KIDS OR PARENTS, WHO'S YOUR MARKET?

Is it more important for the kids to like your books, or for the parents? The parents do the buying, but the kids do the lobbying. My parents always bought the breakfast cereal I told them to. I don't remember requesting books, but the school would send brochures home suggesting books that the parents might buy for us from Scholastic Book Clubs. Jeff Herman

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Skye Rivers on April 3, 2012 at 12:46pm

Interesting question. I think it could be a double edge sword. The book series I have written, the adults LOVE it, one was brought to tears last night and told me she wished she had a little girl to read it to, but in fact, the adults love tapping into their inner child through my book series as well.

This is a question I have been asking myself too. It will be interesting to see what comments follow and where this thread goes. Thanks for posting Jeff!

Permalink Reply by Rhonda Fischer on April 3, 2012 at 12:48pm

Parents are always doing things to make their children happy. If the child asks, the parents get, as long as it is reasonable. I know parents who have waited two to three hours in line for their cherubs. Not me! Remember the cabbage patch epidemic??

My kids loved Dean Koontz. One loved Stephan King. The more I told him not to read King novels, the more he would buy them and hide them from me. That is one way to get your kids to read books. Hmmmm what could she possibley not like in Stephan King. I guess the curiosity was killing him. lol Big TV Morning Show tomorrow for me about my book.

I am reviewing a book called Rick and Bobo. It won a gold so I was sent this adventure book to review. It is about two superheros. Brothers actually, one is a genius and one is not.

Permalink Reply by Shelli Cornelison on April 3, 2012 at 2:47pm

It's definitely more important to me that the kids like my YA stuff because parents don't have to enter into that so much, but for my picture books, I know they have to appeal to both. The kids in the PB crowd are not independent consumers and parents must be willing to spend the money. If they don't like the book, they're not going to shell out the money. Having said that, neither the kids nor the parents are on my mind when I write the story. I write the story I need to tell. In revisions I analyze for true kid appeal and try to make sure kids can relate to the characters and the plot. I do think about parent appeal in later rounds of revisions. It's not so much about wanting to revise to please the parents. It's more an analysis for my own benefit to see if I find things I believe parents would appreciate. Sometimes there's subtle humor that can be played up for the parents without detracting from the kids' enjoyment though.

Permalink Reply by Joe Frey on April 3, 2012 at 3:20pm

For me, it is important for the kids to like the book, and yes as you and Rhonda both said, they in turn will lobby to their parents for the big buy!

Congrats and good luck tomorrow Rhonda!!

Permalink Reply by Rhonda Fischer on April 3, 2012 at 5:33pm

Thanks Joe,

Its nice to hear from a nice Randy Kazandy fan like yourself. lol You are on the right track my dear. Don't get sidetracked. Focus! You have great potential. I believe in you!

www.randykazandy.com

Permalink Reply by Joe Frey on April 3, 2012 at 11:54pm

I certainly am a Randy Kazandy fan! Thanks for the kind and positive words Rhonda....if I do start to veer off track and you notice it, please jump out in front of me and yell! I don't want to do that, and that's for sure!! :-)

Permalink Reply by Rhonda Fischer on April 4, 2012 at 10:22am

I just finished my Interview on channel 6 "Virginia This Morning" and it was a smash! The guy who interviewed me was a kid at heart. Very cool and inspiring I may add. I have a few schools left in this area and a Museum left and then it is off to NY. I have two TV interviews on the same day. One at noon and one at 7:00PM. And it happens to be my birthday. Whoa! They also had me read some of the book on the air. That was a nice switch for an interview. You never know on these live shows what will happen.

The new news is that my home town is naming a street Randy Kazandy! They just emailed me and want me to make an appearance. Baby steps I say, Baby steps!

www.randykazandy.com

Permalink Reply by Joe Frey on April 4, 2012 at 10:35am

That's fantastic Rhonda! Yes, baby steps, you're absolutely right.

Naming a street after a character you created, now that's the cat's meow!

Where in NY are your interviews? The city I would imagine?

By the way, there will be something waiting for you in your mailbox when you get back home!

Great news!!

Permalink Reply by Rhonda Fischer on April 4, 2012 at 10:48am

Come on Joe! What is it? I am on tour for a month! Please don't keep me in suspense that long. I also met some great authors--NYTimes best sellers even. Book about a dog no less. Come on Joe, spill your news. lol

www.randykazandy.com

Permalink Reply by Joe Frey on April 4, 2012 at 2:11pm

Well I know what some of your favorite things are and since your birthday is coming up, I thought I'd send you a little something....just a small token as a "happy birthday" and a "thank you" all in one.

Have fun on your Book Tour, I am jealous and envious....I aspire to be in your shoes someday!

Permalink Reply by Tom Flood on April 3, 2012 at 5:24pm

Shelli's got it for kids' books (I don't include YA in this). Pester power is huge but parents hold the purse strings Although there is a third factor not mentioned. The gatekeepers - publishers, distributors, agents, reviewers, judges etc. These are enormously important when it comes to selling and even do-it-yourselfers are busting to get in on their game. In kids' books they're even more powerful. A gong from a major award can make a kids book because parents are always looking for guidance through the morass. While it's really hard to write for this sort of thing in adult books, it's pretty much a given in kidslit. Moral tales and learning curves seem to take out most of the big stuff and you can target specific issues in kids' fiction. That is surely driven by the parents, not the kids. Of course there is still the steam valve of pure imagination and fun with no agenda gets let off occasionally.

Permalink Reply by Charles Suddeth on April 3, 2012 at 9:57pm