Good Books and Beowulf

Today I took the kids to the library (actually 2 libraries), in search of some really great, well-written old books.
One of the books I was actively looking for was ‘Tom’s Midnight Garden’ by Phillipa Pearce. I remember reading this book when I was very young and absolutely loving it, but I had forgotten the title as I got older and only remembered it again when I saw it on a recommended booklist several weeks ago. There are no two ways about it. This book HAS to be read to my kids:).
I also had a really great discussion with an older librarian here about the recent trend in watered down, overly simplistic childrens’ books. This woman I was speaking to has always been a diehard advocate of quality books in libraries, and believes that the greater majority of what is now published for children is basically all-fluff and no substance, with too much emphasis on elaborate illustrations at the expense of the story itself. I have noticed this problem the last few years myself when we brought home new books for the kids to read. The pictures looked absolutely incredible on the shelf and the boys gravitated toward them instantly, but once we got home and read them they were almost always disappointed because the quality of the text was so poor, and they never got picked up again until they were brought back to the library and stuck down the chute.
I am thinking lately that this drop in book quality has something to do with societal trends. Children today have an attention span that is approximately 1/16th of what it was even a century ago due to the invention of television, video games, and other distractions. I imagine that publishers today are catering to short, thematically simple books in lieu of the longer, more detailed ones for obvious reasons. Picture books in particular have illustrations that either overwhelm the text or completely obliterate it lately, and the quality of stories in these books is so poor that it is a wonder they are able to turn a profit at all:(. Of course I don’t want to say that there is something wrong with illustrations because there absolutely isn’t. What I think I have a problem with is the replacement of content with pictures. In the era of ‘throw-away’ culture it seems that these books aren’t MEANT to last for generations or be meaningful—they are meant simply to grab the attention of an adult or child, get purchased ASAP, and then sit on the shelf gathering dust for the rest of their lives after that. Of course, there have been a few children’s books coming out that have been good quality recently. The Captain Underpants Series were positively hysterical IMO, and the kids have literally worn them out with repeated readings, re-readings, and knock down fits of gut-wrenching hysterics. Also, who can forget the inimitable Harry Potter Series (yet another series:-)), which has inspired MANY a formerly lackadaisical reader over the past few years? There are some great new contributions to children’s literature out there, but sadly they are few and far between compared with the sheer volume that is produced every year.
Anyhow, here is an old book that I took out tonight that I absolutely love. It is called ‘The Story of Beowulf’ by Strafford Riggs, and it was written as a retelling of the original epic in 1933. I have worn myself out trying to find this book online and in various bookstores, but from what I have been able to tell it is hopelessly out of date and next to impossible to locate. I guess I’ll just have to content myself with taking it out of the library whenever I get a hankering to read it to myself or the kids. Or just myself, LOL. Such is the way of the world.
Here is a picture of this wonderful book. (Clearly I am an UN-skilled photographer in addition to being unable to find rare books, but I’m sure you get the idea:)).

So in honor of old, quality books with few pictures but a wealth of words today, I have decided to end this post by quoting one of the very best parts of the Beowulf story, the last chapter where he dies a hero’s death after many great and heroic deeds ( but didn’t die tragically because he did what he had wanted to in life and left an inspiration that renewed the lives of everyone else).

“Now, at the last, Beowulf was laid upon the sweet-scented pyre, and all about him were heaped countless treasures from the dragon’s mound. Then Wiglaf approached with two flaming torches, to do the dead king honor. Proclaiming the greatness of his dear lord, he held high above his head the flares and plunged them into the pyre. The flames leaped up, staining crimson the dark night, and so great was the glare from the burning that the stars put out their light, and the sea stopped its sad mourning.
Higher and higher rose the flames and with them the lamentations of the people. And the noble earls took up again their sad marching about the burning pyre, and all night long they marched, until at long last there was nothing left of the pyre but a high mound of gray ashes in the gray dawn.
Thus passed to his own gods Beowulf, King of Geatsland, in the North.”

Best to all,
Anonymom:)