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I have been reading about Charlotte Mason and twaddle in children's books but I just can't get my head around it. It seems like what I am reading says if it would not be interesting to an adult than a child shouldn't read it but yet I know there a lots of things (books included) that my children enjoy that I don't.Please define twaddle as it is in reference to books.

In my mind, twaddle would be books that talk down to the child. For example, in Winnie the Pooh, Pooh is often to referred to as a "bear of very litle brain". That is somewhat profound, takes some thinking on the child's part, is pretty to read on some level, etc. A book considered twaddle might say, "Pooh bear was not very smart." Easier to read, easier to understand, but no thought provoking terminology...nothing that sounds pretty or is fun to read. I love reading Winnie the Pooh - it cracks me up, to be honest. I think it is hilarious and slightly over my 5 yo's head. I love that! I hate to read a Care Bear book we have (that I have hidden, actually!) because it is boring and has simple text.

I hope this helped some! I'm sure others will have better explanations!

edited to add: A good thing to do is read the booklists by CM curriculums, etc. and then get them. I think it took reading several "twaddle free" books for me to realize what twaddle really was and how much better good children's literature really is.

My own totally unofficial definition...

Twaddle-free children's books are those that are enjoyable to read at any age

I could read One Morning in Maine, Charlotte's Web, or Anne of Green Gables a thousand times and still enjoy it, even at my ripe old age

On the other hand, some of those books we picked up at the grocery store or my kids begged for at the library and I had to secretly tuck away to return or give away because I couldn't bear to read them...TWADDLE.

mommyofgirls wrote:I love reading Winnie the Pooh - it cracks me up, to be honest. I think it is hilarious and slightly over my 5 yo's head.

I totally agree! I love Winnie the Pooh even more than my kids do I think! Every time we read through it, I laugh more and love it more. Sometimes when I totally crack up over it, the dc all sit around looking at me like they think perhaps mom's gone mad. So funny.

Anyway, I agree with the pp who said that it takes reading through several living books to get a good intuitive feel for what twaddle is. You know, the same way they train bank tellers to spot a counterfeit bill by becoming incredibly familiar with the real thing. It is a similar idea. Once you have a good grasp of what a living book is, you'll spot twaddle a mile away I think.

Agreeing with the other defintions but will add that we also consider

mass-marketed advertising-based books in the twaddle category.

Daisy wrote:Agreeing with the other defintions but will add that we also consider

mass-marketed advertising-based books in the twaddle category.

Agreed! Too bad, my dd really wanted to like those Strawberry Shortcake, Barbie, and Care Bear books but they were just awful!

Leah

gotpeace91 wrote:

Daisy wrote:Agreeing with the other defintions but will add that we also consider

mass-marketed advertising-based books in the twaddle category.

Agreed! Too bad, my dd really wanted to like those Strawberry Shortcake, Barbie, and Care Bear books but they were just awful!

Leah

where is the nodding yes emoticon when you need one?? those care bear books make me want to throw a brick through a window. "because everyone wins when we share!!" (i like sharing as much as the next lady, but, seriously....TWAAAAAAAAADLE!!!!)

One of my dreams is to go to a twaddle-free bookstore where my dc and I could roam around and find only the best sort of books. Maybe heaven will have that kind of bookstore?
Right now my ds is the one who is yearning for those "mass-marketed advertising-based books". I actually prefer not to bring him to the library right now b/c that paperback rack is such a draw...Pokeman, Spiderman, you name it he begs for it. But he enjoys all the great books we have on our shelves and loves the Thornton Burgess books, so I think LHFHG will help develop the right sort of book taste in him.

I guess maybe I don't completely understand it because we don't really do the cartoon character type books here. What has me wondering is one of the CM book lists I saw had Good night moon on it and while I have read the book several times to my kids it is not a complex book and it is definitely written to children so how does it make the cut.

Here's a definition/explanation of twaddle by catherine Levison:
"First, let’s look at the synonyms of twaddle which include, babble, drivel and silly. Ordinarily twaddle refers to literature written down to children. Books written to children are not avoided. A good example would be any of Beatrix Potter’s works — she writes to children but not down to them. If we were to review what Charlotte would recommend in children’s literature we’d look for interesting content and well constructed sentences clothed in literary language. She wanted the imagination to be warmed and the book to hold the interest of the child. In Charlotte Mason’s opinion, life’s too short to spend time with books that bore us...
When you’re standing in the library and pick up modern-day, elementary-level books, you’re apt to see short sentences with very little effort applied to artistically constructing them to please the mind. Almost anyone can write — but not everyone is gifted in this field. Gifted authors bring images alive with their choice of words..."

Good-night Moon is a classic in it's own right for the littlest people. I have sweet memories of reading several books by that author to my babies before they could even talk. I enjoyed reading them, and the author does use words well.
Blessings on your journey to identify twaddle

jenn in nc wrote:

mommyofgirls wrote:I love reading Winnie the Pooh - it cracks me up, to be honest. I think it is hilarious and slightly over my 5 yo's head.

I totally agree! I love Winnie the Pooh even more than my kids do I think! Every time we read through it, I laugh more and love it more. Sometimes when I totally crack up over it, the dc all sit around looking at me like they think perhaps mom's gone mad. So funny.

I never read Winnie the Pooh as a child, but now reading these books to my daughter I find myself almost doubled over with laughter! Like your dc, my dd doesn't quite get why mommy is laughing so hard that she has to stop reading and catch her breath; this is also happening now that we are reading Mr. Popper's Penquins. Very funny, but not insulting. I'm so looking forward to discovering all this twaddle-free literature with my dc.

We liked Mr. Popper's Penguins too! In fact, it is probably time for another go-round with that one.

I think of twaddle as anything mindless. I can relate it to books, television shows, even internet browsing. That said, I think we all need a *little bit* of twaddle in our lives...just not an amount that overwhelms the worthwhile stuff.

Hi rni'smommy!
I've been thinking about your "twaddle" question. I agree with so many of the definitions above. I like to focus on "What is a living book?" I find it easier and much more fun to search for "living books" then to try to escape the "twaddle".
Karen Andreola puts it a lovely way in Charlotte Mason Companion:

First examine the book to see if it promotes noble thoughts rather than a jaded misleading outlook of life. If the book captures your interest it very well may capture your children's. Once you have determined its general suitability, simply give the book -whether fiction or nonfiction- the one page test. Start reading it aloud to your child and look for signs that it is opening the doors of their minds. Stop at the second page. You will know you have found a living book if you here them plead, "Read me more!"

1. I like to choose books that are considered classics (but not in the "Classical Education" sense of that word) Maybe "old favorites" would be a better way to put it. But I would say some "old favorites" are not our favorites. Then on the other hand, many new authors have captured my dc's hearts. I expect they may become "modern classics".
2. I like to choose books in which the author is writing about something worthy of our time to read. As Mrs. Andreola says "noble thoughts".
3. I like books in which the author loves what he is writing about. The author can express his passion to my dc's. In the instince of nonfiction- my dc has the opportunity to sit at the feet of an expert in that field.
4. I simply pick up a book and read it. If I love it and want to hear more. I see if the dc's feel the same way.

All that said. We own and love a little Barney, Wiggles, Arthur,$ store "Twaddle" books on the side.

You'll begin to know "living books" as you and your dc's enjoy them together. You'll crave more!!!

This is a terrific discussion! I love the definitions and explanations that have been given to describe "living books" as opposed to "twaddle". I get asked this question so often, and you've each done an amazing job of answering this question.

Blessings,
Carrie