Quick! What was the last picture book you read? When did you read it? For most individuals in college and beyond, the answer to these questions would most likely involve a book written at least a decade ago that they last picked up at the age of twelve — books like “Corduroy,” “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” or “Goodnight Moon.” And while these books are timeless classics that you should read again to reexamine the morals in their nostalgia-filled pages, it is time to enter the 21st century with your juvenile readership.
Today, the children’s section of your local Barnes & Noble or public library is chock full of books covering topics that an early 2000s baby such as myself would never dream would be depicted in the flashy illustrations of a picture book. Topics that, until recently, sometimes had yet to be accepted by society, let alone mainstream media. These books, some of which I will highlight, discuss ideas such as domestic abuse, emotional regulation and even gender identity and expression. While some might be inclined to label these subjects as “progressive” or “woke,” I would prefer to view them as “revolutionary” and “reflective of a major societal shift” — which I suppose is not as catchy.
Take, for instance, the book “The Rabbit Listened” by Cori Doerrfeld. In this work, Doerrfeld illustrates the story of Taylor, a shy toddler who has just constructed a magnificent tower out of blocks. Not minutes after her behemoth has been completed, a flock of birds swoops down and destroys her structure. The rest of the book follows various animals’ attempts to comfort Taylor, like the chicken’s suggestion that she talk about the incident. None of it helps Taylor feel better, until a rabbit comes along and listens to Taylor process her grief in the way that she wants. Now I ask you, the reader, does this sound like a book that only applies to children? Not at all. The discussion of coping mechanisms and emotional intelligence, paired with the overarching theme of, “Sometimes the best support you can offer someone is just to be there and listen to them,” has an application that extends to all ages. Many other contemporary authors have joined Doerrfeld in her mission to create books that touch upon meaningful and contemporary themes that apply to a broad age range beyond those to which they are marketed.
There are plenty of books that would fall under the category of “self-help” in the literary classification system that present the same notions of emotional vulnerability and support systems from a psychological or sociological perspective. And those books are phenomenal for researching the intricate details of these topics. However, they do not make these ideas nearly as accessible as picture books do. Because picture books are made for younger audiences, they can be understood by people of all ages with all types of cognitive abilities and interests. They have truly become crash courses on modern social, historical and behavioral developments.
Now, I could not possibly write on this topic without addressing the multicolored elephant in the room — politics. In the current political climate, which is polarized in ways that it never has been before, every aspect of social creation cannot escape politicization. This includes picture books. While there have always been political picture books, such as Dr. Seuss’ “Yertle the Turtle,” today’s books are more directly related to hot button issues in the political world. In light of recent book bans across American states, such as the recent removal of books in Florida classrooms that discuss topics such as race or gender, it is clear that the landscape of children’s literature has become a distinctly political one. While certain books may appear to advance or support a certain political ideology, the beauty of reading picture books, like reading anything in this country, is that there are a wide array of books that cover a range of beliefs to choose from. That said, I encourage you to examine picture books that cover topics and perspectives that are unfamiliar to you. I am confident that if those who are concerned with the politicization of children’s books took some time to read a few, they would realize that the knowledge these books present is universal and nonpartisan.
So what are you waiting for? Close your laptop — after checking out a few more Pipe Dream articles, of course — and head down to your local library. Peruse the children’s shelves. Discover, learn and grow. Everyone must take some time to view the materials that will become the building blocks of future generations, just as the books we read as children helped us craft our world today.
Peter Proscia is a junior majoring in English.