Friday, June 16, 2006

Disney

Yes, Jacinda, it is true I had a few unkind words to say about Disney books when I was teaching children's literature. I do not retract any of them; however, now that I am a grandmother, I can see Disney's allure to children. My grandchildren are caught up in the princess mode as are most girls of their age. And what does Disney offer them? Books, videos, DVDs, large and small dolls, dresses, shoes, tiaras, and who knows what else. The Disney group has uncanny success with tapping into whatever children of America want. It has been fun to watch Maddie and Ella dress up endlessly pretending to be princesses.

No, their books are not literature, but their products and inventions have provided entertainment to thousands of children. No, I do not expect that parents will quit buying their books, but I do wish if parents buy the Disney Cinderella book that they would also buy a book with the "real" story so that children are not caught up short when they find out that birds did peck out the eyes of the wicked stepsisters.Of course, there is no real story because the Grimms, from whom many of the old stories came, simply stole the stories of nannies, grandmothers, and babysitters for their books. Or they made up the stories altogether.

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