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C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

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Winners! Ageism in PBs, Volume 3

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Remember this little Meme Hop? Well, it turned out to be a lot of fun and easy to do. It wasn’t easy to pick winners, however. Tara, Christine and I had a devil of a time. But here they are. All very funny. And I only am showing one of each entrant. Some had several. Way to go writers.

Thanks for playing everyone! Here were the book prizes. 

PepperWords won one of the $25. GC from Amazon. 
J.Lenni Dorner won an eBook of Double Negative. 
Junetta won a copy of Sudden Secrets





Check out the other winners on Tara and Christine’s sites. They each offered copies of their books, and there was one more $25 GC. Were you one of the lucky meme-makers?
L.L. is one of my Newsletter followers and she just won a signed copy of A. Formento’s Twigs. Congrats L.L. The book is on the way.
My March Newsletter goes out next week. Hope you’ve signed up. I’m sending everyone a Marketing Checklist with examples of how I’m using it to improve my marketing. More about my marketing next month. There’s also some news. Yes. I actually have NEWS. 


In case you’re interested: My previous posts on AGEISM. Post 1 Post 2

David Wiesner is one of my favorite picture book writers, and I have three of his books. I decided to take a look and see 1) if he had any elderly characters and 2) if he treated them fairly or as stereotypes. Here’s what I found. In one book there were zero elderly, even the animals were young. In another there was one picture of adults, however, I couldn’t count them as elderly. They were reading while their son explored the beach. In the third book there were four characters that were pictured as elderly: round glasses, gray hair and facial lines. All were stern and, while not unkind,  they were stiff and all business. It didn’t look as if being older was much fun.

A writer friend, Cynthia Jaynes Omolou published this PB, so I took a look at it again to see what she’d done with elderly characters. Hurray for Omolou. She not only had three elderly characters ( two men and a woman), but they were of varied ethnicity.

Quote of the Week:  “Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.” Theodore Roosevelt

Comments

  1. I have read all three posts about Ageism and I agree that the depiction of olders has to change. I don't know if you ever heard of this book, "Little Black Sambo." When I was little I remember my mother reading me that story. After the Civil Right Movement in the US and consciousness raising about racism that book was vilified. You don't see books like that anymore. So my hope is that the same thing will happen with depiction of olders. It is not only books, as everyone has said, but TV, films, all media. These negative stereotypes are so pervasive and we do internalize them ourselves as well. Studies have shown that negative stereotypes about age have affected older people's self esteem and more ominously can affect their health and longevity. It's the microaggressions we keep hearing about, the chipping away at people that eventually takes its toll. So I heartily agree that we all need to make sure we do not perpetuate ageism by the way we write and illustrate books. Thank You for writing about this important issue. 🙂

  6. We had a hamster so can totally relate to their cuteness. Until the master escape artist wreck havoc on your hous by hewing valuable and expensive stuff like large sections of carper under the beds and wiring in major kitchen appliances.

  7. I loved the meme hop because it was such fun to see the variety of memes on everyone's blogs. Congrats to all the winners! Stephanie and I have almost all your books now, Lee. Just missing one! Can't wait to read the latest. 🙂
    ~Jess

  8. Those were some great entries. Congratulations to the winners.

    I think movies have added to the ageism. It's too easy to go for cheap laughs whenever older people are in a movie.

  9. Congratulations to all the winners. The MEMEs were great! I truly enjoyed the blog hop and met many new bloggers that I am now following for their insight and interviews. Ageism. This is where I think the U.S. might have it wrong. We can learn so much from the elderly and their life experiences. When I read or watch a movie, I look to see how the writers treat the elderly and what purpose they offer in the plot. Thanks for sharing this with your readers.

  11. I can't believe we've known each other for a while and I haven't read any of your books! I blame the coffee!

    Ageism – very interesting, Lee. I've read books by Indian authors in the regional languages that do have pretty strong elderly characters – especially matriarchs in joint families and similar situations.

    Congrats to the winners – looking forward to visiting more often!

  14. Your post on ageism intrigues me, and I think everything you pointed out in books applies to depictions of the elderly in TV and film too. I think it stems from our culture's fear of death…whereas in older cultures elders were revered because so few people made it to old age. Food for thought:)

    • TV and films can be very bad. That's why I love it when famous leading actors appear in roles as they age. Helen Mirin for example is a brilliant actor and beautiful!

  17. Wonderful quote. Congratulations, winners. The meme looked like fun. It's time that so-called "senior citizens" are shown as many of them really are. I have friends that still go snow skiing and swimming and to ball games, etc. Maybe we're a bit slower, but we get there. 🙂

  18. Am I the only one to find that last meme pretty creepy? What is it supposed to be? To me, it looks like a deranged chocolate-covered graham cracker.

  19. Congratulations to the winners!

    I just read your other posts on ageism. It's not something I've paid attention to, but it has me thinking. In horror, those who are elderly, specifically, are often portrayed negatively. As almost scary. I imagine this reflects a fear of aging since it's in books for adults. But I'm surprised that there isn't a more positive representation in children's literature. After all, grandparents are a favorite for children. I would think there would be positive connotations.

  22. I'd like to see variety. Yes, some adults are stern, but not all of them. It's important for children to see their lighter side. They can be wise, supportive, humorous, and so on.

  26. Maybe if 'older' people were depicted in a more favorable light, kids would have a more positive idea about getting old.

  28. Ha, ha, ha! "The road to hell …" Yes, it certainly is!

    I wonder if the publishing industry plays any part in the missing elderly? I know in MG, the supposed rule is "no adult POV." And I have had books turned down for having the "wrong gender" protagonist for the genre. I wonder what "rules" PB publishers make up?

  32. Congrats to the winners! I love both the Phillip Roth quote and the Teddy Roosevelt one. Yay for old people of different ethnicities in PBs! Have a great week, Lee. <3

  35. Congrats to the winners – Love all the memes!! Kittens ARE adorable.

    Thanks for sharing some of the picture books and how they deal with older characters. Very interesting!

    -Lauren

  37. All of my elderly role models in my family are so outside the box. My niece was having a first birthday for her son and my mom was not yet there for the "generation" picture. I told my niece to just explain to her husband's family that the great-grandma is on a hot streak at the casino and she'll get there as soon as she hits the jack pot.

  39. I'm really enjoying your posts on ageism. Honestly, it's not something I really thought of, but you have a great point. In books and movies, the elderly are often portrayed as 'grumpy', 'mean', not something you want to become. Not someone you can learn valuable lessons from. Thanks for showing me that I need to watch for how I portray adults (and others ages) in my own writing!

  42. Congrats to the winners! It was a fun hop. I'm going to be much more conscious of older characters and seeing how they are portrayed. All the older people I knew growing up were wonderful and so I think I have a predisposition to write characters that reflect that.

  45. Hi Lee – congratulations to the three winners … and yes the quote makes perfect sense … as to getting old – sadly we all do … but smile and enjoy life while we have it .. cheers Hilary

  47. Congrats to the winners, This reminds me I have a birthday in just 2 months time, ah! another year older.
    Young at heart but outside ageing.
    Have a good week.
    Yvonne.