Posted by Mike Dennis on October 12, 2004 at 08:22:15 from 84.65.3.189 user MTD.
In the long thread that started with ‘1st. editions’ there seemed to me an underlying theme about who AR was writing for. Most of us contributors here are adults, and from what I can glean from posts grew up in the 40s, 50s and 60s, all still reading AR.
Writing for children is sometimes seen as an 'easy option' - just look at the celebrities who 'write' a book for children (we can all name a few I'm sure!) There are of course established writers who have only written for children. Yet to me AR was a journalist and a writer, and it just so happens that the bulk of his work was aimed towards children but not for them.
As a child I learnt loads of things by reading his books, and as an adult other aspects of the books give me reading pleasure. His use of language is a good pointer; he makes little or no concessions for his readers who are children. The same applies in his use of technical terms with regard to sailing and fishing. He writes about real places almost in the style of good modern day travel writing.
So what is a 'childrens writer'? Whatever definition you use, I don't think AR was one.