"We're both huge readers, with a house full of books, and we plan to read to our baby from birth, so naturally many of our friends and family members are giving us picture books. The problem is that most of these people are very progressive, like us, but lack experience with young kids. The books they choose tend to be focused on social messaging and education, and are largely boring, preachy, and (in my opinion) badly illustrated; they tend toward the garish and oversimplified, while I strongly prefer more intricate, fantastic, and old-fashioned art."
"We would rather teach our kids lessons through real-world observation and conversations. Would it be better to point people towards the kinds of books we prefer, or ask for bookstore gift certificates instead? Or should we just graciously accept the gifts and say nothing? If the latter, would it be wrong to donate these books, or trade them in for used-bookstore credit, instead of keeping them?"
A couple expecting their first child are avid readers planning to read from birth, and many friends and family are gifting picture books. The couple finds most gifted books focused on social messaging and education, and describes them as boring, preachy, and often badly illustrated. One partner strongly prefers intricate, fantastic, old-fashioned art; the other agrees the stories are boring but cares less about illustration. The couple prefers teaching lessons through real-world observation and conversation and asks whether to steer gift-givers toward preferred books or request bookstore gift certificates, or to accept and later donate or trade unwanted books. The response begins by noting that most of the child's library will come from the parents and that parents will have the greatest influence on literary and artistic development until the teenage years.
Read at Slate Magazine
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