| Writing for children, whether poetry or prose, | | | | trap. When we write for adults and the topic is |
| requires a different perspective. Generations were | | | | children (something they have done or said), the |
| raised on nursery rhymes and Mother Goose. | | | | writing is geared to a adult's perspective.4. A |
| Now we can add Dr. Seuss to that list of those | | | | lesson or moral that may be included should not |
| who appeal to children of all ages.Little boy blue, | | | | "preachy." A lesson learned without it being |
| come blow your horn. | | | | shoved down the reader's or listener's throat is |
| The cow's in the meadow. The sheep's in the | | | | easier to swallow. Every story or poem needs a |
| corn. | | | | theme, though, even if a lesson or moral doesn't |
| But where is the little boy who looks after the | | | | naturally occur in the item.5. Anything written for |
| sheep? | | | | children should have needed punctuation, have |
| He's under the hay stack, fast asleep. | | | | correct spelling, and be grammatically correct. Like |
| ~ Mother GooseLet's discuss what is necessary | | | | it or not, children learn from everything they read |
| to make writing uniquely for children.Children have | | | | and hear read to them. We are "teaching" when |
| likes and dislikes as varied as there are children. | | | | we write. Hopefully we won't teach the wrong |
| However they do have a few things in common.1. | | | | things.6. What we write should be appropriate for |
| For poetry, children enjoy rhymes, and the | | | | the audience, the age group for whom we are |
| younger the child, the more he likes simple | | | | writing. We want children to enjoy our poems or |
| rhymes. The rhymes, though, should not be | | | | stories, not be frightened or exposed to ideas too |
| forced. They should flow smoothly and without | | | | mature for them, nor should they be expected to |
| twists and turns of lines to provide a rhyme. Also | | | | read things that are just stupid. Many children find |
| unneeded material shouldn't be inserted to provide | | | | bodily functions funny, but that doesn't mean such |
| a rhyme. Hmmmm . . . that is true of all poetry. | | | | functions make good topics for children's |
| Forced rhymes distract from the poetry, | | | | literature.7. Some people believe that writings for |
| weakens the writing.2. Children should not be | | | | children can be about anything and don't have to |
| "spoken down to," nor should the vocabulary be | | | | be high quality. If anything, any thing written for |
| too far above their understanding. New | | | | children should be of the highest quality.8. Then |
| vocabulary can be introduced by giving a meaning | | | | we must add a large dose of imagination.The tips |
| in the context of the poetry or story. Sometimes | | | | I've shared are the ones I learn from courses, |
| a vocabulary can be added at the end of a story | | | | workshops, and experience with writing for |
| or poem, if needed.3. Poetry and stories should be | | | | children. We need to remember that children are |
| written from a child's perspective. That doesn't | | | | people, too, and have likes and dislikes. |
| mean that the narrator has to be a child, but that | | | | Sometimes we have to experiment and test our |
| the writing is written from a child's point of view | | | | writing on real, live little people.Vivian Gilbert Zabel |
| and interest level. The piece should be for children, | | | | taught English, composition, and creative writing |
| not necessarily about children.Many poems and | | | | for twenty-five years, honing her skills as she |
| stories are written about children but for adults to | | | | studied and taught. |
| enjoy. We need to be careful not to fall into that | | | | |