Putting Book Hussies In Their Place

I couldn't resist linking you to a recent delicious rant at Book Buds that takes firmly to task those titles that outfit themselves in sparkles and trinkets so as to attract the child-reader eye. Here's a snippet of some of Anne Levy's choice phrases:

These books can dress up like a skank ho, with doodads pouring out of their shrink wrapping like muffin tops over low-rise jeans.

and...

They tumble onto the kitchen table, bright and loud and clashing, clamoring for my children’s attention, whispering sour nothings with their awkward meter, near-miss rhymes or “activities” that occupy some time but few brain cells.

and...

Oh, sure, I come across many quaint, traditional stories with such outmoded “features” as character arcs, plots, metaphor, subtext and even big words. They’re the Bohemian literary types renting a fifth-floor walk-up and subsisting on Ramen Supreme while the Value Addeds make all the money and fret about being properly accessorized.

Ooooo! I just love it when she gets angry! This all reminds me of that recent Book Standard article that spoke about "reinvigorating" the picture book industry. Give 'em hell, Anne!