Authors like Lois Lowry make me wonder: exactly what makes a children’s book for children? Sometimes the breadth of children’s books seems to exceed what you find written in many books for adults.
I’m just back from a weeklong vacation; grounds for lots of reading-for-fun. On the plane, I read a book of Lois Lowry’s I’d not seen before: “A Summer for Dying.” This was not a fantasy book, but it held the same rich detail of relationships, situations, and interactions that I associate with “The Giver.” The recent hit movie is bringing renewed interest to Lowry’s books—attention that is hugely deserved.
Lowry is an author I admire a great deal. She is one of those authors whose books you can actually find on library shelves in not just the children’s section, but in the young adult section, and even occasionally the adult fiction section. I’m talking about the same book being catalogued for three different audiences.
Not only is that exceptional, it also encapsulates what my favorite authors do: they reach people’s hearts, minds, and spirits, no matter their age.
Told from the point of view of the younger of two daughters, “A Summer for Dying” weaves a coming-of age plot with the tragic onset of leukemia and death of the elder sister. But the tragedy is softened with the richness of new friendships, pride gained in owning an artistic skill, discoveries about the world, herself, and her family that widen the lens of our focus and leave us with hope for what lies ahead in spite of the family’s loss.
Lowry’s plots and characters are sophisticated, complex, and she doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects. Quite the contrary—the twist in “The Giver” brings huge questions of morality front and center. I admire her immense skill and her courage.
I’d like to hear from you—who are your favorite authors, and why? What makes you love their books? And what, in your opinion, makes a book a “children’s book?” Leave a comment below!
P.S. The Goodreads giveaway drawing to receive a free copy of my book, The Curse of the Neverland is open until the end of June. If you haven’t put in for your chance to win, do it now!