The hottest Children's literature Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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When Do We Give Up on Writing?

Unmapped Storylands with Elif Shafak • 15613 implied HN points • 06 Oct 24
📚 Literature Creative Writing Literary Criticism Storytelling Children's literature Philosophy
  1. Writing often takes us to a quiet, lonely place where we can be creative, but once we share our work, our lives can become busy and public.
  2. Many people stop calling themselves writers or artists as they grow up because they fear judgment and criticism from others.
  3. We shouldn't let the fear of what others think keep us from expressing ourselves. It's important to hold onto our creativity and remember the joy of storytelling.

Interlude: The Problem With The Boxcar Children Is They Never Got To Spend Enough Time In The Boxcar

The Chatner • 1297 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
📚 Literature Children's literature Analysis Authors Novels Character development
  1. The Boxcar Children only lived in the boxcar in the first book and never returned to it in the series.
  2. The children should have spent more time living in the boxcar and maintaining their independence.
  3. The boxcar symbolizes a lost home and true happiness for The Boxcar Children, which they can never fully reclaim.

The English writer who colonized young Indian readers

The Global Jigsaw • 138 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Children's literature Cultural influence Childhood Globalization
  1. Enid Blyton's books were popular in India because they were easily available in English during a time when options were limited.
  2. Reading Blyton's stories allowed Indian children to imagine a different world and travel to distant places without leaving their homes.
  3. Younger generations today may not connect with Blyton's tales due to different experiences, preferences, and access to diverse reading materials.

The Cat in the HatGPT

Data People Etc. • 124 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Children's literature Digital Art Visual storytelling Character design Illustration
  1. The Cat in the HatGPT offers a unique perspective on the balance between excitement and responsibility.
  2. It highlights the clash between hype beasts who thrive on trends and cynics who resist change.
  3. Ultimately, the story prompts reflection on the influence of external pressures and the role of love in navigating the hype cycle.

Roald Dahl vs The Twits

diabolical • 98 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Literature Children's literature Censorship Marketing
  1. Puffin Books and the Roald Dahl estate made controversial changes to classic children's novels to increase sales, leading to backlash.
  2. This controversy around editing beloved books has sparked bipartisan outrage and debates on censorship and artistic integrity.
  3. The marketing strategy of creating controversy, selling original versions, then releasing a 'Classic Collection' showcases how profit can be made from consumer choice and outrage.
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The Wuzzle Economists

The Questioner • 39 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🚌 Education Economics Children's literature
  1. The Wuzzles are creatures from a distant planet with a unique economic system based on sharing and caring
  2. The Wuzzle economists measure their planet's success using a metric called GDP, which is based on snit-giving
  3. The story humorously highlights the interconnectedness of destruction, joy, and economic growth in the Wuzzle society

Special report: Roald Dahl

Weekend Collection • 0 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
📚 Literature Authors Children's literature
  1. Recent edits made to Roald Dahl's books by publishers have sparked internet controversy.
  2. To learn more about Roald Dahl, check out articles by Colin Burrow in the LRB and Joyce Carol Oates in the NYRB.
  3. Reflect on the influence of Dahl's character on his children's books and whether they are authentic representations.

Joe Iovino: Neoliberal Children's Books

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 15 Feb 22
🎭️ Culture Children's Books Children's literature
  1. Children's books have changed, with a rise in books by political figures for kids, often serving propaganda-like purposes.
  2. Two major categories include the Hagiographic Style that glorifies figures and the Friendship Style that simplifies morals in a cartoonish way.
  3. Conservative figures have created their own publishing ecosystem for children's books, more focused on influencing young minds compared to their liberal counterparts.