Giveaway for Hansel & Gretel Collector's Edition

11/25/2014

Join the conversation and you'll be entered to win!
(Note: contest ended 12/5/14 but we still invite you to comment!)

It's a challenge to be a children's book publisher and want to put out something genuinely haunting in today's climate. We all know young children have to be protected from experiencing anything too real. So we filmed Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly with Neil Gaiman at his new house in Woodstock to talk about comics and children and exposing them to fear and dark material in books.

Gaiman says, "I think if you are protected from dark things then you have no protection of, knowledge of, or understanding of dark things when they show up. I think it is really important to show dark things to kids—and in the showing, to also show that dark things can be beaten, that you have power. Tell them you can fight back. Tell them you can win. Because you can, but you have to know that."

Hansel & Gretel Collector's Edition

"Do you agree with Neil Gaiman about scaring children? Any advice on the topic and/or other book recommendations for kids ages 7-12?"

Enter a comment below and you'll be entered to win the Hansel & Gretel Collector's Edition. The TOON team to select winner on December 5th!

Produced in a limited quantity of 500 signed and numbered copies, this very special edition presents a deluxe book together with an Italian silk-screened artist print, all in a masterfully produced box. The book is signed and numbered by both the artist, Lorenzo Mattotti, and the author, Neil Gaiman. The frameable artist print is also separately signed and numbered by the artist. Buy Here, Exclusively from TOON Books>>

Congratulations to Helena Juhasz who won the contest for the Collector's Edition!
"This is a wonderful interview. I love that Neil Gaiman likens darkness in children's literature as an "inoculation" - in a manageable form. What scared me most as a young child first learning the Hansel & Gretel story, was the idea that a family had so little to survive that they would leave the youngest behind to fend for themselves. THAT, for me, was the horror of Hansel & Gretel. The possibility of not being cared for. Being disposed of. Perhaps such darkness can nurture an understanding for what is right in this world. How do we treat each other. How do we like to be treated? And a certain amount of gratitude for what should be: safe, nurturing families."

208 Comments

Scott

11/25/2014 12:09:31 am

There are things in life we should be afraid of.

Donna Downing link

11/25/2014 05:17:01 am

I think scaring children through fairy tales is okay because it is make believe and after reading the story it opens up a wonderful conversation between child and adult as how it is okay to be scared.

Leslie

11/26/2014 12:05:50 am

It's the victory of courage, common sense, and good fortune over the scary things that is the life lesson -- not the scary things themselves.

Becky Steenburg link

11/25/2014 12:11:24 am

I absolutely agree with Neil Gaiman about introducing kids to dark things. If they have no experience as a younger child, it will be that much harder when they get older. And what better way than through quality literature/illustrations and the lap of a trusted adult!

Dara La Porte link

11/25/2014 12:12:24 am

Many of the children with whom we work lead lives in which they are constantly frightened. Some are like to read books that are scarier than the lives they lead, others are reassured by books that are soothing and gentle. All types of books should be available for children to choose among, since there are all types of children. And there should be librarians and teachers available to guide them in their choices.

Ilona Storie

11/25/2014 12:16:38 am

It's true that exposure to something is the first line of defence, especially with things that are dark and hidden. It seems to me though, that children are rarely as frightened by the things that adults find horrifying. Presenting Coraline to students was a delight; not so much with the teachers and parents that wanted to protect the young readers from the horrors within.

Kate

11/25/2014 12:21:34 am

I agree with Neil Gaiman to a certain extent. Knowledge is power and we should no limit someone's power regardless of their age through censoring. However, it is our job as adults to filter certain things until a child is of an age to fully comprehend the import.

Karen Harpole

11/25/2014 12:27:34 am

I agree with Neil Gaiman that providing kids with knowledge of the dark side is important as long as they also are aware that it can be beaten, so they can feel empowered.
Book recommendation - The Day the Crayons Quit, by Drew Daywalt.

Maya

11/25/2014 12:40:20 am

So excited for to get this for my library!

Alice Majka

11/25/2014 12:40:43 am

"The only thing to fear is fear itself." You'll never be able to understand that wise statement if you've never had the opportunity to KNOW fear. Children need to be exposed to good and bad...and yes, bad is often scary, but just like their parents & grandparents before them, they will learn to cope.

Jeff Ridinger

11/25/2014 12:50:36 am

Although it would seem natural for parents to protect our kids from scary things, I agree with Gaimen, Sendak, and others that argue it is important to the development process for children to have that exposure. Especially through fantasy/fairy tale settings.

Diana Richardson

11/25/2014 12:50:53 am

Neil Gaiman is absolutely on point with his comments regarding all things scary for children. While some children will not like to be scared by some things, others delight in it. Sometimes parents and educators want to tell children that a book is not age-appropriate because of scary content, but for some kids, that scary material provides an outlet for them. Two books I like to recommend are Neil Gaiman's Coraline (my daughter called it "the freakiest thing I ever read" long before the movie came out) and A Tale Dark and Grim by Adam Gidwitz.

Judy Cole

11/25/2014 12:52:37 am

I agree that children should be exposed to scary things but they also need to know how to stand up or protect themselves from danger. The world today is not the same as when I grew up. They need to be aware of so many dangers, from the Internet to the neighbor next door.

Jennifer Wells link

11/25/2014 12:54:59 am

What an awesome opportunity! Neil is a fantastic writer and my students love his books...

Julia

11/25/2014 12:56:08 am

There are scary things in the world. Children know this more than anyone.

Cynthia Laino

11/25/2014 12:56:58 am

Life can be dark and scary. All we can do is make sure that the children we love are as equipped to handle those things as much as possible.

Brennan McVeigh

11/25/2014 12:59:17 am

I think reading at that age should be done with a parent. I don't think the subject matter is inappropriate for children at that age so long as the parent is aware of what they're reading.

Mario

11/25/2014 01:00:00 am

I think exposing children to beauty (and ugliness), joyful (and sorrowful) things, the good (and the bad), and truth (and falsehood) is necessary -- and is all part of growing up an learning how to be full human beings. It is the duty of parents to guide them through this learning process of course, helping children to develop sound criteria, proper judgment, and a healthy human conscience. In all this, yes, scaring children, telling them, ghost stories and fables, is essential. I thus applaud this wonderful new edition of an age-old tale.

Michelle Belmont

11/25/2014 01:00:06 am

I do agree. I think children should be shown how to face fears. How can they learn how to do that if they're sheltered from everything that might be frightening?

J.K. Rowling:
Dolores Umbridge: You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way.
Harry Potter: Well, what use is that? If we're gonna be attacked it won't be risk-free.

Tom Burns link

11/25/2014 01:01:11 am

I definitely agree with Neil's comments. I think it's a parent's job to know their child really, really well and expose them to the darkness of the world at the proper pace. Kids are remarkably clever when it comes to picking up on the world's unspoken scariness and it's so important for parents to talk about that stuff with their children - if only so their kids know that they're not alone, parents get scared too, and that we're all in this together. In terms for recommendations, I think kids 7-12 searching for creepiness would love The Thief of Always by Clive Barker or Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud.

Danielle Smith link

11/25/2014 01:02:36 am

I agree completely! Kids need that exposure to these things, especially in a safe setting where they can discuss them with adults who love and care for them. Truly, what a great opportunity for discussion and a chance to learn!

Morgan

11/25/2014 01:11:11 am

I totally agree with Neil on this one! Children experience just as broad a spectrum of emotion and feelings as adults, reading about fear helps all of us to understand what makes us afraid. Experiencing fear (in a non-harmful environment) is not a bad thing, and it can help kids manage what can be overwhelming at times. Specifically for the juvenile fiction horror genre I can wholeheartedly recommend The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand and The Riverman by Aaron Starmer would be very good for a more mid-grade audience.

Melissa P.

11/25/2014 01:11:12 am

As much as we like to think we can protect children from all the darkness of the world and keep them innocent and naïve, we can't. We need to trust them to be strong enough and smart enough to handle it. We also need to help them become strong and smart and shielding them from everything won't achieve that.

Tania Risko

11/25/2014 01:11:56 am

I agree. Life is not all sunshine and daisies. Fairy tales are not real. I think it's good to let children feel, fear is one of the most important emotions.

Jean Kammer

11/25/2014 01:13:12 am

Neil Gaiman is right on target especially the end of his statement about showing children they can defeat the dark side! If they aren't exposed to scary stuff how can they learn t conquer their fears?

Nathan Chadwick

11/25/2014 01:14:17 am

Getting to know what frightens you, helps you know what you need to strengthen oneself to face. One of the greatest moments of pride I have in my five year old daughter is when she works through something that scares her. She amazes me all the time in watching her learn create new limits.

Linda Westphal

11/25/2014 01:15:50 am

Protecting children from the knowledge that evil exists robs them of the ability to recognize it when it comes near.

Carol Pillsbury

11/25/2014 01:18:29 am

Children need to be exposed to all literary genres. Depending on their background knowledge and experiences, what would scare one child may not be frightening to another. As much as we want to protect and shield children, I feel they should experience all types of writing, even those that are considered "dark" and frightening. As stated in another post, what scares one child can be delightful to another. As long as children have a forum to discuss their feelings and process their emotions, I think it is healthy.

Stephanie Markland

11/25/2014 01:19:03 am

Sheltering children from the dark things of this world (and the worlds of our imaginations) is not only dangerous but counterproductive. The dangers arise when sheltered children-turned adults realize they are ill-equipped for facing the more troubling things in life. Not only that, but their actions are also more likely to be dictated by the fear that rules them.

Mim Gottschalk link

11/25/2014 01:24:14 am

Neil is absolutely right - literature offers a safe environment in which to explore all facets of life and to learn the skills needed to survive as well as thrive. Similar to roller coasters and other daredevil amusement rides which cause fright and surges of adrenalin, scary stories thrill and darkly delight all (perhaps!) of us.

Rose Harris

11/25/2014 01:25:33 am

Facing fears and discussing feelings is a positive conversation for children and adults/guardians.

Dagmar Ebaugh

11/25/2014 01:26:33 am

I think the "scary" fairy tales (ie Grimm's) are less scary to kids. In my own experience reading them as a kid, and when my son read them (starting at age 5), he was curious, and sometimes thought the story was a bit spooky, but he loved it when the 'bad guy' got punished. My kid got more scared by a creepy blob in an episode of a tv show than by any story he's read. So I support NOT sanitizing all stories for kids...

Jess Smart Smiley link

11/25/2014 01:26:35 am

I like Neil's opening statement, or at least something very similar to it. We need to have a certain kind of method for protecting against fear, so that we are recognizing and dealing with it, rather than simply avoiding it.

Monica Valentine

11/25/2014 01:27:53 am

I loved being read book as a very young child with protagonists, and things to be frightened of. It builds character.

Lori Special

11/25/2014 02:02:44 am

Grown-ups do a real disservice to children when they only read or tell them stories where there is no sadness, pain, loss or struggle. Children have only stories to look to, since they have yet to live long enough to gain experience, as guides to survival. To hear stories where others have survived, helps them feel that they can fight against those that are bigger, meaner, or stronger. This is especially necessary, since most children are powerless over their own lives and environments.

Besides, it's really fun to be a little scared...

Jean Ducat

11/25/2014 02:06:38 am

I do agree with Neil. I have a quote from G. K. Chesterton posted in my library: "Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed." Or wicked witches, as the case may be.

Wayne Beamer

11/25/2014 02:12:54 am

I think Neil is spot-on about "scaring children." Or, is this really scaring parents who don't want to believe their kids can handle bad news, even in their fiction?

The best tactic for parents, speaking from experience: Read that "scary" book with your kids and don't hesitate to answer their questions or ask them a few to ensure they're getting it. You may be surprised how much they really understand.

Scott Bauer

11/25/2014 02:21:24 am

Neil is absolutely correct in terms of the encountering of darkness in stories prepares one for the inevitable times we encounter darkness in our lives. I'd go even further and say that without darkness as a contrast, one never comes to fully appreciate the light around us.

Cathy Gillette

11/25/2014 02:21:35 am

It prepares them for the not so happy side of life in a save and protected way. they feel sheltered from the horrors and fright, but can still experience the rush of adrenaline. The book can be closed and they can escape when they get too scared to handle it. But, it is an adventure story, with suprises and thrills, and kids love them and will keep reading them just to be safely scared!

Sydney Perry

11/25/2014 02:24:27 am

I agree wholeheartedly. Scary books are fine, they develop the love of suspense, mystery and horror books. I'm a public librarian and kids frequently ask, "Where are the scary books?" as though they deserve a special place of their own. And maybe they do.

Nicole

11/25/2014 02:24:55 am

By censoring "scary" for children, they become targets. Some things are scary for very good reasons.

Brittany

11/25/2014 02:26:51 am

Children scare themselves with their own imaginations and literature can be a great example of characters being frightened and how they move past or through it. I completely agree with Neil Gaiman.

John Simms

11/25/2014 02:38:03 am

I agree 100% with Neil. There are many scary and frightening things in the world and more in our imagination. Scary stories provoke a primal response, but teaching the value of overcoming fear and having the power to conquer that fear is a lesson all children and adults should learn.

Lauren Read

11/25/2014 02:50:21 am

I absolutely agree with the merits of scary material. The arts are a safe place to explore these things, whether they are clearly representative of real life threats or merely metaphorical.

Miriam Lang Budin

11/25/2014 02:57:37 am

One of my friends who was part of the Kindertransport of WWII told me that when she was frightened during her childhood she would tell herself the darkest Grimm's fairytales she knew to buck up her courage.

It's more important to let children know they can conquer their fears than to try to prevent them from having fears. Everyone has fears!

Ingrid Mayyasi

11/25/2014 06:28:19 am

The students at my school love scary books and I am sure that they would be thrilled to see these books in our school library.

Aaron S

11/25/2014 03:04:17 am

I think it is better to show "dark things" to children through stories in books than through video images (i.e. movies, television, video games).

Maureen Riley link

11/25/2014 03:17:36 am

The value of reading about scary and dangerous things is that you can take the journey with the protagonist, conquer the nasty stuff, and find resolution. On the days that you are feeling victimized, you can take the journey again!

Katie Hutchison

11/25/2014 03:21:59 am

I think kids want to be scared- I think of when I was younger and how popular the Goosebumps series was. It was "scary" for that age range, which made so many kids love it. Almost like it was taboo, but a taboo that really encouraged reading.

Linda

11/25/2014 03:44:26 am

I agree with Neil's perspective on this, like so many others. As a child, I was terrified of The Wizard of Oz (the flying monkeys and the idea of a tornado, even though I lived in a place that didn't have tornadoes) and I didn't particularly like scary movies as a teenager either. But I wasn't afraid to read about war and other real horrors. Now, my kids sometimes turn away from parts of movies they find scary and sometimes choose to watch things I would expect them to be afraid of. Exposure helps us learn about choices and self-regulation.

Suzanne

11/25/2014 03:47:36 am

Fear is a universal truth, and if you can face fears in a very safe place such as home, it allows you to be stronger. So exposing children to scary things while they are safe is a good way to help them face the scary things we hope they never face.

John

11/25/2014 03:54:03 am

Fear is as much part of the imagination as it is reality. It is another avenue for children to explore and learn about, and part of how they learn about fantasy versus actual, right and wrong, confidence, and knowledge. So, yeah, Gaiman has it right.

Kat Kan

11/25/2014 04:09:37 am

Kids can handle a lot more scary stuff than many adults think - I see this a lot in my school library. Gaiman's other books, The Wolves in the Walls, and especially Coraline, are popular with a lot of students. The graphic novel adaptation of Coraline totally creeped out most adults who picked it up, but students from 3rd grade on up absolutely love it. I have one girl, now in 5th grade, who checks it out and reads it at least once a year since 3rd grade; it's one of her favorite books.

Besides just about anything by Gaiman, I also recommend the graphic novel adaptation of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which some of my middle school students are reading. Younger students also keep almost all volumes of Danny Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon off my library shelves - this is a hybrid novel/comics book series with many more actual comics pages than the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

Judy

11/25/2014 04:14:22 am

I agree with Neil; children do like the dark, scary tales and keep searching for them in the library.

Megan

11/25/2014 04:33:10 am

Children can experience situations, stories with empathy and walk a mile in another person's shoes that they may never experience in their safe world. This can create an imagination and a mind in a child that is able to see dual realities, the one of your own life and then the lives of the other people that share our planet. Imaginative worlds teach us to develop understanding of multiple perspectives.

Tamra link

11/25/2014 04:50:16 am

Fears can be conquered as we learn the differences between what is real and what is perceived as real. Growing into adults helps us deal with reality (at least it's supposed to). Children need guidance from well-adjusted adults to help cope with fears. Literature is the best way to help us as children. Ancient tales and nursery rhymes had a purpose.

meadow

11/25/2014 04:57:15 am

I have worried that children growing up may not read the same "fairy tales" I grew up with and will not learn the lessons they impart. Not the "happily ever after" but the journey, the quest, the dire circumstances that the hero must overcome is the most important lessons. Scary is an essential part of the quest and getting to happily ever after. Today's fantasies are epics, dramatic sequels that may keep your child's interest longer, but there is still the scary, evil force that must be overcome. This version of Hansel and Gretel, in prose and art, paints the evil, the direness as never before and leaves it to the thoughtful parent to praise the ingenuity and preserverance of the children in overcoming the scariest and direst of circumstances.

Dawn Goodale

11/25/2014 04:59:22 am

I really appreciate Neil's perspective. I tend to shy away from sharing dark stories with young children, but I now realize their importance in teaching vital life lessons.

Belinda Rusnock link

11/25/2014 05:18:41 am

A wide variety of literature should be made available in a children's library or school library collection. Some children will be ready for and desire something of this nature while others may never be able to handle it. The goal is for a child to self select their reading materials, so that they have the desire to read!!! Thank you Neil Gaiman!

Donna

11/25/2014 05:20:14 am

Children need opportunities to experience and interact with dark, scary situations through stories. We know the power of stories! Allow children to experiment with fear and danger through stories so they will be better prepared for real dangers whenever they inevitably arise. I think children are far more intuitive and intelligent than adults are usually willing to acknowledge. Neil Gaiman: masterful story teller and creative genius.

Miles Wisniewski link

11/25/2014 06:13:09 am

I couldn't agree more with Neil Gaiman's comment. Denying fear in our children's books denies the emotion in ourselves and our children and repressing and shaming our fear helps no one. Tomi Ungerer's books deal with fear and the unknown exceptionally well, particularly The Three Robbers. Bill Martin Jr.'s early, little picture books, The Haunted House and A Ghost Story and equally excellent. Then, of course, there is Gorey.

Karen

11/25/2014 06:20:58 am

Mr. Gaiman is absolutely correct. We protect children so utterly that we leave them no tools to cope with the world. Scary stories are like the germs kids get when they start day-care or school: they allow the young to build up antibodies. Bruno Bettelheim wrote about this exactly in his book, THE USES OF ENCHANTMENT.

Kate

11/25/2014 06:47:56 am

I agree with Neil Gaiman about introducing kids to dark things. If they have no experience as a younger child, it will be that much harder when they get older. And what better way than through quality literature and illustrations and a safe space for discussion!

Jenn Steffey link

11/25/2014 06:50:07 am

I do agree with Neil about inoculating children against dark things by building up a resistance instead of hiding it from them altogether. I also think children's fairy tales show children a world without parents or parental help/protection. In the case of Hansel & Gretel, they are without a mother and are going to be abandoned in the woods for fear of starvation. This story shows children how to cope in a world independently, on their own without parents. Basically it is preparing them for the inevitability of growing up and out of childhood.

Lars Henkel link

11/25/2014 07:24:32 am

Neil Gaiman is right about the darkness. It is wrong to think that children live in a happy world. They are familiar with existential fears, like the fear of loosing their parents for example. So children have to deal with fears and darkness and that's why it is important to help them by telling these kind of fairy-tales.

I also would like to mention that "Hansel and Gretel" is one of my favorite books I have seen in the last few years. Mattotti was able to create such a unique and strong artwork for this story. It captures the essential of the traditional story and gives a fresh perspective on well known fairytale at the same time.

I also had to buy his book "Oltremai", so the limited edition of "Hansel and Gretel" would be in a very good company. :-)

Catherine

11/25/2014 07:44:44 am

Once again Neil Gaiman says it so eloquently. Although I've not thought about it in those terms, I realize that my own experience agrees with the concept of darkness presented and bravely faced in stories being a valuable tool in facing the darkness of the real world. Denying the reality of scary or hard things certainly won't prepare a child for meeting them one day with courage and creativity. Providing safe contexts for exploring these ideas is invaluable.

Heather Baker link

11/25/2014 07:45:24 am

I believe children, and adults, need books that help them face their fears and fight their dragons! Caimans work has inspired so many children to be creative thinkers and to fully engage with literature.

Kevin Richter link

11/25/2014 08:09:53 am

I have two sons, 6 and 9 years old, and they have always been fascinated by everything, including the darker moments in life. As much as my wife and I try to interpret situations where we think it is either not suitable for them or will scare them they more often than not prove us wrong. Kids need to know the darker side of life. Parents should be there to help guide kids through life and not try to steer them clear of everything. They will grow up stronger, wiser and more self-assured. So I 100% agree with Neil Gaiman

Michael Clark

11/25/2014 08:11:37 am

I would rather a child experience the monster on the page before having to confront one in real life. One hopes the latter will never happen, but imagine the strength and power they will have gathered through the story if they do.

Luca

11/25/2014 08:36:47 am

Childrens love fear stories.
The tales are born to frighten children, but today (thankfully) this can be done in a less moralistic and more fun mode.
I bought this book in Italian, just released, for my daughter when she was ten, I think.
My daughter loves horror stories, and i read tales of fear for her when she was a very little girl... am i idiot, maybe? Maybe...

Shelley

11/25/2014 10:30:23 am

Children have an understanding and fear of scary things in fairy tales, yes, it's perfectly normal. They experience scary things in reality all the time. To have it contained in a book is very reassuring.

Eileen Richardson

11/25/2014 11:19:55 am

The majority of fairy tales have an element of fear that children enjoy. Hansel and Gretel seemed to have a darker theme than most. The wicked step mother, a wicked witch, a sly fox, or a big bad wolf are characters children love to hate. Neil Gaiman's statement about why fairy tales have stood the test of time, is because children love them!

Paul Johanson

11/25/2014 12:03:40 pm

Kids love scary stories, so long as there's some resolution.
And try as we might as parents, we can't completely protect our children from scary things. And it may be harmful to do so - a child wrapped in cotton wool is going to get a rude shock out in the real world, where there are unpleasant people, scary events and upsetting situations.

Better to introduce them slowly, on the couch, to scary situations, where we can reassure them that yes, everything will be alright in the end. Even if we know, sometimes in real life, this is not the case. We parents need to lie, just a little.

Stan

11/25/2014 12:13:06 pm

Surprisingly we are all still here and lived through the likes of Hansel and Gretel. We also asked to hear them over and over. How many of us have been known to walk in the forest and leave a sign or two on the trail? And I bet it was not bread either. I agree that children learn that they can take on the dark and come out on top.

Peow Yeong link

11/25/2014 04:00:00 pm

I agree totally. Children's books have to be scary... if they're not, they were not done right.

Brian Smith

11/25/2014 08:27:32 pm

Fairy tales terrified me as a child -- animals dressed in people skins, parents who ate their children, children sold to goblins, near-eternal consequences for simple actions like picking a flower -- but they were also the spark for self-dialogue that moved me from terror into inquiry -- can this really happen? do I have to be afraid of this, for real? what would I do if someone tried to eat me?

Fairy tales prepare us for dealing with fears, but they also prepare us for critical thinking. They teach us that nonsense and dream-logic are allied with, not opposed to, rational thinking.

Loni Edwards link

11/25/2014 09:51:57 pm

I am in agreement with Neil. Scary things just don't seem that scary when you can conquer them. I have in my own memory a vision of the evil witch from the Wizard of Oz movie. I also have the imagine of her melting and the feeling of triumph. When introducing scary concepts, children are intrigued. It is up to us, as guides to also introduce them to bravery, strength of will, and hope as well.

Matt Holman

11/25/2014 09:52:41 pm

Offering children scary stories or stories where it is not clear which characters are good or bad allows them to think about the complexities of life from the comfort of their own bedroom. I have always liked the Billy Goats Gruff for this reason. It's not clear who is in the right - the ugly troll who defends his bridge or the gluttonous goats who, through there own devices, lead the troll to his demise. Other modern stories, from Where the Wild Things Are to Lemony Snicket, give children a chance to question the order of the world around them. Best of all it inspires them to read!

Heather

11/25/2014 10:09:43 pm

I agree completely. Knowledge is power.

Georgianne

11/25/2014 10:44:41 pm

Growing up we read the traditional fairy tales and watched Disney movies...children learn there is good and evil in the world. They also learn how to deal with evil in the hope that good can conquer evil; even if the evil is that bully who rides the same school bus as you.

Maggi Idzikowski link

11/25/2014 10:50:16 pm

It's that old Chesterton quote: "Fairytales don't teach children that monsters exist. They already know that monsters exist. Fairy tales teach children that monsters can be killed." So true.

Ron Fowler link

11/25/2014 11:49:51 pm

If humans of any age don't need dark and scary stories then why are we SO attracted to them? Sendak to Bros Grimm (the first edition stories in the original German are even more grisly than the stories from the 7th, "Children's Stories and Household Tales!") to R.L. Stein to Neil's work to Stephen King.

It's really all about KNOWING YOUR child. A book and YOUR lap or sharing/discussing a story IS the absolute best way to deal with those fears (substantively different from your lap and a T.V. show or movie, because it is YOU and YOUR child's imaginations that construct the fear & how it is dealt with). It's an OLD need; the Grimm's tales were told for hundreds, if not thousands, of years before they were written down, many Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Norse and other myths are pretty grisly and deal with the deepest of human fears as do many Old Testament stories in the Bible.

So, to me, Neil reanimates and adds to an age-old body of wisdom.

“. . .from their earliest years children live on familiar terms with disrupting emotions, fear and anxiety are an intrinsic part of their everyday lives, they continually cope with frustrations as best they can. And it is through fantasy that children achieve catharsis. It is the best means they have for taming Wild Things.”
― Maurice Sendak

And, I would argue, that it isn't just it isn't just 7-12 year-olds that need to "tame the wild things."

A few of my recommendations (for the older end of this age range!) are:
"Far, Far Away" by Tom McNeal
"A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness
"His Dark Materials" series by Philip Pullman

7& up:
Grimm's Fairy Tales (You'll need explore different editions and decide which is best for YOUR child-pre-teen. It is also my understanding that many of the darker, more grisly, Grimm Tales were told to teen and pre-teen audiences, not 4 year-olds at bed time!).

MrsK Shealy link

11/25/2014 11:57:05 pm

You can be "brave and keep going." As an educator, I appreciate this quote. So many of my students have a "darkness" that is tormenting them. Hansel & Gretel was the most horrific story I ever heard. And yet, so much in life can touch off those same feelings. I will be sharing this quote and I would be honored to share the graphic with our students.

Amelia Thomas

11/26/2014 12:14:38 am

I 100% agree with Neil Gaiman. You have to be shown the dark to appreciate the light, and using fairy tales and comics to do so with children is a great way to introduce them to something like that. You cannot protect them from everything forever, and much worse is broadcast on the 24hour news networks everyday. Like Neil Gaiman said, you have to show them that they can fight back, and these stories give them the context to know they can fight back and win.

Randal Tolbert

11/26/2014 02:33:55 am

The darkness in fairy tales allow children to safely face their fears and actually helps to prepare them for the world. It also helps them understand there are real villains in life and when fairy tales become watered down they lose their power. It does in fact show them that they can triumph over adversity.

Laura Edge

11/26/2014 03:00:13 am

I will be purchasing this book for my library. I agree with Neil Gaiman on this subject. Children need the opportunity to experience slightly scary situations vicariously and to see that the good guys can win. Experiencing emotions through literature and talking about them helps prepare children for real life experiences.

Helena Juhasz link

11/26/2014 04:56:36 am

This is a wonderful interview. I love that Neil Gaiman likens darkness in children's literature as an "inoculation" - in a manageable form. What scared me most as a young child first learning the Hansel & Gretel story, was the idea that a family had so little to survive that they would leave the youngest behind to fend for themselves. THAT, for me, was the horror of Hansel & Gretel. The possibility of not being cared for. Being disposed of. Perhaps such darkness can nurture an understanding for what is right in this world. How do we treat each other. How do we like to be treated? And a certain amount of gratitude for what should be: safe, nurturing families.

Kate Quinn link

11/26/2014 05:43:08 am

For those who feel a picture is worth a thousand words, then perhaps this book is ideal for them. The combination of the word and picture in this publication makes me think that each is vital to the other. I feel we spend to much time and effort shielding children from the reality of life. Not allowing them to develop opinions and thoughts on their own. Let them figure out what scares them. A good story that we may think frightening can be very entertaining to a child. The key is to be willing to read all forms of literature to children giving them the ability to make choices when they get older. Discuss books with them, talk about books you read when young. One of my favorites was "Old Yeller" by Fred Gipson, though it made me cry. I do not feel that it traumatized me all that badly. Keep writing the stories that scare, make you cry or laugh or just make you think.

Craig Seasholes link

11/26/2014 07:41:03 am

Neil's right. Giving kids practice in recognizing fear and overcoming fear through cleverness, fortitude, etc is the right immunization regime for a frightening world. I'lladd "eat dirt", "fall down" and "take chances" as similar exhortations in my work with young children.

Marilia

11/26/2014 08:38:35 am

Everything it is a matter of a way.And then also a matter of use.
You do scared them yes but in a way that they can handle and that can teach them something.
And then you don't give them to read a Stephen King story(as Neil did with his daughter)without having prepared the ground for it with some medium scary stories.

Esther

11/26/2014 09:21:18 am

I always thought it was awful to be too truthful about the ills of the world, until I had my own children. But all so often, I find that I have to tell them the truth. Like when they're grandmother died. And they still know it's something that sits heavily with me. They hear about people teenagers kidnapped and killed by terrorists. Or Terrorists entering places of worships and killing and maiming people. My oldest is al of 5-years-old, but he hears all about it. So, I've amended how I feel. It's not about not telling them. It's about how you present it to them.

Pamela Hansen

11/26/2014 10:58:24 am

I think that this is a good way to introduce scariness to children. After all, they can control it because they can always close the book if it gets too scary for them. Movies are so much more intense that sometimes a movie of the same story is much scarier than the book.

Marcela Roberts link

11/26/2014 10:59:02 am

Fear is inevitable. Teaching kids what to do when that fear arises, and different kinds of fear is good. And books are great opportunities to do that. So yes, I agree. :)

Marcia Berbeza

11/26/2014 04:02:45 pm

Children are exposed to scary things every single day. Fairy tales gives them an avenue to discuss it with you and put their fears into context. As a school librarian, I see kids coming in every day and ASKING where the scary books are. Why censor the fear? Label it so they know what they are getting and leave it be.

Syd

11/27/2014 08:33:11 am

Fiction and reality are 2 different things. Fiction allows for safe experiences of all kinds. Even if frightful. In the end it is fiction.

Ruhama Kordatzky Bahr

11/28/2014 01:31:29 am

I agree with Neil, and as many have already said, 'protecting' kids from scary, sad, hurt, etc. does not do them any good.

Also, what kid doesn't seek out horror stories at some point in his life? I loved Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and know lots of other kids who gravitated towards 398.25...

Catherine Adams link

11/30/2014 10:44:32 pm

Dark and scary fiction prepare a child for reality; cultures thru out the world have dark folk & fairy tales that have touches of truth. When exposed to a child; they are able to sense and know what is safe or dangerous. Parents need to realize that exposure to the tales (written as first published not watered down) are not for the young...NOT for bedtime reading.

Barbara Fiehn

12/1/2014 03:16:52 am

Literature of all kinds helps children and adults deal with the read world. Literature allows the reader to see how imaginary or real characters deal with different issues. The reader can then integrate both good and bad models and arrive at their own way of dealing with both good and bad situations.

Keeping literature away from children just because it may be scary deprives children of the chance to think about what might be and figure out how they would react. Children have to be prepared to live in the real world.

Alexa Newman

12/1/2014 03:49:50 am

This books is beautifully done. I'm on the fence about scary material, because I was that kid that would read a deliciously frightening story, and then see monsters out of the corners of my eye, have nightmares where I am in the story, and so on. That said, I read the original version of Grimm as a child, and then as a teen read Grimm in German, and really appreciated the darkness -- because they taught lessons about good and evil, right and wrong. I have a problem with the Mousification of some of histories greatest stories.

Diane Pollock

12/1/2014 06:00:49 am

Beautiful. Best. Ever.

Margie Cortina link

12/1/2014 08:27:48 am

I agree! However, as a parent, it is so hard to do so. Our job is to protect our children from everything. We seem to forget that eventually our kids need to develop their own methods of protection, as well as coping with sadness, creating happiness, etc. That's why I feel that books are so very important for all ages. Book give us the opportunity to create our own feelings and then let us deal with them as we can.

Mario Filipe

12/1/2014 01:54:02 pm

Few things are as scary as me trying to paraphrase G. K. Chesterton, but fairy tales go beyond instilling the fear of monsters in children, they impart the knowledge that monsters can be brought down. To that I'll add that it teaches children that, despite their fears, sometimes the dark and tortuous paths can be explored. And let those to whom the children run after reading the scary stories teach them who the real monsters are and how they can also be dealt with.

Joseph Layer

12/2/2014 12:12:28 am

The idea that evil can be defeated is an important lesson for children to learn - they have the power to choose right over wrong, light over darkness.

Kristine Owens

12/2/2014 12:28:43 am

In spite of what some choose to believe, one cannot protect children from the dark side of life. Fairy tales, scary movies even Scooby-Doo shows that there is both evil and good around us, but that one can overcome evil with good. It's one of life's lessons and needs to be taught to children, preferably by their parents. through fairy tales, graphic novels (superheroes) and other storytelling formats. Kudos to Neil Gaiman for his beautifully told and illustrated stories! Thanks!

Erik Cooke

12/2/2014 05:10:49 am

We often have a distorted sense of what children can handle and what they need to be guarded from. In general, I think parents and adults should strive to keep their kids from the most unforgiving dangers, which comprise a pretty short list - electrical outlets, bleach, fire, spinning blades. Also on that list would be parental impatience, uncontrolled anger, negligence, etc. Letting kids see darkness is part of curating the world for them, and essential to helping them understand dangers and personal power.

Susan Ferrara

12/2/2014 05:49:35 am

Absolutely agree with him. I don't think we give children enough credit most of the time. They like being frightened by the campfire with spooky stories. They can handle the darkness - it's already all around them. Fairy tales have been around forever - the original versions are very dark, cautionary tales. They entertain but they also teach. I think children in the 7-12 age group can handle the original Grimm's Fairy Tales or Aesop's Fables and it would be fun to compare/contrast to the modern day (Disney) retellings.

Isabelle Chartier

12/2/2014 05:54:43 am

I work part-time as an assistant teacher to preschool children at a learning center. On my very first day of work (first time working in a child care setting, too) I was reading the Three Little Pigs to a group of three-year-olds. I knew the story, but I guess I forgot all the details. I was reading through, performing all the voices, and when the Wolf huffed and puffed the first Pig's house down and "Ate the pig up!", I kind of startled myself. In that second, a child asked "Why?!" And I just looked at her and said, "Well... wolves eat pigs." And we looked at each other for a moment in mutual shock for a second. I turned the page, and another child came up and pointed to the wolf's fat stomach and said, "Is the pig in there? In his tummy?" And I just said, "Yep, he sure is!"

I suppose that isn't as "dark" as Hansel and Gretel, but I imagine it's a funny feeling when you first realize animals eat other animals and that's normal. Darkness is a part of nature and life in general, and I think adults underestimate a child's capacity to handle such dark things (when presented to them in healthy doses).

Beth Isaacson

12/2/2014 07:46:46 am

I agree completely. Gaiman and Sherman Alexie fall in the same group here: reading "about monsters and monstrous things, often written with monstrous language, [teaches children] how to battle the real monsters" they will inevitably meet in life. Some of the most popular, most beloved authors right now - Gaiman, Alexie, Rowling, Collins - remain honest with their readers. Evil is evil. People die. Other people cause those deaths while still others fight to prevent them. The same way reading a book with a main character from a different background, race, or gender than you provides you with a window into another perspective, reading a book fraught with dangerous experiences outside your own lets you brush the sensations such peril, grief, and trauma from the safety of your favorite reading spot.

Of course the flip of this would be the kids and readers for whom these stories hold up a mirror to their own experiences. These readers reap benefit in knowing others out there understand and see their lives, value them, and believe they can overcome the danger around them. For those children, these books are weapons that enable them to fight the monsters they face everyday.

Naomi link

12/2/2014 09:21:03 am

I don't think we need to scare children, per se, but there's no need to talk down to them or pretend you understand things that defy explanation. They need to learn that there is good and bad in the world and that they are sometimes powerless to control things. And that's okay. And not necessarily scary. But intriguing.

Patricia link

12/2/2014 02:15:28 pm

I agree with Neil Gaiman's comments. The world isn't always a safe happy place. Dark scary books for children are tools that parents can use to teach them how to deal with the things they fear.

Anna

12/2/2014 03:46:02 pm

I definitely agree that there is some good obtained through exposure to "dark" things, but with the understanding that these things not be so extreme that they are scarring or traumatizing to children. I don't necessarily agree that children become to sheltered with lack of exposure, but rather believe that the strongest benefit of a scary story is the entertainment factor. The intense emotions (ie. fear) that can be brought about by scary stories can actually be very rewarding & create positive experiences.

I remember reading "In A Dark, Dark Room" (Alvin Schwartz) as a child & even to this day I think it is one of the most terrifying books ever created (and recommended for ages 4-8 years). The fear from reading the book was actually thrilling & thinking about the book recalls vivid memories of my childhood. The stories & images in that particular book were definitely scary, but the experience was not at all traumatic, just extremely memorable.

Analine link

12/2/2014 11:44:23 pm

Gaiman mentions inoculation but in our case, where I teach, our kids have become desensitized to violence. We have young parents who think nothing of showing their kids movies like "Anabelle" and "Chuckie". We are also on the border of Mexico. Many of our students walk across it every weekend because they have family there. The drug cartels are so prevalent. They seep into our city and recruit our kids, teens and parents. I know this sounds so fantastic, but murders, hangings and beheadings our featured in the papers daily. And talk about cooking people, they do that also, in vats. Not to eat them but as a form of torture.

I love a good dark fairytale. But what I don't love is when you read one to the students and they can actually connect it to an experience they've heard of.

Sharon C

12/2/2014 11:48:17 pm

I think for the most part, that it is OK for kids to read some things with scary themes...I do think you need to know your own child, and we as librarians and/or booksellers need to let parents know if there is a scary theme...Some children are very sensitive to certain things, and this might induce more anxiety..Overall though I was brought up on the original fairy tales and survived quite nicely!

Richard D. Deverell

12/4/2014 11:07:15 am

Gaiman is right- teaching children how to overcome things that are, at first, scary is the best way to prepare them to eventually face the world on their own. Fairy tales, superheroes, and science fiction stories excite the reader and may frighten them, but they all share a message that can teach the reader to use their brain, think about others' feelings, and do the right thing. As Gaiman himself said, "Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten," and that's a good lesson.

Steven

12/4/2014 11:18:29 am

If you don't scare children, they'll go through their young lives thinking life is just about ribbons, trophies & rainbows -- until something really bad happens, like a death in the family.

Judith link

12/4/2014 11:19:44 am

Neil is spot on. Children need to be exposed to scary things at an early age so that they aren't shocked and hindered by the fear later on. That's not to say we should go out of our way to expose them to violence or severe acts of atrocity but if a child reads something that frightens her, there needs to be a dialogue between an adult and the child in order to explain what makes something scary. Children have an amazing capacity to accept and compute novel subjects. By creating an openness and not hiding certain facts of life, they are given the tools to combat fears later. It's a great framework for understanding the darker sides of life and will allow for more acceptance. There's nothing to fear but fear itself and by hiding things from kids we do them a great disservice.

Eric

12/4/2014 11:20:49 am

I agree with Neil. You can't shelter kids forever. As long as you approach it the right way and are prepared to have a good discussion about it dealing with darker things is part of life. By having the experience in a safe way and a positive way you prepare them for the future.

Cyndi

12/4/2014 12:10:21 pm

if you try to protect your children from all the bad things, you aren't preparing them for real life. Scary things exist - give them tools to fight back.

stefan A

12/4/2014 12:16:34 pm

I think haunting stories can help kids think through all sorts of situations and learn to process uncomfortable feelings.

Suzie

12/4/2014 12:20:18 pm

I think we often underestimate children, and that, especially when it comes to the darkness in fairy tales, that children are capable of peering into that darkness and walking away with not only fear, but questions, and what safer a way to introduce a child to the darkness they will undoubtedly face in life, than through stories?

Also, fairy tales are often parables. They teach as well as tell stories. For instance, if you look at Goldilocks and the Three Bears not only does Goldilocks disobey her mother which results in her stumbling across the bears (which, being bears, she assumes will harm her and flees from back to safety), but she's also very selfish in the tale, going as far as to steal from these strangers and sleep in their beds without asking. The tale teaches little kids that they should listen to their parents (especially about strangers), because their parents are there to keep them out of danger. It teaches them that their can be a danger. And Goldilocks does a lot of questionable things that can be discussed further if a child were to question her as a peer.

I agree also that empowering kids, and helping them learn to think their way out of bad situations without having to actually be in that bad situation, is another benefit of stories like Hansel and Gretel.

Trevor Woodhouse

12/4/2014 12:29:28 pm

Scary stories are part of what makes being a kid so fun. It's a great way to get your imagination going and to get you thinking. I think it's healthy to be subjected to a little fear in a safe way. Makes you stronger.

Paola

12/4/2014 12:52:22 pm

"because you can" what a wonderful message. Not only to kids, but to adults alike. Yeah, exposure to scary things can be intimidating, but hiding reality is worse. Teaching power in knowledge and courage is an essential lesson.

Johnny

12/4/2014 12:54:00 pm

Fear is part of life, why hide it?

F Currie

12/4/2014 12:55:38 pm

I think it's a good idea for kids to be allowed to read dark stories. They can be in control of how much they see/read at a time. Young kids don't get to feel in charge of many things and literature is a way for them to be in charge of scary feelings.

Michael White

12/4/2014 12:58:17 pm

Yes. We have to challenge our children, intellectually, but also keep them safe.

Magali

12/4/2014 12:59:50 pm

I completely agree with Neil, the fact that kids need to know about the darker sides of life, dangers, even death, will help them being ready for what is to come and they must no be afraid of it.

Josh Reid

12/4/2014 01:00:16 pm

As a grade 8 teacher and a father of 2 boys, i try to scare kids whenever possible! It brings out the humanity in a person to be white-knuckle afraid.

Kelly link

12/4/2014 01:01:13 pm

A growing brain that isn't introduced to the beatable monsters under the bed, the solvable problems in the classroom, and even the concept of losing a game, (athletic or otherwise) is a mind that won't be equipped to handle the vagaries of day to day life as it ages.

Of course we need to expose kids to the things that go bump in the night, but we need to do it within the safe confines of the cover of a book and conversations with trusted adults. This is how we nurture well read and well balanced adults.

MrDisco

12/4/2014 01:02:14 pm

I agree with Neil's sentiment. You can't teach children to be strong and resilient unless they know what fear is. They need to be able to recognize what scares them, then develop the means to beat it. Living in a sanitized, bubble-wrapped world will do far more harm than good in the long run.

Amanda Hua link

12/4/2014 01:02:29 pm

I agree with Neil. I think kids can handle scary things as long as we empower them at the same time. I really enjoyed Nightmares! by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller. That book has a great group of kids that conquer their fears. I also liked Doll Bones by Holly Black. Super creepy ghost story with main characters that show great bravery.

Carol M

12/4/2014 01:02:50 pm

I took the Grimm's Fairy Tales, made them bloodier and told them to my 8th graders in a major US inner City school system. No one had ever told them the Tales. They loved them-could hear a mouse wee on cottom=n when I said, "Once Upon a Time..."

Will

12/4/2014 01:05:40 pm

Teaching children the difference between good and evil, and the difference between being good or evil, are essential lessons. Fairy tales do just this, and should be read, read again, and savored.

Ann Reali

12/4/2014 01:07:52 pm

Besides teaching children how to deal with the frightening parts of life, fairy tales teach them how to be brave, good, and kind. Showing children both good and bad , scary and unscary helps them to understand life.

Kavitha link

12/4/2014 01:08:07 pm

I do agree that it is quite good to read scary stories or dark stories. You can only fight or overcome something if you know it. Also the unknown and unexplained is much scarier.

Stephanie S

12/4/2014 01:09:21 pm

I completely agree with Gaiman. As a kid my parents allowed to me to read and watch some extremely scary things, the Tall Man still freaks me out. But kids know that things are scary, not everyone grows up in a utopia with an idyllic childhood. Divorce, violence, poverty...these things can scare a kid more than something imaginary that goes "bump" in the night.

Susanne

12/4/2014 01:09:34 pm

I had this very same conversation with my husband when deciding whether or not to let my kids, aged 5 and 8, watch Doctor Who, some episodes of which had *me* cowering behind a pillow! We have always sheltered them from what we feel is too violent or scary, but decided to let them watch DW (which can be dark, but is well-written) with the proviso that we would stop if they seemed to have nightmares or other ill effects. We need not have worried, as it turns out. No bad dreams, it's their favourite show, and we use it as a chance to talk about what they find scary and why, and as a basis for explaining good storytelling. Neil's inoculation analogy fits our situation very well. I think the key is making sure they're watching and reading quality material, whatever the tone.

Angie B

12/4/2014 01:12:58 pm

He's spot on with the need of introducing children to what's out there in this big world of ours and that there is good and bad and that they are sometimes powerless to control these things, but they will build awareness.

Ezra Eisenberg link

12/4/2014 01:13:02 pm

i think the scary stuff in fairytales and fantasy can be fun in context and does help to teach what is real and what isn't and what might just be somewhere in between.

Benian Göksu Tural

12/4/2014 01:23:37 pm

It's not just "scaring kids". It'ts showing them what to be afraid of and what to be not. Children see and children do. If you give them a candy everyday, they will believe that life will have some candy ready to give them every single day. But if you give them a book, a book with joy, tears, fright anf happy endings, they will see that life will not give them tasty candies everyday, but they will fight and get their candies from the cruel hands of life. Let'ts give kids some good books.

John Wenger

12/4/2014 01:24:58 pm

We never told my son that he couldn't read a certain book (when he was growing up) because it might be too scary or upsetting. We gave guidance and made suggestions and we're always available to talk about a book or story with him.

Tammy Dumbar link

12/4/2014 01:29:26 pm

Bravery is when you're afraid but you still do what you know you should. Scary books teach lessons!

Danielle link

12/4/2014 01:38:36 pm

I'm glad as a child - a voracious reader from an early age - I was given the opportunity to make my own decisions about the books I chose to read. The idea of frightening or spooky stories fascinated me. Certainly I may have been too scared by some books, but I'm glad I made the decision to read them. And the scare is kind of thrilling, isn't it? I certainly won't forget the books I read as a kid.

Knox Blevins

12/4/2014 01:44:06 pm

I completely agree with Neil. The world is a dark place, and it is important to learn that at an early age. But it's equally important for children to learn that there is light in the world too, and that light can overcome darkness. Being afraid is essential to life because being afraid teaches us how to be brave. And it is good for children to be brave.

Jessica

12/4/2014 01:47:29 pm

I completely agree with Neil here, children need to be aware of the fact that dark things exist and can be defeated. Scary kids books and tv shows are a fantastic was of doing that in a comforting, familiar way, because it's not about scaring the living daylights out of children. It's about giving them the chance to experience fear and cope with it and accept it in a healthy way, so they're able to use it as they grow rather than always struggling with it. Of course, some children get traumatized easily where other children won't, so I also think it's important that the parents are involved and that they can provide support if the children get too upset by something.
I think it's really great that Neil understands the importance of a good scare!

Serina link

12/4/2014 01:49:36 pm

I just recently started exposing my kids to darker literature and it's going just fine. They have great imaginations!

Lauren P

12/4/2014 01:50:22 pm

A healthy dose of fear is good from time to time. Its a fascinating feeling, it makes you feel alive.

Nicki

12/4/2014 01:55:53 pm

I'd love to give this to my nieces and nephew!

Marie Salvaleon

12/4/2014 02:14:29 pm

I would agree with Mr. Gaiman's thoughts, but I'd just like to add something. When I was still in primary school, I used to think that this world was a happy, colorful and a perfect place to live in where sorrow and "darkness" did not exist, but as I grew older, I realized that it's not really a 100% like that. That fact saddened me. It broke my heart that at some point in my life, I was SO skeptical about things. I tend to question a lot of "WWWWWH" to the world (but most of the time it was the 'WHY'). But now that I'm a young adult, I'm already getting the hang of it. And I think it would really be cool if at an early age kids would know a little bit of the real world - that it's not just about the joy and the laughter, it can be scary too, but guess what, you don't have to shy away and be frightened forever because you, kid, have the power to face those scary things and fight them. I think what I just lack when I was still 7 y/o was this mental preparedness about reality. All I saw was the bright side. I was clueless about the "other" side.

BUT! Kid's imaginations are fragile. As adults, we should take good care of that. Scaring them totally might break that fragile thing they have. We can always show them a glimpse of this scary world without frightening them 100%. A children's book that has a balance between a kid's fantasy and the world's realities would really be a beaut. :)

Maui Mangawang

12/4/2014 02:16:30 pm

In a way, scaring children gives them doorways to different parts of their dreams and reality. They are able to view scenarios, helping them think critically of what should be done as well as give them lessons. It also introduces to them the idea of art in many forms - not just beauty, but in various places such as the dark. As a kid, I enjoyed a great deal of scary stories and am very grateful for the things it has taught me.

woody

12/4/2014 02:25:27 pm

I remember being scared spitless of the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz film when I was little. I would hide behind the couch whenever she came on screen. Most things didn't seem so scary in comparison.

osb08001

12/4/2014 02:27:26 pm

If we want our children to deal well with problems, we should teach them how to solve them at an early age. While I do think we should be careful of how dark at what age, I think to avoid confronting hard subjects with children means they could miss out on some really good information!

Sue

12/4/2014 02:39:07 pm

Without fairy tales and scary stories, how else will kids believe that even the smallest among us can stand up and fight the monsters and the bullies? Fear is a part of life and if they are exposed to it, they learn how to control it rather than let it control them.

alumiere

12/4/2014 03:06:50 pm

I loved scary stories and horror as a kid. It helped me through some very tough times to know that evil could be fought.

Crone Haven

12/4/2014 03:09:10 pm

True story: A father took his two young children with him to the woods to cut down a Christmas tree. He couldn't cut the tree down because the kids were crying and hanging onto his legs and wouldn't let go. Why? Because they thought they were going to be left behind like Hansel and Gretel. Moral? Maybe you want to wait a few years until the kids start to realize there's a difference between fantasy and reality before you read them the darker stories.

Nathan

12/4/2014 03:23:43 pm

This is a comment.

Rachael @ The End of the Chapter link

12/4/2014 03:37:07 pm

I love everything Neil Gaiman does, and this looks like an amazing book!!

Hailey

12/4/2014 03:47:18 pm

I do think it's good to present kids with a realistic idea of the world we live in. No need to sugar coat it.

Christina Patton

12/4/2014 03:52:46 pm

No fable, tale or story- modern or ancient- has ever scared me more than the cruelties that humans are capable of inflicting on each other here in reality. Scary stories thrilled and horrified me as a child, but also prepared me for life in a world which sometimes seemed even more crazy than the places I visited in books.

Jessica

12/4/2014 04:00:02 pm

Kids should absolutely be allowed and encouraged to read about things which scare them. Neil is absolutely right though - you need to show hope and triumph too.

Marco

12/4/2014 04:09:12 pm

It is good to protect your children, but they have to experience the world to grow up. It isn't always secure. It isn't always safe. Through stories, they can learn the darkness that is out there and how to overcome it.

Mirela Stefanova

12/4/2014 04:28:46 pm

Some of the scariest stories come in the form of fairy tales. They fill us with dread and anxiety as children, but we go along for the ride because of the promised happy ending. We don’t realize it at the time, but all these tales speak to our fears as well as our hopes. They tap into something primal and deep within each of our psyches.

Kirsten Petersen link

12/4/2014 05:06:11 pm

Children come up with scary things on their own. Stories give them the vocabulary to voice the worries in their head. When my daughter was little, she was afraid of monsters, everywhere - under the bed, in the closet, out the window, in her shoe. We made up rules to fight the monsters. They can't get in your bed. Spraying them with monster spray (air freshener) frightens them away, because they don't like nice smells. Singing happy songs weakens them. We even made up a card game called "Monsters" where went looking for monsters in various rooms of the house, and when you found one, you defeated it with your flashlight, or a playful puppy, or a purring kitten, or a funny book. Scary stories bring monsters into the light, and in the light, they have no power over us.

bh alsop link

12/4/2014 05:06:25 pm

Scaring little kids is good for them if it is done gently. They have to learn at an early age that fear can be handled well, or else school will scare the bejeezus out of them.

Tanbiere

12/4/2014 05:06:33 pm

Oh shite, I was supposed to contribute to the conversation. Well, I read many a scary book to my children, and I read them to myself when I was young. I think children should grow up believing in everything, and that anything is possible, even things that are frightening.

Marjorie link

12/4/2014 05:13:24 pm

Yes, letting children read scary stories is good. It gives them the chance to learn about fear, and dealing with it, in a safe environment where parents can answer questions, it allows conversations to start to enable children to talk a about their fears, fairy stories, and stories such as Coraline, help teach us all, and children in particular, that we can fight bad things even though we are afraid, and we can defeat them.
Also - it makes for good stories, and good stories are worth their weight in gold whether they teach us us things, or the things parents think they should teach, or not.

Frances Hodgson

12/4/2014 05:25:31 pm

Children love to be a bit scared! So much of the 'entertainment' and 'culture' offered to children now is bland, saccharine and offers them nothing in terms of learning how to accept fear and then overcome it. How can you deal with something you've never been exposed to? And the act of reading together with parents is such a safe and protecting thing that it gives the children the confidence to cope with the fear.

Lucie

12/4/2014 05:31:14 pm

Definitely agree. Scaring is just the first (and less important) part of the process. For children all the fairytales and stories are real. And if adults read to them or let them read scary stories then they become responsible for the second part, too. And that second part is the protection. Not from the scary things but from facing them alone unprepared and inexperienced. So they will be sure that even if they're scared of something (doesn't matter if it's "real" or not), they allways can fight it and fight the fear and that they won't be alone against it until they'll be strong enough.

Felipe Thomaz Aquino

12/4/2014 05:34:03 pm

There were always the good and the evil.And there will always be.That's all about choice and know the path you are walking.No doubt children must know this and the fairy tales were always the best way to introduce this matter to them.Neil Gaiman is a master on storytelling so why not leave the children read? In my opinion it's totally worth.Congrats for tour work Neil

Robert H

12/4/2014 05:48:19 pm

It depends on the child / children. I was very timid as a child, easily frightened by movies, and prone to nightmares & often struggling to sleep because of fear and terror. Before sleeping, I'd spend hours with just my imagination, daydreaming with closed eyes, and my imagination was scary. I was not very good at processing scary things - they'd be in my mind for weeks, months, and some things, even years. I don't think more exposure to scary things would have helped me.

The darkest evils are unfortunately not monsters with big teeth. The twentieth century has taught us that the darkest evils are largely mundane - the creeping rise of bigotry, the way people looked away and let unspeakable evils happen, the way we've all been conditioned to "get on with our lives" and ignore atrocities and suffering, the way the spindoctors, media and politicians have learnt to manipulate peoples and capitalise on widespread ignorance... and the most terrifying thing of all is that the worst evils cannot be beaten, at least, not by any one person on their own. And those are themes to dark for most children's stories...

(That said, Cory Doctorow's Little Brother might be just about accessible to 12-year-olds, and some Young Adult literature deals with that kind of darkness, e.g. the novels of Patrick Ness)

In summary: it all depends on the child. And I think the most important thing that children can learn is not that evil can be beaten, but that they must think for themselves, and that thinking hard about what is right and wrong and doing something about it is the foundation of being a good person.

Saskia

12/4/2014 06:21:28 pm

I agree with him. Because it's so important that children learn at a young age that not everything in this world is innocent (like them) and that there are things that cause them harm. If they don't learn this and that they can beat the bad "things" they get squashed by the reality sooner or later. And they will have problems to cope with the world. So it's better to introduce them to the shadowy things in life little by little, in order to make their beautiful minds stealthy for what has to come. And I think children are far more courageous than most of us think, for their courage isn't already worn-out~ (If I may use the beautiful idea of Catherynne M. Valente here :3 )

Duch Alivio link

12/4/2014 07:19:11 pm

Scaring children through stories is a good way for them to learn thingz without having to actually have experiences that would scar them for life. I would recommend The Ugly Duckling to children because this story will teach them that there is somsthing special inside of them that is just waiting to come out and that others cannot dictate what they will or won't be.

Lawrence Farkash

12/4/2014 07:27:25 pm

I think children are smarter and more resilient than we think. Overprotection is more damaging than revelation.

Caterina Bassano link

12/4/2014 08:36:22 pm

I completely agree with the concept that it is important to show dark things to kids in order to show them that darkness can be beaten. The world is full of bad things as well as good; it is not all fairy tales. Kids should learn that life will present them with difficult situations, that there will be times of darkness, and they should know that they can strengthen their spirit and develop the courage to overcome fears and distressing emotions.

Linda Jeffers

12/4/2014 08:41:29 pm

Children can be trusted to self-police their own scare-level. My then 9 year old started reading Harry Potter Book 1 and put it down when she got too scared to continue reading. A few months later, she picked it up and continued. But the way, she did the same with Junie B. Jones--my daughter was terribly bothered that Junie B was always getting into trouble. Team Free-Range Reading!

Ken Gross

12/4/2014 08:52:19 pm

Kids are aware of more than we give them credit for. Scaring them in books is quite a different thing than some of the terrible things in the world, think of it as life training.

Becky Graves

12/4/2014 09:27:40 pm

I do think that teaching kids about fear (& how to deal with & conquer it) is important, & stories are a safe way to do that. Being able to be scared & to rise above it is a vital skill everyone should possess.

Kenneth Love

12/4/2014 09:58:27 pm

I agree completely. As parents, my wife and I made the conscious decision, and the required effort, to not shield the dark aspects of life from our children. We tempered it as appropriate to age, but we never shied away from the actual subject matter. As a result, I believe that our children have been more able to process the bad (or darker things), as it inevitably happens in life, and deal with it appropriately than others that I've seen. It doesn't take away their innocence and sensitivity. My Son is one of the most sensitive children I've ever known, but he also knows that he has to deal with grief and loss head on.

Karen L.

12/4/2014 10:35:00 pm

As long as they see that the scary is beatable. I am sad when a child (or their adult) stops the book or the movie before the bad thing is defeated. How can they deal with it never being resolved?

Brynne

12/4/2014 10:40:23 pm

I think it is important that children are scared. Books are a good way to safely scare kids. There are dark things in our world and if kids are never exposed to them, they will never fully live.

Parrish Gust

12/4/2014 10:58:13 pm

The inoculation idea for preparing children for the potential for dark things is insightful and couldn't agree more. Well done Neil.

Mike New

12/4/2014 11:03:09 pm

Neil Gaiman is the greatest!

Aharen

12/4/2014 11:09:31 pm

I spent the majority of my childhood terrified of the dark and what lie under my bed and each night I slept under the covers to hide from werewolves.

susan cartwright-smith

12/4/2014 11:14:31 pm

Fear is natural. Dealing with fear is learned. Ordinary people can do great things even in times of great fear. Bravery - doing what is right, leads to discrimination being lifted, homophobia and sexism tackled, and people believing in themselves. Fear brings hope.

Gulliver Bear

12/4/2014 11:39:16 pm

I absolutely agree with Neil and would recommend his book Fortunately the Milk to young readers

Samuel

12/4/2014 11:40:21 pm

If children enjoy being scared (and it won't scar them for therapists to unravel years later) then let them. But then again, every child is different, so there should not be a rule for something like this, that would apply to every single one.

Amy Kochensparger link

12/4/2014 11:41:32 pm

I think good stories make people think, learn, and discover something new about themselves. Through reading, our brain networks can make new connections and we are changed. Scary stories can make an empowering impact on younger readers.

Matt D.

12/5/2014 12:14:02 am

I completely agree with Neil, our youth today is far too sheltered with Hover Parents that they aren't given a real opportunity to experience fear.
My advice to this age group: do something that scares you.Whether it's trying out for a sport/group activity or posting that video of you covering "Let It Go" on YouTube, do it. The worst thing that will happen is that you'll be rejected and that will happen throughout life.

Jane Hood

12/5/2014 12:29:27 am

I agree with Neil. My recommendations are Maurice Sendak's books. "Where the Wild Things Are" is another great example of a dark but empowering book. When you are a kid your anger and fear can feel overwhelming and scary. Sendak shows us that through imagination you can conquer your fears and even learn and grow a bit in the process. Sendak's "In a Night Kitchen" is a great book that centers on an unavailable mother. Books like these make you feel less alone when you are a kid. You realize that you are not the only one going through these things - and that you can survive.

Katherine Bolt

12/5/2014 01:29:00 am

Well as most of the people leaving a comment here will be Neil Gaiman fans I think the bias will be towards allowing the scary to be out there! Saying that, I do believe that children need to be exposed to scary things for many good reasons: to prepare them & show them that there are such things in life, to show them that these things can be overcome, to explore and push at boundaries, to learn what is wrong & right. However I also believe that if you start banning what's scary how far do you go and who gets to decide what's scary - that's a slippery slope!

Karen Kosko

12/5/2014 02:15:06 am

I agree withwhat better way than through quality literature/illustrations and the lap of a trusted adult!

Nashifa

12/5/2014 02:39:48 am

I agree with Neil that children need to read about dark things to know how to handle those dark things in real life. Fiction is an amazing place in which to learn that. Dark things exist and it's worse for kids to grow up thinking they don't. There's a strong history of mental illness in my family: growing up, I felt the effects, but had no idea what to do. Now that I've been living with it for so long and I am figuring out how to make my way through this darkness, I insist that my son see those coping mechanisms so he has an idea what to do when depression may hit him.

Brydon

12/5/2014 03:14:38 am

Literature has always allowed us to consider new and different ideas and confront the unknown in ways that our daily lives don't always allow. It's important to be able to share these kinds of books with children who are ready for them in order to challenge their thinking and prepare them for the greater difficulties in life.

Jon Lazar link

12/5/2014 03:18:22 am

Of course kids should be scared. Let them see the dark side and how to overcome it. For a recommendation, there's always Neil's other book Coraline.

Jim D. link

12/5/2014 03:38:25 am

I agree with Neil! I couldn't put it more eloquently than he did; the "inoculation" metaphor is a really strong one. It's only through exposure to challenges that we know we're capable of overcoming them. This is as true for children as it is for anyone else. As for young readers, I always thought that The Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper was very much in this vein (though it's a been a long time since I've read it!)

Lisa Trusiani link

12/5/2014 04:57:54 am

To face a fright while safe is a delight.

clare

12/5/2014 04:59:09 am

Children like to be scared, why else do series like dr who do so well, placing fear in a "controllable bubble " like a book is a great way for children to experience things that they may not stumble upon in thier life, and learn the great qualities of questioning, empathy, and inquisitiveness, and ask themselves how would they deal with that situation,

Stuart

12/5/2014 05:04:22 am

I believe it's good in life to realize there are some things that we should be scared of. Otherwise, when danger comes along how will they know how to act or react?

Robert

12/5/2014 05:11:49 am

seeing no evil or hearing no evil ill prepares a child

Abigayle

12/5/2014 05:14:37 am

i believe it wise to introduce many things to your children

Christine Mather link

12/5/2014 05:15:32 am

Each child has a different fear threshold. Some may need to wait to read Gaiman's wonderful Coraline, but the shivers from Aiken's Wolves of Willoughby Chase can help ease the timid into a world that will offer scares sometimes.

David

12/5/2014 06:19:21 am

I know that I enjoyed scary books when I was young. Edgar Allen Poe was a favorite. Most kids seem to enjoy them, so I'd say let them.

Heather

12/5/2014 10:01:49 am

Children already know there is darkness in the world. They are at the mercy of grownups, who, at their best, are often unpredictable, way more powerful, and sometimes (hopefully) unintentionally mean. Trying to hide it from them is only confusing and even more frightening. But to show them that darkness can be beaten, can make us stronger and/or wiser, and can even be rather funny, can be reassuring and powerful to a young child. Gaiman excels at this.

Ric Marion link

12/5/2014 11:23:33 am

Kids are so protected today. Nothing bad can ever happen to them. Life isn't like that. They need to know about the dark things.

Staci

12/5/2014 11:37:31 am

My childhood WAS dark and scary and I'm sure that's true for many other people as well. I gravitated towards dark fantasy a lot because it allowed me to re-imagine surviving the darkness as an adventure.

Sharon

12/5/2014 11:53:49 am

I believe allowing children to be scared, within reason, is healthy. Doing this through the reading of fairy tales is a creative, imaginative, and gentle way to show children their are dark things in the world, but there are also beautiful things. Book recommendation- Creepy Carrots!

Logan

12/5/2014 12:28:50 pm

I was absolutely terrified as a child by Disney's Headless Horseman. I had nightmares for years from that movie. But, I think, with conversation and guidance, fear can be a great teacher.

Santiago link

12/5/2014 11:39:20 pm

Being scared is an essential component of a child's life, specially if the scares come in the form of stories.

Nina Ramos

12/7/2014 02:56:15 am

We have to scary children so they'll know which monsters are real and which can be beaten with just imagination.

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.