Comments on: What Makes a Book Good?

By: Roth

Roth — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 05:43:59 +0000

Not to insult your article, but some kids learn to READ off of books in your “bad list.” Hell, Harry Potter is a literary stepping-stone for some children.

By: C. Over

C. Over — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 20:26:00 +0000

I think you’re crazy. I love to read and have read more books on your bad list than your good list. Have you actually read all the books you are criticising?
I found this website becase I am giving a speech for speech class praising the Harry Potter books as good children’s books, and i was looking for a list of criteria for good books. I notice that the Harry Potter books fit criteria a,b,c,eand f for literary quality; it doesn’t fit d because it is not a historical book. And for the suitability questions I would give it a-yes, b-no, c-no, d-no, and e-no, which seem to me to be the appropriate answers.
Not only classical books are good. Some of the sorter series are wonderful for children because they can learn to read them themselves. It is also not bad for children to read things about controversial issues. Maybe you should suggest talking to your children about they read instead of restricting their reading list.

By: N. Hols

N. Hols — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 22:04:52 +0000

This is perhaps one of the most absurd articles i’ve ever read. Lets take a look at it shall we?

In paragraph two you state “We must learn to evaluate literature ourselves.” I agree wholeheartedly with that statement, however how you proceed is where things start to muddle. Next you say “This means we must actually read some good literature. It’s like playing an instrument – practicing many pieces of good music will help us to develop a taste for what is good.” What??? First you tell us we need to establish what is good on our own, then go on to say we need to mold our tastes to what others have told us is good? The implication that in order to know what is good, we have to have read “good books.” So we have to be told first what is good to understand in the future what we should and should not allow our children to read? I dont know about you, but i have always thought about the term “good” as relative. This would mean that was it “good” for some is not “good” for others. Sounds as though conforming to social norms is what you are preaching here.

Then, after listing the questions that we should “ask ourselves when reading” (even though we only know the answer once already told what is good) you go on to say “Our children need to be informed, but not in a way which gives them an appetite for the world and its ways.” This again sounds as though you are inforcing an opinion on your readers. I personally believe that my child should become acllimated to some of the more touchy issues in society early, as to prevent the sheltered, more pretentious behaviors that are commonly exhibited in the sheltered children.

I understand that when reading an article, you dont have to agree with everything mentioned, but perhaps you should not state things as fact that are, indeed, your opinion. There is no psychological backing to your argument, nor is there any to mine as that matter, however i do not state things such as “is better for our children.”
People should have the right to choose what their children should read, and your outright bashing of books on your unsuitable list is atrocious. Perhaps you should rething the wording throughout much of your article.

By: j.engh

j.engh — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 18:04:05 +0000

When you list these books for children, at what age are you beginning? I read the Mercer Mayer books and a shortened revised version of the Disney books to my 3 yr old daughter. What books, aside from what you listed, do you recommend for toddlers?

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Do a search of the archives of the Trivium E-Letter and you will find lists of books for age 4 and under. Laurie

By: Jennifer G

Jennifer G — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 23:25:25 +0000

I’ve been trying to get a hold of a Tom Swift book to check out quality…perhaps you can save me the effort. Is it inapropriate or just poor quality?

Also, I highly recommend Hand that Rocks the Cradle by Nathanial Bluedorn. It’s excellent and we haven’t found a single book yet that isn’t absolutely wonderful!

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Tom Swift is similar to Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys — suitable perhaps for a child just learning to read or to get a child interested in reading, but the literary quality is not the best. Laurie

By: Lea

Lea — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 17:37:30 +0000

Sower series? I assume it is not that it is inappropriate for children? Is there a problem with the literary quality? (We are looking for good biographies to read together.)

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The Sower series is not inappropriate for children, but we would suggest that the literary quality is not the best. Laurie