More violence in books for children and young people – Västerbotten Courier

Culture Telegram Books for young people are becoming more violent. The recent data from the Swedish children’s institute annual bokprovning. To some extent, the trend is also to track the books aimed at younger children.

Facts

the survey shows that it was given out 2089 children’s books in 2015. There is a new record. The issue is increasing for the sixth consecutive year. The explanation for the rising curve is believed to be the new simplified publishing services and self-publishing. Another reason may be that the Pisa report data from 2013 impaired reading comprehension in young still creates echoes of both publishers and parents. While the number of titles skyrockets, so does the sales.

Picture books are the largest category, the smallest categories are poetry and drama. 56 percent of the published books are Swedish, 44 percent are translated. Among the books translated English dominates large

A clear majority of the people behind the rise the published books, Swedish and translated, are women. 2015 was a little over half of the main characters in the books girls.

Bokprovningen was implemented first time in 1994.

In 2014 hamsters and secrets two trends regarding the contents of books for children and young people. 2015 instead of violence emerged as a significant recurring theme.

– The books are violent. Violence has become coarser. Sure, there have been violent before, but it has definitely increased, says Sofia Gydemo, librarian at the Children’s Institute.

Several explanations

The violence is predominantly found in the titles aimed at young people. To some extent it is found also in the age books. The books intended for the youngest children, violence is rare, but it exists.

Maria Nilsson, a lecturer in literature at Linnaeus University, believes the trend has several explanations.

– partly reflects it, of course, that we live in a troubled world that is characterized by very much visible violence. First, we have a popular culture that has become more violent. It is contagious. I usually talk about a “Game of Thrones” effect that can be seen in young people’s literature, says Maria Nilsson.

She also wants to emphasize the importance of young people’s literature increasingly approached adult literature.

– We have stretched the boundaries of the topics covered in the young people’s literature.

Identification

in an article entitled “Why the Best kids Books are Written in blood “, published in the Wall Street Journal, argues the author Sherman Alexie to violence may be important to portray as many children and young people today carry the gruesome experiences. It keeps Maria Nilsson with.

– They need to have their experiences reflected in the literature. It involves identification.

According bokprovningen included Jessica Schiefauers novel “When the dogs come” in the violence trend. Love Story, which received the August Prize in 2015, set in an unnamed Swedish small town is shaken to its foundations when a young man kicked to death.

– I have chosen to write about violence in my books to the is something that exists in reality. Children and young people are exposed to violence and putting each other into violence. So it is good that the literature recognizes that there is, says Jessica Schiefauer.

Severe Managed topic

She stresses that she is careful not to glorify violence, something that requires careful balance. As part of this, says Jessica Schiefauer that she has chosen not to portray any ongoing violence and instead focus on the consequences of violence.

– Violence is extremely difficult to manage topic because it is so fraught. Therefore, it is interesting. All keep hearing that violence is wrong, yet there are everywhere. It fascinates me.