Summary
Children’s books can define the lives of the kids who read them, but some that came out in the 2000s haven’t aged well and are remembered differently today. A change in a book’s reputation can occur for many reasons and doesn’t necessarily mean that the piece of literature should be put away forever.Expectations for representation and fairness in children’s novels have evolved, leading to an influx of amazing booksfrom a wide range of authors in recent years. Kids' books should feature just as many diverse voices as any other type of content.
A book could still be compelling and tell a strong story but has simply faded from the larger cultural conversation in favor of better works.
Children’s books foster the development of morals and valuesin young people. The 2000s isn’t the only decade that should be examined with a critical eye, aspopular ’80s and ’90s kid’s books have aged poorlyas well. Additionally, books might be less interesting to audiences today than they were in the past. A book could still be compelling and tell a strong story but has simply faded from the larger cultural conversation in favor of better works. Regardless, it’s never a mistake to examine what kinds of narratives are being shared with readers of all ages.
10 Classic Kids Books From The 90s That Are Still Worth Reading
The 1990s saw the publication of enduring works of literature that remain classics to this day based on their popularity and notoriety.
10Because Of Winn-Dixie (2000)
Written by Kate DiCamillo
Because of Winn-Dixieis an extraordinarily moving tale, and if it weren’t for some of the dated aspects of the story, it would be remembered as one of the greatest children’s novels of all time. Since it takes place in the American South, discussions surrounding the Civil War and stories likeGone With The Windare brought up. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, and these parts of history and culture color the entire country, not just the South. However,Because of Winn-Dixieavoids discussing these topics with a critical eye.
Children are capable of handling tough conversations and understanding more nuance than adults give them credit for. Overall,Because of Winn-Dixiedelves into emotionally upsetting territory like abandonment, death, and alcoholismand does so with great empathy. This is why it’s confusing that the author, Kate DiCamillo, doesn’t do the same with the other themes and plot points in the story. The book shouldn’t be forgotten about, but, like everything, it can’t be taken at face value.
9Olivia (2002)
Written by Ian Falconer
There are several books in theOliviaseries by Ian Falconer that revolve around the titular character Olivia, who’s a young pig always getting into mischief. However,Olivia, which was published in 2002, represents some of the issues parents and children have with the illustrated series.A recurring problem Olivia faces is the fact that she hates nap time,but it comes around every day. It can be difficult to sympathize with Olivia when she throws too many tantrums and doesn’t learn her lesson.
It’s natural for children to act out and have trouble behaving, butOliviadoesn’t fully engage with the consequences of her actions.
Unfortunately,Oliviacould be much better and still explore similar themes if the central story was stronger. It’s natural for children to act out and have trouble behaving, butOliviadoesn’t fully engage with the consequences of her actions.There needs to be room for children to push boundaries but also to learn that there are rulesput in place to respect other people’s needs and wishes. Different picture books utilize similar visual styles and feature young girls as protagonists but offer more fully developed stories.
8Llama Llama Red Pajama (2005)
Written by Anna Dewdney
The picture bookLlama Llama Red Pajamawas written for very young children struggling at bedtime, and in that way, it’s very relatable. However, likeOlivia, the book toes the line of telling children it’s okay to feel their feelings and permitting them to act out. Additionally, the thrust of the story is that the young llama gets anxious because his mother continuously occupies herself with other tasks after he asks her to check on him.The juxtaposition of the child’s actions versus the mother’s has caused some controversyamong parents.
The lack of context and communication inLlama Llama Red Pajamamakes it impossible for anyone to fully side with either party in the book. It’s true thatseparation anxiety is a real issue that children of all ages face,and reading a book about it can be a safe way to explore these negative feelings. However, there are books that capture the needs of both the parent and child much better and offer solutions for everyone to find a compromise and learn to be there for each other.
7Warriors Series (2003–Present)
Written by Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, & Tui Sutherland
The emotional beats of the protagonists get lost in the amount of plotlines being followed.
Many of the biggest issues with theWarriors Series, which follows the lives and adventures of feral cats, won’t bother the young readers who pick up the books.The writing is not of the highest quality, but that doesn’t matter as much as how compelling the story is,and the narratives across the books have captured the hearts and minds of a high number of readers. However, one of the essential problems ofWarriorsis that there are too many characters and plots to keep track of.
The emotional beats of the protagonists get lost in the amount of plotlines being followed. While this offers plenty of unique perspectives and ensures there’s something for everyone in the novel, it can get confusing when looking back on the series. Despite centering on the lives of cats,human issues are put on display in theWarriorseries,making them easier for kids to understand. However, sometimes, the real-world application of the books' themes gets lost in translation for younger readers.
6The Inheritance Cycle (2002–2023)
Written by Christopher Paolini
The belovedInheritance Cyclehas faced difficulty in being brought to a wide audience after the failure of the 2006 film. However,Disney’sEragonshow will bringThe Inheritance Cycleto lifevery soon, though this may raise some questions about the series' quality and content. Christopher Paolini started writing the books at a very young age. His youth and inexperience when the first book was penned could be part of the reason whythe harsh characterization of women and lack of diversity are so prevalent in the series.
Additionally, it’s not difficult to critiqueThe Inheritance Cyclefor being predictable and borrowing a few too many plotlines from other popular sci-fi and fantasy series. Though they’re compelling,the stories and characters aren’t the most original, and this will likely impact the longevity of the books.Frequently compared to epics likeThe Lord of the Rings,The Inheritance Cycleis nowhere close to the intricate plot and amazing worldbuilding of these classic novels.
5The 39 Clues Series (2008–2011)
Written by various authors
The first book inThe 39 Clues Series,The Maze of Bones, was written by Rick Riordan, butthe novels pale in comparison to his world-renowned series,Percy Jackson and the Olympians.Based on Greek myths,Percy Jacksonhas gotten both film and television adaptations, and its popularity makes it unsurprising that only dedicated Riordan fans sought outThe 39 Clues. Additionally, it can be difficult to keep up with the many globe-trotting adventures and intersecting plot lines of the series.
Riordan only wrote the first book and part of the final installment of the original series.
It’s still one ofRick Riordan’s best books, but many readers fell off the series and stopped reading as different authors picked up the pen and contributed to the anthology series. Riordan only wrote the first book and part of the final installment of the original series. Expecting young audiences to engage with an anthology that features so many different writing styles might have been a mistake, even if it’s an intriguing idea.The 39 Cluesmight rise to prominence again if it gets developed for the screen,but until then, it will likely remain a more niche series.
4Milly And The Macy’s Parade (2001)
Written by Shana Corey
Though the illustrations and visual style ofMilly and the Macy’s Paradeare beautiful, it’s a nice piece of children’s literature that overlooks key aspects of the past.It’s a fictional retelling of how the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade beganthrough the eyes of Milly, the young daughter of Polish immigrants. Unfortunately, it’s so fictionalized that it invents characters and changes the timeline of history in an egregious fashion. However, it’s nice to see the experiences of immigrants at the forefront of a popular story.
While it’s not necessary for every children’s book that takes place in the past to be dark and depressing,the book conveniently overlooks the biggest issues facing the American people in the 1920s.Additionally, the history of the Indigenous people of America is completely omitted from the story in favor of overly patriotic and pro-capitalist themes. It might be cynical to view the book through this lens, but it’s important to remember that Macy’s is a corporation and has always been purely a business, not a champion of human rights and diversity.
3Uglies (2005–2007)
Written by Scott Westerfield
Westerfeld should be praised for his writing of Tally, the protagonist, and his empathetic portrayal of her self-discovery as a teenage girl.
TheUgliesseries by Scott Westerfeld is one of the less popular YA books of the 2000s, as it didn’t reach the height of similar series likeThe Hunger GamesandDivergent. Though theUgliesscreen adaptation has taken yearsto get off the ground, audiences are still hoping that a faithful iteration of the novel series will be made for film or television. Overall,Ugliesandthe subsequent books in the series do a good job of engaging with themes of body image,beauty standards, and the threat of totalitarian societies.
However, it could be argued that the argument made against body augmentation is one-dimensional and still provokes negative feelings surrounding body image in readers. Additionally, like many books published by Westerfeld in the 2000s and today,there’s a distinct lack of explicit diversity and representation in the text.However, Westerfeld should be praised for his writing of Tally, the protagonist, and his empathetic portrayal of her self-discovery as a teenage girl. When male authors write for young women, this can be a point of contention, and whileUgliesisn’t perfect, it’s much better than other works.
2Skippyjon Jones (2003)
Written by Judith Byron Schachner
Skippyjon Jonesisn’t the only book meant for children that uses the problematic trope of mock Spanish, which incorrectly uses and corrupts the language for comedic effect. Spanish is spoken predominantly across the world. In the U.S., Spanish and English are widely spoken, and many children are bilingual. There’s little excuse for the way the author, Judith Byron Schachner, misrepresents the language and Latinx culture in the books. Thankfully,many great books are available today that explore the Spanish language and the people of many heritages who speak it.
Since there’s been such a significant shift in the types of books that get published,there’s no need forSkippyjon Jonesto be read or engaged with today outside of thoughtful critique.It’s important for children to feel not only represented but also respected and celebrated by the books they read. TheSkippyjon Jonesseries does little to uplift and engage with differences. Though it was quite popular in the U.S. for many years, the past decade has seen the tide turn on the books.
1The Boy In The Striped Pajamas (2006)
Written by John Boyne
Though written with good intentions,The Boy in the Striped Pajamasdoes not teach children effective and correct information about the Holocaust.Remembering pieces of history that are inextricable from violence and prejudice is importantbecause the only way not to repeat history is to learn about it.The Boy in the Striped Pajamashasn’t been reevaluated because children shouldn’t learn about the Holocaust; they should. However, the story is full of inaccuracies and portents that the only people culpable in the Holocaust were the Nazis.
Of course, the book and film that was made based on the story in 2008 are fictional, but for young readers, it can be difficult to distinguish the line between factual accounts and historical fiction.
Of course, the book and film that was made based on the story in 2008 are fictional, but for young readers, it can be difficult to distinguish the line between factual accounts and historical fiction.The juxtaposition between the two boys at the center of the novel, Bruno and Shmuel, perpetuates a false dichotomyand implicitly compels the reader to believe that people in Germany were unaware of the scope of the Holocaust. Additionally, Shmuel is only ever portrayed as a victim and isn’t given the same consideration as a full character as Bruno.
