Picture Book Slump?

Recently Publishers Weekly reported on slowing sales of picture books, saying "Gone are the days when parents eagerly await the next Maurice Sendak or Chris Van Allsburg." Since yours truly is eagerly awaiting the next Kevin Henkes, I don't find that to be true, but overall, Judith Rosen's article is well worth reading. There's a kind of he-said, she-said thing going on with publishers and booksellers; my favorite quote concerns  Shirley Mullin, the owner of the Kids Ink bookstore, in Indianapolis:

Still, she finds too much repetition in the marketplace, like sappy and sweet books for four- and five-year-olds. "How many ways can you say I love you?" she asks. "What we need are more Where the Wild Things Are. It's tough, fun and real."

Comments

[Jamie]

I agree with Ms. Mullen--there *is* too much of the same, and *especially* with sappy books. There are a few from the category that I really do like, but you can only read/own so many of them before getting bored. Besides, doesn't sitting down and reading books to your children convey that you love them? :)