As a scientist, I believe in including actual scientific facts in my books. I will not “dumb down” my writing to meet the common norm. I use real scientific terms and describe animal behavior as accurately as possible. Sadly, I occasionally run into a parent’s overprotective instincts when it comes to their children.
Many parents and grandparents are drawn to my book about roadrunners, Don’t Make Me Fly! However, I often have to warn them about the content inside. I’ve actually refunded a couple of buyers because a parent took offense at the scientific facts presented after the book was purchased by a well-meaning grandparent.
Real Predators, Real Nature
The problem? Roadrunners are violent predators, and I present them as such in the book.
The line most often cited is: “they grab their victim behind their head and bash them on the ground until they are dead.”
It’s what roadrunners do! It’s reality! My editor wanted me to remove it, but kids love it—and it’s true.
Recently at a reptile show, a grandmother was perusing Don’t Make Me Fly! I had warned her that roadrunners are fierce predators, as I always do. Even so, she was surprised to see reality presented so openly on the page. Her immediate comment was, “Well, that escalated rapidly!”
I confirmed that I had indeed warned her. She replied that she simply didn’t expect such frankness in a children’s book. She wasn’t upset, merely surprised; she just wasn’t used to children’s books being so honest.
Kids Deserve the Facts
Why? Why must we dumb down books for children? Why must we sugarcoat the harsh realities of life?
If you watch a roadrunner in the wild, you will see the remarkable hunting effectiveness of this predator: bashing reptiles on the ground, plucking hummingbirds and dragonflies straight out of the air, and waiting to consume any small animal that wanders too close. In my opinion, children don’t need protection from the realities of the natural world—they need authentic scientific facts to understand the living world around them.
I was curious if I was the only one feeling this way. Apparently not. Many educators and readers have pointed out that science in children’s literature has become severely watered down. There is an unspoken expectation that nothing controversial or gritty can be included. That’s truly a shame.
Don’t worry: I will continue to write my books factually. And for young readers learning in two languages, I’ve recently added a bilingual (Spanish and English) edition, Don’t Make Me Fly! / ¡No me hagas volar!
Ready to introduce your young naturalists to the unfiltered, fascinating truth about desert wildlife? Check out Don’t Make Me Fly! / ¡No me hagas volar! and explore the rest of the “Don’t” series to give your readers science stories grounded in real-world biology!