Children’s Books Grow Up

With the simple goal of helping people break into the field of children’s books, Lin Oliver and Stephen Mooser founded the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators in 1971.

The national organization, now with 12,000 members, will hold its annual conference Saturday through Aug. 10 at the Century Plaza Hotel, with lectures, workshops and consultations on manuscripts and art.

Oliver, 50, the group’s executive director, has written and produced children’s films, television programs, videos and books, including a TV sitcom, “Harry and the Hendersons,” and a series of picture books on “Great Railway Adventures.”

At the group’s headquarters in Los Angeles, she talked recently about the world of children’s books.

Q: Tell me about some of the trends you see in today’s children’s book industry. Do you see, for example, a growth in ethnic literature?

A: Multiculturalism is an enormous trend and long overdue, disgracefully overdue. I think it’s only in the last 10 years that [multiculturalism] has started to become more of a mainstream aspect of publishing. What it’s doing--and it’s just really starting to do this--is bringing writers and illustrators into the fold who come from much more diverse backgrounds.

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Q: You mentioned that you think children’s books have grown more sophisticated over the years. Why do you think that happened?

A: I think people who are raising children now are people born during the baby boom, in the late ‘40s and ‘50s. That was a very successful generation, a generation that had income, in general. I think people waited a little later in life to have their children, with working mothers who had established careers, so the kind of book they’re demanding will naturally be more sophisticated.

I also think we’ve become more aware of the psychological development of our children. That produces a different kind of story, with a little more character depth. I think we’re all aware that part of the function of a children’s book is to help the child see the world. I don’t think a lot of the books being created in the ‘40s and ‘50s, by and large, the popular books, had that as a goal. There are a lot of books now about the death of a grandparent or moving, which is a big trauma for children, or a new baby being born, having a bad day.

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Q: So you think there’s more of a willingness to talk about those tougher issues?

A: I think there’s a different honesty. The book that won the Caldecott [Medal] a few years ago was called “Smoky Night.” It’s written by Eve Bunting, and David Diaz is the illustrator. It’s about the night after the L.A. riots. That isn’t a book that ever would have been done 20 to 25 years ago. But because we’re willing to acknowledge we have racial problems and issues in our society and that just because you’re 5 doesn’t mean you don’t know this, a book like that was able to be published.

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Q: It seems as though some of the TV shows and pop culture things kids are into today, such as the Power Rangers, carry a certain degree of violence. How has the children’s book industry dealt with authors who include violence in their books?

A: There have been a number of children’s books that deal with violent issues, but more for the middle grades and young adults. There’s a seminal book called “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier, a very famous children’s book, and it’s tough. It deals with gang violence, and it doesn’t have a happy ending. So in that regard, certainly, the children’s book field has its share of violence, mainly for older kids, but I think the difference is it’s almost always presented responsibly, with the consequences.

There are certain factions of society that believe in censorship of children’s books that show violence or sex or supernatural stuff and, in our estimation, it’s not whether or not it’s portrayed, but in what way.

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Q: At your upcoming conference, one of the panels is titled, “Can You Make a Living in Children’s Publishing?” Well, can you?

A: Some people do, but most people don’t. There’s a group at the very top who do really, really well. When you are a successful children’s book writer, your books sell year after year after year. There are also a lot of people who use it as supplemental income.

If your first and primary goal is to make a ton of money, then you should buy a car dealership.

But [the children’s book field] is a wonderful field to be involved in. You find a group of people you don’t find anywhere else.

For more information on the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators or its upcoming conference, call the L.A. headquarters at (323) 782-1010 or visit its Web site at https://www.scbwi.org.

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