Picturebooks Biz Bust

The Sunday papers bring news that publishers' profits from picturebooks are in freefall and that new offerings are to be cut back. Of course, the economy could be part of the problem, but the bigger concern is that young children are being pushed (too soon? by striving "helicopter" parents?) into reading chapter books. "Where the Wild Things Are is a nice enough little book, but it won't get you into Harvard, dear."

Miss Shelved has mixed feelings about this. Undoubtedly, student checkouts of picturebooks has been declining: users tend to be either kindergarteners or staff planning read-alouds. 1st graders are already being urged to move to the easy chapter section. There, readability is controlled, whereas picturebooks, despite their accessibility, may not always be particularly easy to read. It is a bit of a shame that we so quickly push children away from that section. In our zeal to promote literacy, we give the impression that picturebooks are babyish, which, as any aficionado will attest, is far from the case.

On the other hand, in our humble opinion, picturebooks are becoming a lot like baby clothes: the world would probably be able to keep on spinning if no new ones were made for a very long time. So many of these items (whether cutesie-poo dresses or baby bunny books) are of questionable design and quality, outgrown quickly, and not worth revisiting. They are chosen by adults and foisted on children, until the tykes are old enough to begin to form and communicate their own preferences, at which time a few favored items get used repeatedly and others ignored. Granted, there are picturebook staples more in the line with the basic white onesie: used until they fall apart and then replaced with the same again.

Our book order list, even for a small elementary school, will always include at least half a dozen classics being replaced. Recent such titles would include Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, The Lorax, Superhero ABC, and The Little Old Lady Who was not Afraid of Anything. Though the continued health of the publishing business is certainly of concern, we are not too sorry to have perhaps a slightly smaller list from which to choose. Perhaps the onslaught of celebrity titles and unneeded sequels will fade away. Perhaps art quality be become more selective. Here's to a healthy backlist and the best of the new. One can never outgrow a truly beautiful picturebook.