Politics for preschoolers

Children seldom see political messages in picture books. Even the strong pro-peace and cooperation messages of Dr. Seuss often pass them by although adults are strongly conscious of them. And the emphasis on equality and ecological issues in many modern picture books don't add much to their appeal. But the liberal emphasis in many children's books have not escaped the notice of conservative writers who want to shift the point of view to extol more traditional conservative values. Writing in the Boston Globe, Tom Scocca discusses several of the latest offerings by conservative writers. A number of writers immersed in Washington politics have turned their attention to writing for children, among them Lyn Cheney and William Bennett, both of whom try to counter what they see as a liberal bias in most books for children. Librarians, parents and teachers should be aware of the politics of the books they offer as well as of the stories. There is nothing wrong with extolling the political views of various groups of Americans, but the story and presentation will always be most important to children and should take precedence for book selectors too. A well-balanced collection is the goal of any public or school library and neither the political attitudes of authors nor those of the librarian should dictate which books will be chosen. We can take comfort in knowing that children presented with a wide range of materials have the best chance of developing reasoned preferences both in books and in politics as they grow up.