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.
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.
Quote of the Week: “Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.” Theodore Roosevelt
Deborah Drucker says
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. 🙂
Cathrina Constantine says
Congrats to the winner! Love these memo's.
And Love Teddy's quote. So True!
Cherie Reich says
Congrats to the winners! The winning memes were particularly awesome.
Misha Gericke says
Congrats to the winners!
Heather R. Holden says
Great memes! I can see why those particular ones won. Congrats to the winners!
Stephen Tremp says
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.
DMS says
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
Chemist Ken says
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.
Victoria Marie Lees says
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.
Loni Townsend says
Congrats to the winners!
I'm not inspired to make sure I include an elderly character in my writing.
Vidya Sury says
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!
H.R. Sinclair, Southpaw says
Congrats to the winners. I love the kitty one. 🙂
S.A. Larsenッ says
Okay, Phil's quote just made me laugh. Very true! And congratulations to the winners. The meme was fun!
Mark Noce says
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:)
C. Lee McKenzie says
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!
lorilmaclaughlin.com says
Ha, ha, those are funny. Congrats to the winners! That's a great quote by Roosevelt. Glad you were able to find some positive characterizations of the elderly.
C. Lee McKenzie says
They're out there. We only need to find and buy them so our kids will have some positive role models.
C. Lee McKenzie says
They're out there. We only need to find and buy them so our kids will have some positive role models.
emaginette says
I think a range of heritage and age adds to a story.
Anna from elements of emaginette
C. Lee McKenzie says
It offers some great opportunities for interaction.
Beverly Stowe McClure says
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. 🙂
C. Lee McKenzie says
And slow ain't bad, is it? You see so much more walking than you do running.
J.H. Moncrieff says
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.
C. Lee McKenzie says
That's the WIP for you. Deranged, slightly sweet and messy. Also a tad threatening with those teeth. Takes a horror writer to see creepy in a graham cracker.
🙂
J.H. Moncrieff says
I don't know about that…he's one freaky-looking cracker!
Looking forward to seeing this mysterious WIP.
Shannon Lawrence says
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.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I'm sure there are positive depictions. I'm on the lookout for those now more than I was before.
Birgit says
Congrats to the winners and I love that quote!!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I'm remembering it.
Denise Covey says
Congratulations to the winners and the authors who donated books!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Authors really know how to do that, don't they? 🙂
Medeia Sharif says
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.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Indeed. Get rid of the stereotypes!
Karen Lange says
What a fun idea! Enjoyed seeing the memes. I also like that quote of the week. Words to live by!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I think I'll put those words above my desk with other worthwhile quotes.
Sheena-kay Graham says
Congrats winners. Seeing the elderly typified positively is a very good thing.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Yes. It sets us up from childhood to appreciate any age.
Jemi Fraser says
LOVE those memes! And that last pic book looks fabulous!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Her picture book was about international time, and such a great idea.
mshatch says
Maybe if 'older' people were depicted in a more favorable light, kids would have a more positive idea about getting old.
C. Lee McKenzie says
That's exactly the point. Teach kids old=pathetic and guess what?
J.L. Campbell says
Sounds like the hop was a blast.
Dianne K. Salerni says
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?
C. Lee McKenzie says
Good grief, who knows, Dianne. It's a puzzle to me what the rules are because as soon as I think I know them, they're changed.
Juneta Key says
I won, yeah. Thank you for the e-books. I loved all the meme's. It was so much fun and addictive. Thank you.
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
C. Lee McKenzie says
Glad you won, Juneta. I did get a good laugh from what you posted.
Kelly Hashway says
Congrats to the winners, and that is a great quote.
Susan Gourley/Kelley says
That was a fun hop last week. Love Roosevelt's quote. I have to use that sometime.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I'm sure he'd like his words out there as much as possible.
Lexa Cain says
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
C. Lee McKenzie says
We need that kind of diversity in our reading, especially for kids. Thanks, Lexa.
Kelly Steel says
Congratulations to everyone! Awesome memes!
Spacerguy says
I reckon we're all winners! Congratulations everyone, it was a fun memefest!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Absolutely!
Shooting Stars Mag says
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
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thanks, Lauren. I didn't mean to do so much on this topic, but I didn't seem able to stop.
Chrys Fey says
Congrats to all the winners!!!! 😀
Elizabeth Seckman says
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.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Love that great-ma! Hope she won tons.
Patricia Lynne says
Congrats to the winners!
Mary Waibel says
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!
C. Lee McKenzie says
From what I've read, the movies and TV are worse than books. Glad you stopped in to see the posts and comment. Thank you.
DEZMOND says
Congrats to the winners! Where are the red carpet photos?
C. Lee McKenzie says
You were supposed to send those, weren't you?
Christine Rains says
Yay for the blog hop winners! It was so much fun. And three cheers for Omolou! 🙂 Have a lovely week.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Great to be on the team with you.
Bish Denham says
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.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Older people are treasures in many ways. Glad you had such great ones in your life.
Yvonne Ventresca says
The meme blog hop was fun! Thanks for organizing!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Loved yours. Glad you won.
Pat Hatt says
Congrats to the winners. Sounds like the first sure didn't make old sound fun one bit
C. Lee McKenzie says
And he's a brilliant writer/illustrator.
Hilary Melton-Butcher says
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
C. Lee McKenzie says
Cheers to all the elderly!
Sarah Foster says
Congrats to the winners! I love the one with the kittens. And it's so true 😀
C. Lee McKenzie says
Kittens always are winners.
nashvillecats2 says
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.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Early happy birthday, Yvonne. May it be a wonderful day for you.
Natalie Aguirre says
Congrats to the winners! Love that quote by Theodore Roosevelt. So true and just what I needed to hear.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I love finding quotes that make me pay attention. Glad you liked this one.
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
Congratulations to the winners! You guys chose them well.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Didn't you love those memes?