...is an own world for
itself. It’s one of the most beautiful and magical periods of our lives (of
course there are many, many unfortunate children out there but that would take
a lot more time to cover…).
At that age you believe you can be
anybody even anything and do limitless things. Each child creates a unique
world with themselves as the main character. This world is very much based on
other influences such as parents and family and the words they speak, their
friends and everyday experiences (which can be easily turned into great
adventures) or what they see on TV and of course read in books.
They work with all their senses and
gather various ingredients to bake a cake of childhood. On the one hand, they’re
like a sponge – absorbing everything around them. And on the other hand,
however, they’re very fragile and the least disturbing event, word, or image
can add a bitter flavour to their cake. It can lose its coherence and burst
like a bubble. Recreating it is hard work.
Sometimes, as it happens, a person
comes and eats their cake, leaving them standing unprepared on the threshold of
adulthood. Other times, they’re enjoying their cake too long, saving the last
bit, unwilling to accept that it should have already been eaten.
I think that children’s literature
is very important because it both shapes and entertains children. There’s space
for them to both get lost in the worlds behind the words, and to receive the
moral of the story in a nice subtly wrapped–up bundle. Therefore, authors of children’s
literature should choose their words carefully and wisely.
