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This is a short article I wrote at the invitation of the China Education Daily’s June 1st special issue. Speaking of which, the book “101 Books That Will Captivate Children” is due for a revision and reprint. Here’s the beginning.
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In 2003, with the encouragement and help of some parents and friends, Carrot Inspector and I co-authored the book “101 Books That Will Hook Your Kids.” In it, we recommended over 100 books to children. The exact number is obviously not important; we just wanted to make it more interesting, hence the name “101 Books.”
Back then, we were, at best, children’s book enthusiasts, having discovered this “brave new world” of children’s literature thanks to our own children. With uncontrollable excitement, we wanted to share those playful mud pieces we’d picked up from the garden with everyone, young and old, though we only had a limited understanding of their place in the world of children’s literature. If it were today, I wouldn’t have the courage to revisit such a collection. Fortunately, most of those 101 books also happen to be classics, truly delightful and worth rereading for children and adults alike.
Today, we continue to do this with great joy: striving to bring good books to children, and hoping to help adults find nourishment through these good books. Through continuous learning and experimentation, we’ve accumulated more experience, and here we share some of our thoughts on selecting books for children.
The principles we use to recommend books to children can be roughly summarized into four aspects: making children fascinated; classicism; appropriate versions; moderation and timeliness.
Listing “keep children captivated” as the first principle is likely controversial. Adults typically prioritize excellent, classic, or must-read books. In the preface to that book, I explained this: “Everyone who understands children knows that parents, teachers, children’s reading experts, and children’s literature authors can list a million reasons why children ‘should read’ a book, but children only need one reason to reject it: it’s not fun! This is the classic ‘veto.’ ” This is in terms of practical effectiveness. But I would like to add a more important point: In our culture, both in the past and today, children’s culture is largely undervalued, and this urgently needs to be addressed. Allowing children to fully enjoy the joys of being children is often packaged as “making them happy,” attached to the real purpose of disciplinary education, or cleverly used as a cover for purely commercial offensives. Genuine respect and recognition for children’s culture remains rare.
But what does it mean to “captivate children”? What does it mean to respect and acknowledge them? This isn’t a principle that can be easily articulated; it’s more of a goal we pursue. For example, I can’t help but recommend the Swedish author, Lindgren. Her “Emil the Naughty Boy” is like a masterpiece of child psychology to me, and “Pippi Longstocking” is a symbolic declaration of “childlike nature.” Children truly love such works, then and now, and adults who were once children and still retain their childlike innocence also deeply love them—this is the quality of “captivating children” that we strive to pursue—the word “child” here is more like a symbol, representing children of the past, children of the present, and, if perfect, children of the future.
Only under this premise am I willing to bring out the principle of classicism.
When people think of the word “classic,” they often naturally think of classical Chinese classics, the Four Great Classics, or masterpieces of world literature. In recent years, the promotion of children’s reading in China has led to a growing awareness of the existence of classic children’s literature, and this extends beyond Grimm’s and Andersen’s fairy tales. However, overzealous admiration within a small circle can sometimes lead to the misuse of the term “classic,” such as by touting recent major awards or blockbuster books as classics. Therefore, the phenomenon of a “classic disaster” must be prevented.
I believe a classic children’s book must meet at least two basic criteria: first, it must be old enough, having been passed down through at least two generations, which translates to at least 25 years; and second, it must remain in demand and still be read by children today. Intuitively, it must remain in print and in sales. Given decades of consistent sales, its cumulative sales volume must be quite impressive. But does meeting these two criteria qualify it as a “classic”? I think not. The decision lies with future readers.
Do classics of children’s literature share certain common traits? This remains a difficult question, as the best works are often the most distinctive. American author Alison Lurie offers an interesting perspective in her book The Subversive Power of Children’s Literature: She argues that works recognized as classics of children’s literature were all profoundly subversive of the prevailing values of their time. Her examples include works that today seem rather tame, such as Little Women, Peter Rabbit, and Winnie-the-Pooh. Taking this perspective further, we find that these classics are still read and enjoyed by children today. While superficially they may appear more subdued, their underlying subversive qualities likely remain, ultimately contributing to their value. Let’s take Pippi Longstocking as an example. It was quite controversial when it was first created. Pippi’s image can be said to be a subversion of the model child image in The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. Now, more than 60 years have passed, and children still enjoy reading it very much, while some adults still have doubts about Pippi. This enjoyment and doubt just happened to be the nutrition for Pippi to continue to survive.
I understand that Alison’s perspective isn’t intended to be a definitive standard; its inspiration lies in suggesting that discussions about classics also require openness. The high literary, artistic, and educational value of classic works is often emphasized, which is certainly true. However, these perspectives are from an adult perspective and seem insufficient to fully capture the unique qualities of classics in children’s culture. Zhou Zuoren, in a 1920 speech on children’s literature, stated, “China has always lacked a proper understanding of children, and because of its emphasis on literature, there is virtually nothing in literature that can be of use to children.” This statement remains quite inspiring today.
Based on this understanding, when recommending books for children, we don’t prioritize classic status. We simply seek out the most engaging and valuable works within each genre. For example, we recommend Zhang Tianyi’s “Da Lin and Xiao Lin” because it’s arguably the best full-length fairy tale by a Chinese author to date; Sun Youjun’s “Little Pig Xilihulu” because it’s perhaps the most suitable Chinese fairy tale for children; and Cao Wenxuan’s “The Grass House” because it’s almost unparalleled in its ability to tell a story about a youth in the past while deeply moving today’s youth. Another example is Harry Potter, because it rivals the pinnacles of fantasy, such as “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The Lord of the Rings”; and Darren Shan’s “The Vampire Diaries” because it’s rare to find such a moving story in horror works for teenagers. I always believe that reading is a deeply personal endeavor, and that “all roads lead to Rome.” The most interesting and cutting-edge works in every field are interconnected.
The principle of appropriate editions is easy to understand, but it’s also easy to overlook. When translating works from abroad, the choice of the translation is crucial; the quality of reading begins with the language. Original Chinese works also face challenges such as the quality of editing and printing, reading comfort, and the appropriateness of illustrations. When choosing books for children, form often precedes content. The perfect marriage of form and content, where form becomes part of the content, is often seen in classic picture books and comic strips.
The principles of moderation and timing apply primarily to individual readers. Publicly recommended books can easily create the illusion that if something is suitable for everyone, it will also be suitable for a specific individual. However, genuine readers have every right to deviate from any prescribed list. Therefore, it’s crucial to strike a balance and strike the right time when recommending books to children.
Inspector Carrot and I firmly believe that for any given child, there is no best book, only the most suitable book. It seems to be waiting at a certain crossroads in life, and we always imagine beyond our capabilities that we may be able to facilitate the opportunity for their acquaintance through our efforts.
Argentine Primera División, May 2009, Beijing
Appendix: “101 Books That Will Captivate Children” Recommended List (Continuously Revised Edition)
[Classic Comic Strips]
Journey to the West comic book, Hebei people are beautiful.
Water Margin comic strip, People’s Fine Arts.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms comic book, Shanghai people are beautiful.
The Dream of the Red Chamber comic book, Shanghai people are beautiful.
[Picture Book]
Miffy picture book series, written by Dick Bruna (Netherlands), translated by A Jia, published by Tongqu Publishing Company.
8 volumes of wordless books by illustration master Monique, written by Monique (Switzerland), will be published tomorrow.
Where the Wild Things Are, written by (US) Sendak, translated by Ajia, will be published tomorrow.
The World of Peter Rabbit, written by Potter, translated by Ajia, published by Comic Book Publishing House.
Hen Rose Goes for a Walk, written by Pat Hagens (USA), translated by Shangyi Editorial Department, will be published tomorrow.
Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBraneven (Irish), Anita Jielantu (British), translated by Mei Zihan, will be published tomorrow.
Granny Flower, written by Barbara Cooney (USA), translated by Fang Suzhen, Hebei Education.
The Giving Tree, written by Shel Silverstein (USA), translated by Fu Weici, published by Nanhai Publishing House.
The cute Little Mouse Brother series of picture books, written by (Japanese) Nakae Yoshio and Ueno Noriko, translated by Zhao Jing and Wen Noriko, published by Nanhai Publishing House.
Art Bear & Senna Mouse series, written by Gabrielle Vincent (Belgium), translated by Mei Sifan, Shanghai Renmei
[fairy tales]
The Story of Reynard the Fox, written by Madame Giroux (France), translated by Luo Xinzhang, for children from Hunan.
Bello’s Fairy Tales, written by Bello (France), translated by Dai Wangshu, published in Chongqing.
The Complete Works of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, written by the Grimm Brothers (Germany), translated by Wei Yixin, People’s Literature.
Andersen’s Fairy Tales, written by Hans Christian Andersen (Denmark), translated by Ye Junjian, published by Sichuan Children’s Publishing House.
The Water Babies, written by Charles Kingsley (UK), translated by Zhang Chiheng, for children and teenagers.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll, translated by Zhao Yuanren, Commercial Press.
The Happy Prince, written by Oscar Wilde (UK), translated by Ba Jin, for children and teenagers.
Peter Pan, written by Barrie (UK), translated by Yang Jingyuan, Zhejiang Children’s Publishing House.
The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, written by S. Gralov (Sweden), translated by Li Rumin, for children and teenagers.
Pippi Longstocking, written by (Sweden) Lindgren, translated by Li Zhiyi, Chinese Youth.
The Little Flying Man Carlsson, written by (Sweden) Lindgren, translated by Li Zhiyi, Chinese Youth.
The Little Prince, written by Saint-Exupéry (France), translated by Ma Zhenpin, People’s Literature.
The World Fantasy Literature Master Series — Tove Jansson (8 volumes), (Finland) Tove Jansson, translated by Ren Yongrong and Xu Pu, will be published tomorrow.
Aunt Mary, written by Travers (UK), translated by Ren Yongrong, will be published tomorrow.
Little Ghosts, written by (Germany) Preussler, translated by Wu Yukang, 21st century.
Naoko Awa’s fantasy novels (6 volumes), written by Naoko Awa (Japan), translated by Peng Yi, for children and teenagers.
The Scarecrow, written by Ye Shengtao, for Hubei children.
Dalin and Xiaolin, written by Zhang Tianyi, illustrated by Hua Junwu, published by Xinlei Publishing.
Pippi Longstocking and Shukebeta, written by Zheng Yuanjie, 21st century.
[Adventures]
The Adventures of Pinocchio, written by Carlo Collodi (Italy), translated by Ren Yongrong, People’s Literature.
The Adventures of Little Cloth Doll, written by Sun Youjun, Chinese teenager.
The Adventures of Pinocchio, written by Rodrigo delle Carvalho (Italy), translated by Ren Yongrong, published by Hebei Children’s Publishing House.
The Classic Adventures of Oz (14 volumes in total), written by (US) Baum, translated by Chen Bochui, Ren Yongrong and others, published by Xinlei Publishing.
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, written by E. Raspe (Germany), translated by Liu Hao and Gauguin, People’s Literature.
Gulliver’s Travels, written by Swift, translated by Zhang Jian, People’s Literature.
Robinson Crusoe, written by Defoe, translated by Xu Xiacun, People’s Literature.
Island of the Blue Dolphins, written by St. O’Dell (USA), translated by Fu Dingbang, published by Xinlei Publishing.
The Adventures of the Good Soldier Schweik, written by (Czech) Jakob Hasek, translated by Xingcan, People’s Literature.
The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle, written by Hugh Lofting (USA), translated by Shen Zhengbang, for children and teenagers.
The Pickwick Papers, written by Charles Dickens, translated by Mo Yaping, People’s Literature.
Treasure Island, written by Stevenson (UK), translated by Rong Rude, for children and teenagers.
[Animal Stories]
The Wild Animals I Know, written by (Canada) Seton, translated by Xiao Mao, Anhui Children’s Book.
Shen Shixi’s classic animal novel, written by Shen Shixi, for children and teenagers.
Wolverine River (an animal novel by Heihe), written by Gerileqimuge Heihe, published by Relay Publishing.
Bambi, written by (Austria) Salten, translated by Pei Ying, for children and teenagers.
Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web, and The Trumpet of the Swan, written by E.B. White (USA), translated by Ren Yongyong, for children and teenagers.
The Cricket in Times Square, written by George Selden (USA), translated by Fu Xiangwen, published by Xinlei Publishing.
The Wind in the Willows, written by Benjamin Graham, translated by Yang Jingyuan, Liaoning Education.
Little Pig Xilihulu, written by Sun Youjun, Chunfeng Literature and Art.
The Dog Comes, written by (Austria) Nesterlinger, translated by Yang Li, published by Xinlei Publishing.
[Detective Story]
The Story of Emil and the Detective Conspirator, written by (Germany) Kästner, translated by Hua Zongde and Qian Jie, will be published tomorrow.
The Great Detective: Little Carles, written by (Sweden) Lindgren, translated by Li Zhiyi, Chinese teenager.
The Great Thief, written by (Germany) Prussian, translated by Chen Jun, 21st century.
Daniel in Action, written by (Austria) Nesterlinger, translated by Wei Wei, Hunan Children’s Publishing House.
The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes, written by Arthur Conan Doyle (UK), translated by Ding Zhonghua et al., published by Masses Publishing House.
[Popular Science Fiction Stories]
Children of Captain Grant, written by Jules Verne (France), translated by Liu Fang and Lu Binghui, published by Yilin Publishing House.
The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, written by H. G. Wells, translated by Zheng Xumi, People’s Literature.
Little Smart Wanders in the Future, written by Ye Yonglie, for children and teenagers.
Towards Sagittarius, written by Zheng Wenguang, published by Hubei Children’s Publishing House.
The Wonderful Kingdom of Numbers, written by Li Yupei, Chinese teenager.
The Magic School Bus (10 volumes), by Joanna Colvin (USA), Bruce Degento (USA), translated by Xie Hui, published by Sichuan Children’s Publishing House.
Asimov’s Foundation series, written by Asimov (USA), translated by Ye Lihua, published by Tiandi Publishing.
[Magical Story]
Five Children and a Monster, written by Nesbitt (UK), translated by Ren Yongrong, published by Chunfeng Literature and Art.
May 35, written by (German) Kästner, translated by Hua Zongde and Qian Jie, will be published tomorrow.
The Chronicles of Narnia, written by CS Lewis (UK), translated by Chen Liangting et al., published by Yilin Publishing House.
The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, translated by Li Yao et al., published by Yilin Publishing House.
Harry Potter series, written by JK Rowling (UK), translated by Ma Aino et al., People’s Literature.
The 13 and a Half Lives of Captain Blue Bear, written by (Germany) Morse, translated by Li Shixun, People’s Literature.
The Legend of Vampire Darren Shan, written by Darren Shan (UK), translated by Ma Aino et al., People’s Literature.
Tom’s Midnight Garden, written by Philippa Pearce (UK), translated by Ma Aino, People’s Literature.
The World Fantasy Literature Master Series — Roald Dahl (12 volumes), written by (UK) Dahl, translated by Ren Yongrong and others, will be published tomorrow.
Maomao, written by Michel Ende (Germany), translated by Li Shixun, 21st century.
The Neverending Story, written by Michel Ende (Germany), translated by Li Shixun, 21st century.
[Growth Story]
Emil the Naughty Boy, written by (Sweden) Lindgren, translated by Li Zhiyi, Chinese Youth.
Little Naughty Nicolas, (French) Gesini, Semperto, translated by Dai Jie, Chinese teenager.
Dai Xiaoqiao and His Brothers, written by Mei Zihan, illustrated by Shen Yuanyuan, published by Xinlei Publishing.
Naughty Days, written by Qin Wenjun, Chunfeng Literature and Art.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, written by Mark Twain (USA), translated by Cheng Shi, People’s Literature.
The Troubles of a Boy Penrod, by Booth Tarkington (USA), translated by Ma Aixin, People’s Literature.
Little House on the Prairie, written by Roland Wilder (USA), translated by Wen Shuzhen, published by Tiandi Publishing.
The Railway Children, written by Nesbitt (UK), translated by Ren Yongrong, for children and teenagers.
The Secret Garden, written by Burnett (USA), translated by Zhang Jianping, for children and teenagers.
Wheels on the School Roof, written by Mendet DeJong (USA), translated by Yang Hengda and Li Rong, Hebei Children’s Books.
Two-handled Iron Pot Katya, written by Helmut Sakowski (Germany), translated by Wang Xing, for Xinjiang youth.
Anne of Green Gables, written by Lucy Montgomery (Canada), translated by Ma Aino, People’s Literature.
The Diary of Anne Frank, written by Anne Frank (Germany), translated by Gao Niansheng, People’s Literature.
The Little Girl at the Window, written by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (Japan), translated by Zhao Yujiao, published by Nanhai Publishing House.
The Grass House, written by Cao Wenxuan, published by Jiangsu Children’s Publishing House.
The Child from the Can, written by (Austria) Nesterlinger, translated by Yang Li, Hebei Children’s Publishing House.
The boy is Jiali and the girl is Jiamei, written by Qin Wenjun, for children and teenagers.
Root Bird, written by Cao Wenxuan, Jiangsu Children’s Book.
[Historical Stories]
Lin Handa’s Collection of Chinese Historical Stories, written by Lin Handa, Chinese Youth.
The Story of Humankind, written by Fang Long (USA), translated by Liu Yuanzi, published by Sanlian Bookstore.
[Comic Story]
Sanmao’s Wanderings, written by Zhang Leping, for children and teenagers.
The Adventures of Tintin, written by (Billy) Hergé, translated by Kurihara, Lu Xiao and others, Chinese teenagers.
On sunny days, sometimes it rains pigs, written by Shiro Yatama (Japan), translated by Peng Yi, 21st century.
