Children's, youth literature bursting at the seams

While society generally accepts that children and teenagers are no longer reading due to the presence of screens, a new report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has shed light on the global children's literature industry - which seems to still be standing strong. In 2023, this industry was worth almost US$12 billion, according to Unesco's new edition of 'Courier' titled 'Youth Literature: A story of growth and wonder'. According to Unesco, in many countries, this genre contributed the greater part of publishers' profits. According to the UK-based firm, Business Research Company, this genre of literature will experience further growth this year when its value is expected to reach more than US$12 billion, up from US$11.76 billion in 2023. "Despite its success, very little critical space is given to this genre in the traditional media. It’s as if writing for children remains in many people's minds a minor activity, an eternal sub-genre," the editor's letter of 'Courier' read.New revivalJournalist Cath Pound attributes the popularity of children's and youth literature to JK Rowling's 'Harry Potter' series and Philip Pullman's fantasy series 'His Dark Materials'. Both series' first editions hit the shelves in the 1990s and, according to Pound, "were at the forefront of a new revival in children's literature".Pound also reported that diversifying offerings in children's and youth literature contributes to his success. Meanwhile, audiobooks are giving a new lease of life to literature with a 2023 report by Bookwire, an e-book provider based in Germany, suggesting that audiobook sales in Spain and Latin America increased by 52% between 2021 and 2022. Bookwire's report said publishers with the highest turnover figures and potential for growth in this market are those specialising in romance and technical books. Interest in fiction books also increased on their platforms in 2023, according to Bookwire. The American writer and media theorist, Douglas Rushkoff, said in an interview with Anuliina Sovalainen that children's and young people's experience with digital devices and books is completely separate. "Digital technology has not overtaken the book. A book still has an author and you want to surrender your autonomy to their authority so that they can tell you a story," he explained.Rushkoff believes that there is room for everything in a balanced life. "I would argue that every medium offers opportunities for nourishment and positive development if you use them in the right place and at the right time. This requires an understanding of the bias attached to each medium. Books are fantastic for linear stories. Interactive media is fantastic for helping people develop the ability to control their own behaviour and response to external circumstances. Social media is fantastic for creating communities when used in a limited context," he said.Social mediaSocial media emerged as a way for people around the world to communicate with each other and build communities - and bookworms are one of these communities brought together by the internet. On various platforms, the community of readers on those platforms is known by its own name - on Instagram, readers gather on 'Bookstagram' and on TikTok, the lovers of literature gather on 'BookTok'. Research by the United Kingdom Publishers Association found that nearly two-thirds (59%) of respondents in a 2001 survey of people aged 15 to 26 said that BookTok had persuaded them to buy a book to discover their passion for reading. More than half of respondents (55%) in this survey said they turn to TikTok for new book recommendations. From this sample group, 38% said they rely on BookTok for recommendations rather than their family and friends. In this survey, 68% said BookTok had already prompted them to read a book they would not have otherwise considered. From the survey, 16% said they made friends through BookTok and 49% physically visited a bookstore to buy a book they discovered through BookTok.Banned booksIn the United States of America, however, concern is growing over the growing list of banned literature. In 2023, 65% more books will be banned in the US than in 2022. The book ban targeted 4 240 titles in 2023 - this is more books than any previous year on record, The Guardian reported. Among others, William Golding's 1954 novella 'Lord of the Flies' and Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird', first published in 1960, were banned in the US.'Lord of the Flies' is about a group of British boys trapped on an island and their disastrous attempts to govern themselves. The novella that won Lee a Pulitzer, 'To Kill a Mockingbird', is about a black man in the USA during the 1930s who is falsely accused of raping a young white woman. Even after it is revealed that the victim lied, the man is still found guilty. The banning of Ray Bradbury's ‘Fahrenheit 451’ has been discussed for years. It deals with censorship and creates a world in which books are completely banned. The researchers, Kara Lycke and Thomas Lucey, found that teachers were in favour of dealing with complex and controversial themes with learners. "Efforts to promote peaceful communities in classrooms indicate a resistance to content that can create a sense of togetherness. The emphasis illustrates an environment that strives for uniformity with standards while limiting perspectives to those that do not threaten the social ranks. The use of controversial texts serves to contextualise the acceptability of different ideas in a dominant culture," the research found.

Children's, youth literature bursting at the seams

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-02

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Children's, youth literature bursting at the seams

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-02

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