Twaddle...

I have mix feelings about it. I guess I should first define how Charlotte defined it:

Twaddle--Inferior books without any depth of thought. They have been dumbed down supposedly to suit the child's level. They have no real merit other than possibly a moment's of entertainment, but the brain and the imagination are not exercised in reading these books.

There are some books that firmly fall into this category for me. The books I cringe at upon sight, the books with dull illustrations, watered down words, and most of all the books that talk down to me and my children. Most character books fall into this category, as well as a ton of the early readers.

I almost always choose books carefully. Avoiding those types of twaddle and instead feed my children on beautiful, exciting life enhancing books. Charlotte defined them as living.

Living Books --Books that are so engaging you don't want to put them down. Your children will beg for "just one more chapter." And you, the adult, even enjoy living books. They are classic. When the book ends, you feel sorry that there is not more. These books engage your thoughts and imagination with the vivid narrative and realistically portrayed characters.

I guess here is where my conundrum lies. Are all books this or that? With small children don't picture books have a place?

A few good examples are Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. They are our beloved friends. I could lose an afternoon with my children cuddled up giggling about the creatures they envision, or the circumstance our current main character is in. They are full of made-up words, and fanciful ideas; very twaddlish. But, most of them have deeper meaning that my children ponder, spark their imaginations, and are well written (be it with words of fancy). So are they twaddle or not?

I wonder how Charlotte would see them if she had a 21th century eye. Would she approve?

At the end of the day, I guess it doesn't matter. There are some fanciful works that will always stay on my bookshelf. Some books I keep just in case we need a good giggle to lighten the mood. Some of those very books I'm sure are twaddle- yet they help improve the quality of a bad day; so they stay. Many other trusted friends fall in the in between but our love and enjoyment of them make them keepers. True twaddle, and any other books we don't enjoy (yes, even highly suggested living books from time to time) get tossed because as Charlotte said:

The children must enjoy the book. The ideas it holds must each make that sudden, delightful impact upon their minds, must cause that intellectual stir, which mark the inception of an idea. (Vol. 3 Chapter 16 How to Use School-Books, p.178)

and

Therefore, the selection of their first lesson-books is a matter of grave importance, because it rests with these to give children the idea that knowledge is supremely attractive and that reading is delightful. Once the habit of reading his lesson-book with delight is set up in a child, his education is--not completed, but--ensured; he will go on for himself in spite of the obstructions which school too commonly throws in his way.
(Vol. 1 Part VIII--Reading for Older Children, p.229)