Posted by Elizabeth Jolley on June 24, 2014 at 16:21:22 user Elizabeth.
In Reply to: Re: Children's books should not have 'patronising' happy endings posted by David Bamford on June 24, 2014 at 15:51:45:
The 'Strong Winds' series featured children facing some serious hardships at the hands of adults they should, in a happy childhood, be able to trust. Mental illness & instability, foster care, missing parents, etc. are all appropriate in these books mostly because they are aimed at a teen/adult audience, not younger kids. I recall looking for edgier books, books with a harder story, but that still ended well (as do the 'Strong Winds' series!), as I reached my teen years. I loved Ivan Southall, who I think might be Australian--his stories all have teens who find themselves in difficult situations, such as wildfire, flood, etc., and who have to figure out how to survive. Great for teens, happy ending, but not good for young readers.
I doubt that Brits are purposely making their kids' childhoods tough, but perhaps there is a difference between a small crowded island and a huge fairly empty continent!