When we ponder the reasons that children choose to read fiction, entertainment would probably be high on the list. I would however argue, that while children may not fully realize it, what they're also really longing for is a sense of being loved and accepted. I know that was the case for me when I was a child.
During these dark days filled with medical, political, racial, and economic challenges, it's even more important for writers to reflect on being relevant in our writing - children need and want it so much.
While the children's book community has made real progress with regard to diversity, I believe that it needs to be expanded upon - in a more broad sense - to include love, kindness, and empathy, in every story we write. I'm not talking about pushing our pens to preach to children; I'm talking about creating characters that discover the importance of love, kindness, and empathy as our stories unfold. Because our country - and really the world - is in such a state of turmoil, children are receiving numerous negative examples of human behavior, whether it's online or via their television sets. Quality children's books can be important examples of honest, healthy, human behavior for young people, especially right now amidst all the chaos.
Our task is to offer them positive stories that inspire and inform.
So, while Valentine's Day is a day that we celebrate romantic love, I would offer that it's also a good day to remind ourselves - as writers - that children are reading books to find a sense of love in our stories.
Happy Valentine's Day!
