Writer's Block

Reconsidering Children's Books

Have you ever gone back and re-read a book you loved as a child only to find it incredibly disturbing now that you're an adult? Like The Giving Tree, for example: a terrifying tale of self-sacrifice or a reassuring story of maternal love?

fayanora Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books
Come on over to ljswritersblock, the new archive community for old Writer's Block questions!
 
juggajuggalette Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books
Haha! My sister and I were JUST talking about this the other day. About how when we were little we LOVED Dr. Seuss books. But that now we're older and go read one, it's like "Waaaaaaiiiiiiit
 
skitts93 Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books
Green Angel was my favorite book when I was younger, but I've recently re-read the story and have totally different opinions about it. Originally, I thought it was just about learning to move on
 
buster_fixxitt Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books

Okay, I'd never encountered Shel Silverstein before I met my wife. She read me 'The Giving Tree' and I was absolutely horrified. I was completely gutted by this one. I think I almost threw up.

Probably
 
payapa Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books

It really just depends on your outlook on life. I try to be as optimistic and happy as possible. So this story is beautiful to me. Of course when I was little it wasn't beautiful... It was happy. It d
 
li_bean Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books


Yea, the hungry caterpillar. Wow. How much does that thing want to eat?
 
wiebke Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books

MOST of the books I loved as a kid are rather disturbing but I liked them them and LOVE them now. I was always especially fond of strange drawings, dreary rhymes and violent plots.

Example: Struwwelpe
 
cassiesommers no subject.


i think the giving tree is a perfect example, when i was little, i never really thought too much of it, i just loved shel silversteins drawings and thought the tree was cute. Now when i read it, i jus
 
cookiemab Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books
I so love The Giving Tree. I Read that book countless of time when I was a kid. The Berenstein Bears is one of my favorite Children's book. Oh and Miss Nelson Is Missing too :D
Greeting from Miss Viol
 
sammie_chant Reconsidering Children's Books

Many stories which seem delightful when you're young can seem quite terrifying when you're older....take, for example, the Funnybones (what's that all about, for goodness sake?), or that disturbing ch
 
deadalivedied Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books
Snow White.
They poison a young girl because she is a beautiful person inside and out?
What are they teaching kids?
To be unfair, or wait for a man to kiss them and everything will be better?


Priestess
 
chy_tea Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books
I've read "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott every year since I was in the fourth grade (not counting this year so far, and barely last year, since the copy I've kept for almost eight years
 
lisashafter Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books

This prompted me on a long trail of happy memories. I was raised on the best children's books, from the works of Chris Van Allsburg to the Cat in the Hat. As a child it was my custom to sidle up to Da