I went to an event this week that should have demonstrated the power of imagination. It failed rather sadly.
The event was the London Book Fair at Earl’s Court, a vast soulless warehouse of a place. I went because I have just begun working with a children’s book publisher, so I wanted to see what is happening in the world of books. After a couple of hours, trudging up and down aisles lined by identical stands, I had had enough. My client said: “it makes me sad that it’s more fun to go to the motor show than the book fair.” It all seemed to be summed up by the dreary and deserted stand called “Children’s Innovation Zone”.
The word’s significant, the choice of ‘innovation’ rather than ‘imagination’. The world of books is in turmoil, with ebooks and technology changing the nature of the business. I had a meeting with my publisher after the Book Fair, and his theme was that ebooks are not the future, they are dominant now. But there can be, will be, a complementary relationship between printed and electronic media. I have no problem with that. I’m happy for my books to be read in either form.
The problem is that all the focus and energy is going into the technological innovation. What still matters with a ‘book’ is its power to stimulate imagination. Publishers should not lose confidence in the continuing power of imagination. As Lane Smith’s lovely children’s story It’s a book shows, it’s the imaginative release of the story that is vital. We need to nurture the imaginations of children in particular, rather than imposing adult forms of imagination that are led by technology.
It’s the story that does that. It always has and always will. Children’s writers like Michael Rosen hold audiences of children enthralled by the power of storytelling and the exuberance of words. Michael’s part of the Other Worlds exhibition at Oxford’s Story Museum. I’ve written about my collaboration there with Anita Klein but here are the titles of some of the other collaborations. The National Audio Sneeze Laboratory. The room of white trees. The time-traveller’s bureau; Where do lost things go? Half heard, in the stillness. A crafty fag. Is my secret safe? The invisible woman. The day of the door. The word storm.http://www.storymuseum.org.uk/the-story-museum/otherworlds/the-rooms
It’s going to be funny and intriguing. Most of these installations use technology but they are all built around stories. All of them have been achieved with no funding, brought to life by the commitment of the writers and artists to stories. They’ve dug into their own pockets, begged sponsors, set up Just-Giving sites, all because they believe nothing matters more than exciting and nurturing the imaginations of young people – of every age.
Do come along to the exhibition in May. The Story Museum deserves your support. Think of it as the “Children’s Imagination Zone”.
Great post, John. The innovation zone looks hilariously terrible.
Look out for space 31 at Other Worlds: ‘Are you looking at me funny?’
Hi John,
When I was boy, I became addicted to a series of books for young lads, the Hardy Boy’s Mysteries. I read them under the covers with a flashlight…which is where so many good things happen. I believe I was holding my iPhone under the covers one fine morning reading this thing and that, when I landed on an invitation to go to Spain. Lordy…children’s innovation zone sounds Orwellian.
Thought provoking comments John.
It is a sign of the times that even on holiday I counted 5 devices in our room connected to wi- fi for just the two of us. An even more eye opening 17 devices are connected to our overworked wi-fi when the family of four is in residence. Despite that digital factoid, my overwhelming pleasure on vacation came from juggling between my e reader and the paper stuff that is newspapers and magazines. The tactile pleasure of ripping out an article for posterity is something an e bookmark cannot replicate. I do believe the plugged and unplugged worlds can co-exist perfectly. I admire the Sunday Times for creating an online product that is worthy of subscription. Truth is though a book is a book is a book with all the “promise” that it brings. The E in ebook conjures up efficiency which is what it is, and how it works.
Great blog John, the ‘Childrens Innovation Zone’ looks less inviting and less inspiring than some Government Department of pensions conference. Scary. I worked with some toy companies once and they were no fun at all either.
I can almost feel the carpet fibres irritating my nose. Imagination over innovation any day. It’s not just children’s books though, some people would have it that the creative industries are suffering from a crisis of the imagination as a result of the obsession with digital. Someone described it to me as all platform and no train…