from day to day. There are no morals or messages but colorful pictures and happy phrases. Children enjoy those stories because of the colorful pictures because it stimulates their mind.

Read for the Love of Reading
Take for example every person who listened to classic fairytales. I could imagine the very same people watched different movie adaption’s to those stories as well. Look at the story and the Disney film of Alice in Wonderland. Both of these adaptations contained similar facts and meanings. Did prohibiting that movie have a traumatizing affect ? No so why prohibit the story as well? In my opinion those people who watched film adaptations or read a story turned out fine. I sure did because I listen to the classics with the understanding of make-believe. I was never once traumatized or had vivid nightmares of a wolf or a witch coming to get me. The only negative impact the classic fairytales could have is the child would want more of the story. Regardless of a parent's reading selection for a child, the experience, modeling, and language building are important factors. The focus should be on exhibiting the love of reading and any book can do that.

Sources

Morgan, Nicola. (2000). Reading to Babies, Toddlers and Young Children: The Why? The

What? And the How?. The Child Literacy Center. Retrieved on October 3, 2009 from http://www.childliteracy.com/babies.html.

Paton, Graeme. (2009). Traditional Fairytales not PC Enough. The Telegraph. Retrieved on

October 3, 2009 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/4125664/Traditional-fairytales-not-PC-enough-for-parents.html