Significance vs. Sentiment
Children’s literature is an important part of childhood. It shapes our thoughts and feelings through emotions that we are just beginning to understand and control at a young age. Some books truly move us, stay with us through adulthood and find a special place in our hearts. When it is time to share these gems with our own children, we hope that they are still available for purchase or borrowing from the library. Every librarian will tell you of patrons coming in and describing a beloved book by its characters or theme hoping the librarian can sleuth out the exact title of this beloved childhood read. Unfortunately, not all titles will still be in print or obtainable in any other place than an antique store or your grandmother’s attic (Book treasures may be hiding in the crawl space above you right now).
Once a children’s book falls out of popularity the chance of it becoming popular again is slim. Even if it is determined to be an important literary read it will have little chance of becoming popular (Stevenson, 1997).
“Children’s literature depends upon a canon of sentiment, and such canons are proof against attempts at academic recovery; the academic curriculum, which is based on a canon of significance, may rediscover the historical significance of a children’s author but can never truly recover it to the literature’s dominant popular canon” (Stevenson, 1997, p. 1).
Charlotte’s Web is in the canon of sentiment. Children of yesterday, who are now the parents of today are introducing their children to books that they have fallen in love with. Charlotte’s Web introduces children to a variety of themes that trigger just that reaction. Who would not fall in love with the big-hearted spider and the helpless pig that face life challenges together? The book is an emotional rollercoaster that leaves permanent track marks on your heart. It has themes that each child can relate to; it is an introduction to life, death, and a lot of in-betweens.
Some Children’s books have the ability to stay on the library shelves year after year and continue to be reprinted, have meaning and are well loved; these books are cherished reads and reread to children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
“The academic canon of significance exists to justify, document, chronicle, or explain. The canon of sentiment exists to preserve-to preserve the childhood of those adults who create that canon and to preserve the affection those adults feel for the books within it” (Stevenson, 1997, p. 2).
Anyone who has had a chance to read Charlotte’s Web will see spiders in a new way. Think about a book that you read in childhood. Is it still in print today? Its appeal has allowed it to be shared with generations of family’s who also fell in love with the story and the emotions it evoked.