Children's Literature

This month is “Education Month” on A Visit to the Pastor’s Study.  And I want to begin the month thinking with you together about children’s literature.            

You may not realize it, but the world of children’s literature (a world you can enter at your local library) is very different than it was even a decade ago. 

Not only in the Young Adult and Middle Grade collection of books, but even on the Elementary Reader level it’s not difficult to find books that drive LGBT themes in the name of “diversity”,  books that promote extreme left-wing political and social activism, and books full of radical environmentalism that promote fear by in the name of “science.”  

Traditional families led by a husband and wife are subtly (or not so subtly) replaced by families led by two mommies or two daddies. And traditional male/female gender roles are (again, subtly or not so subtly) undermined by ruthless women in Game of Thrones scenarios, or feminized men with no clear sense of their identity or role in life as protectors, providers, and leaders.            

Your library (and your book searches on the Internet) present you with a Brave New World of children’s literature.   There are good things in it; but a lot of dangerous things, too.              

To help us make our way through the world of Children’s Literature, I’ve asked writer Janie B. Cheaney to be my guest for this edition of A Visit to the Pastor’s Study.  Janie’s columns in World magazine are among my favorites in that outstanding Christian periodical; but it was her article Against the Grain,  giving an overview of recently published children’s books, that got me thinking about the subject.  I’m glad that Janie can be with us today.              

Janie Cheaney lives in Missouri.  Along with writing for World magazine, she writes novels (and good ones!) for young adults.  She’s the author of the Wordsmith Creative Writing Series. She also reviews books at RedeemedReader.com – an outstanding resource for parents and other educators who are trying to navigate the choppy waters of  the children’s book world            

Janie Cheaney, thanks for being with us today on A Visit to the Pastor’s Study…              

Here’s a link to the full program:                                                             

Yours in the Word who took on flesh,                                                                                    

Pastor Bill