picture books for a ripe old age

 

PICTURE BOOKS 

FOR A RIPE OLD AGE

ix.20

 

I propose an entirely new genre of book – the picture book for the elderly (and particularly for those who suffer from dementia).

 

Two life experiences of recent years have led to me to make this proposal. The first is having spent some time visiting in nursing homes with relatives and in-laws with dementia. The second is having spent a number of months in the International Youth Library, in Munich, researching a scholarly book about children, animals and poetry.

 

At the International Youth Library, one cannot help but be overwhelmed by the scale of the Children’s Literature industry – the vast number of books that have been produced and are produced annually, the extraordinary creative energy that goes into this worldwide endeavor.

 

In nursing homes, often toting books for kids and a ukulele, I noted the restorative power of the image, of music (and particularly song) and of (especially familiar) stories and of well worn phrases and poetic expressions. I would say these cultural inputs have a proven power to bring people back. By this I mean to bring people back to former states of consciousness and connectedness, to stir memories and knowledge otherwise apparently lost. I noted the power of well chosen and well deployed images, words and music to delight people who otherwise seem (justifiably) rather depressed with their lot.

 

I noted that children’s picture books are very popular in the nursing home. I think there are several reasons for this. The most obvious of these are cognitive affinity and nostalgia. The complexity of picture book texts aimed at children of various ages/developmental stages may be apt for dementia sufferers of different stages. More importantly, the material in the books may have nostalgic value, in taking the reader back to her/his own childhood, or the experience of reading with children or grandchildren. In the case of children’s classics, the reader may revisit their own childhood experience; in many other cases, a like experience is rekindled.

 

Despite these affinities and interests in common, the needs and pre-occupations of the elderly reader (and particularly the reader with dementia) are quite different and distinct (however they may overlap) from those of the child reader (likewise, they are different from those of the adult who reads with the child). Different content, characters, genres, style, tone might better suit the elderly reader, who, while sharing much of the delight potential of the book for kids, no doubt has more reasons to look back on life and to think of life journeys as well advanced. Those of a ripe old age may sometimes have trouble remembering faces and names but may nevertheless joy in the associations of memory (as for instance sparked by synesthesic experiences). These readers, who may well delight to share with children, will be better involved by a different order of wonder, by a book that has them, particularly, in mind.

 

All sorts of therapies have worked with, I believe, the powers to delight which I have observed. My proposal brings these together in a saleable/gift-able/collectible form – the picture book for a ripe old age.

 

This may come in diverse forms and mainly yet to be conceived. For just one example take the musical picture book. Open the pages and they play songs or melodies to accompany the words and pictures on the page.

 

There is not the least in-principle reason this activity should be conducted on a national basis. But there are practical considerations that might indicate an English language Australian beginning. 

What we would need to begin would be:

-          Credible materials from authors and illustrators and other relevant trades (most probably stories/poems/non-fiction works, illustrated and ready to print).

-          An interested publisher

-          Interested auspices ready to take on a pilot offering. (For instance nursing homes, for instance universities with an interest, for instance an organization like Alzheimer’s Australia.)

I propose that, once interest is established among such parties, a national or international competition would be an effective way to get the ball rolling. Substantial prizes (in the five figures, say, would be a way to make the initial splash needed to give the idea initial momentum.

 

The idea of a competition would be, not only to find the works to first publish, but to foster writer-illustrator partnerships in this new area of literature/publishing.

 

These are only first thoughts, but I would welcome a productive conversation with anyone who might take a serious interest in this proposal.

 

 

 

Concept and description © Christopher (Kit) Kelen 2020