Storycon | VP Sara’s book did not undergo kid-testing – publisher

Summary

The transcript discusses the qualifications and processes involved in writing and publishing children's books, particularly those funded by the government. It highlights the importance of considering cognitive development, appropriate vocabulary, and illustrations that cater to children's comprehension levels. The conversation also addresses the need for kid testing and editorial scrutiny to ensure the quality and suitability of the content. Concerns are raised about a specific children's book authored by a public figure, questioning its educational value, potential for self-promotion, and the use of public funds for its production.

Takeaways

• 📚 The discussion revolves around the qualifications and processes involved in writing and funding a children's book, particularly one authored by a public figure.
• 🤔 There's a concern about the suitability of the content for young readers, including the book's vocabulary, imagery, and complexity, which should align with the cognitive development of children.
• 🔍 The importance of editorial scrutiny and kid testing is highlighted to ensure the book's appropriateness and educational value for the intended age group.
• 👀 The script mentions the need for a book council or board that oversees the quality and content of children's literature to set standards.
• 🗣️ There's a call for transparency and accountability in the use of public funds for publishing books, especially when they involve political figures.
• 📈 The script points out the potential issue of self-promotion within the book, which could be seen as propaganda targeting children.
• 💭 The conversation touches on the technical aspects of writing for children, such as text heaviness, sentence structure, and the need for clarity and simplicity.
• 🎨 The role of illustrations in children's books is discussed, emphasizing their importance in aiding comprehension and the potential for improvement.
• 📉 There's criticism regarding the book's production and promotion, suggesting that there are more deserving projects and authors that could benefit from public funding.
• 💬 The script includes a critique of the book's ending, which may not be suitable for children and could be seen as an attempt to influence their perception of the author.

Q & A

What was the initial concern raised about the children's book written by the VP?

The initial concern was whether there were any qualifications required for someone to write a children's book and have it government-funded.

What is the role of children's literature in cognitive development?

Children's literature plays a significant role in cognitive development as it sets standards and is involved in various aspects, including language acquisition and the cognitive growth of children.

Are there any standards or processes in place for the creation of children's books?

Yes, there are standards, and the process includes considerations for the target age group, vocabulary, word count, text, illustrations, and layout. There is also an editorial process that may involve kid testing to ensure the book is suitable for the intended audience.

How important is it for children's books to be tested with the target audience?

It is crucial as the primary consumers of the text are children, and their feedback is essential for evaluating the book's appropriateness and effectiveness.

What are the potential issues with a book that has not undergone proper editorial scrutiny?

A book that hasn't undergone proper editorial scrutiny may have problems with vocabulary, image use, and overall content alignment, leading to public criticism and concerns about the quality of the material being provided to children.

What is the significance of workshops in the creation of children's books?

Workshops are significant as they provide a space for writers and illustrators to improve the text and illustrations, ensuring that the content is developmentally appropriate and engaging for children.

Can complex themes like friendship be appropriately addressed in a children's book?

Yes, complex themes can be addressed in children's books, but it requires skilled writers and illustrators who can process and present the ideas in a way that is accessible and engaging for children.

What are the implications of using public funds for the production of a book that may not have undergone proper development?

Using public funds for a book that has not been properly developed can lead to issues of accountability and value for money, as the quality and educational value of the book may be questionable.

How should the text in children's books be adapted to suit the target age group?

The text should be adjusted to match the reading level and cognitive abilities of the target age group, using clear, simple language, and avoiding complex sentences and excessive adjectives.

What is the concern regarding the book's content and its alignment with the intended educational purpose?

There is a concern that the book's content may not align with educational standards and may be more focused on self-promotion rather than providing educational value, which could be problematic given the use of public funds.

What is the estimated cost for producing 200,000 copies of the book at Php50 per book, and is this a reasonable amount?

The estimated cost would be 10 million PHP. Whether it's reasonable depends on the quality and educational value of the content, which has been questioned in this case.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Discussion on VP's Children's Book

The conversation begins with a discussion about a children's book authored by the Vice President (VP). The participants express surprise at this revelation and question the qualifications required to write such a book. They debate whether there should be standards or a council to oversee children's literature, emphasizing the importance of appropriate content for cognitive development. The discussion highlights the need for kid testing to ensure the book's suitability for its intended young audience and the role of educators and reading advocates in promoting quality reading materials for children.

05:00

🔍 Scrutinizing the Book's Content

The second paragraph delves into the technical aspects of the book, such as vocabulary, text heaviness, and imagery. The participants stress the importance of aligning the content with the target age group's reading level and cognitive abilities. They discuss the need for workshops to improve the text and illustrations, suggesting that both the writer and illustrator should be skilled and willing to adapt their work for the benefit of young readers. The conversation also touches on the potential for sequels to the book and the importance of handling sensitive topics appropriately for a child audience.

10:02

💭 Public Funding and Book Production

In this paragraph, the discussion shifts to the use of public funds for the book's production. The participants express concern about the transparency and appropriateness of using taxpayer money for such a project, especially when there are other books by more skilled writers that could benefit from funding. They also address the issue of self-promotion within the book and the potential for it to be seen as propaganda. The conversation highlights the need for public input and scrutiny of books funded by the government.

15:03

📈 Book Production Costs and Quality Concerns

The final paragraph focuses on the financial aspects of producing the book, with a reported plan to publish 200,000 copies at a cost of Php50 per book. The participants question the reasonableness of this amount, given the quality and content of the book. They express concerns about the potential waste of resources and the impact on readers if the book does not meet expected standards. The conversation concludes with a call for careful consideration of how public funds are used for book production and the importance of supporting quality literature.

Keywords

💡Children's Book

A children's book is a book designed for and marketed to children. It typically features illustrations or pictures and uses simple language suitable for the reading level of its intended audience. In the video, the discussion revolves around the quality and appropriateness of a specific children's book, written by a public figure, and funded by the government. The book's suitability for children, including its language, content, and educational value, is a central theme.

💡Cognitive Development

Cognitive development refers to the growth of a child's cognitive abilities, including thinking, learning, memory, understanding, and perception. The video discusses how children's books should be tailored to support cognitive development, considering factors like text complexity, vocabulary, and illustrations that are age-appropriate and contribute to a child's learning process.

💡Text Complexity

Text complexity in the context of children's literature refers to the difficulty level of the language, sentence structure, and concepts presented in a book. The video highlights the importance of appropriate text complexity, suggesting that children's books should avoid overly complex sentences and heavy text to ensure readability and comprehension by the target age group.

💡Illustrations

Illustrations are visual representations that accompany the text in a book, often used to support the narrative or provide additional context. The video script mentions the quality and clarity of illustrations as crucial elements in children's books, as they can aid in storytelling and enhance a child's understanding of the text.

💡Editorial Process

The editorial process involves a series of steps taken by publishers to prepare a manuscript for publication, including editing, proofreading, and design. The video discusses the importance of a rigorous editorial process to ensure the quality and appropriateness of children's books, suggesting that the book in question may have lacked such scrutiny.

💡Kid Testing

Kid testing is a process where children are given manuscripts or books to read and provide feedback, helping to evaluate the book's appeal and comprehensibility to its target audience. The video implies that kid testing is an essential step in the creation of children's books, which may have been overlooked in the case of the book discussed.

💡Public Funds

Public funds refer to money collected from taxpayers and allocated for public services or projects. The video raises concerns about the use of public funds to produce a book that may not have undergone proper quality control measures, suggesting a potential misallocation of resources intended for educational purposes.

💡Self-Promotion

Self-promotion is the act of promoting oneself or one's interests, often for personal or professional gain. The video script criticizes the book for potentially being a form of self-promotion for the author, who is a public figure, rather than being an educational or entertaining resource for children.

💡Propaganda

Propaganda is information, often biased or misleading, used to promote a particular political cause or point of view. The discussion in the video suggests that the book might be seen as propaganda if it promotes the author's political image to a young and impressionable audience.

💡Book Production

Book production encompasses the entire process of creating a book, from writing and editing to printing and distribution. The video touches on the financial aspects of book production, particularly the cost of printing, and questions the value and necessity of producing a book that may not meet educational or literary standards.

Highlights

VP wrote a children's book, raising questions about the qualifications required for writing and government funding for children's books.

Children's literature is complex and impacts cognitive development, not just an easy text for kids.

There are standards in children's literature, including word count, vocabulary, and illustrations, that need to be considered.

Editorial processes and expert input are necessary to ensure the quality of children's books.

Books should undergo kid testing to gather feedback from children before publication.

The book in question did not seem to go through proper editorial scrutiny and kid testing.

Complex sentences and text heaviness are a concern for children's books as they may be difficult for young readers to process.

Images and illustrations also play a significant role in how children interpret a book; feedback from children is essential.

The public and reading experts demand that publicly funded books undergo rigorous workshops and improvements before publication.

Concerns were raised about the book potentially being a form of political propaganda aimed at children.

Public funds should not be used for self-promotion through children's literature.

Children's books should be tailored to their age group, with appropriate vocabulary and grammar.

Simple, direct language is essential in children's books to aid their understanding.

The overall sentiment is that the book lacked the necessary refinement, despite the VP's previous roles in education.

The plan to publish 200,000 copies at Php50 each raised concerns about quality versus quantity in the book production.

Transcripts

Of course you know what we talking about

yung isang kaibigan na libro ni VP sar

um the first question that came to our

mind the other day when when the the hul

Balu broke out was si VP sar wrote a

children's book

ah well we didn't know that she she she

could do that well obviously anybody can

do that but Uh Wala bang qualifications

for somebody to write a children's book

and have government fund it yes ba diyan

ah Ma'am about Ah yung mga books na yan

na ibinibigay sa ating mga kabataan lalo

na yung very early age Paano ba yung

proseso diyan Meron bang meron bang book

council or board na

kung panitikang pambata children's

literature ah ah una pong dapat nating

i-correct no or ituwid na kaisipan

tungkol sa Panitikang pambata na ito ay

madaling isulat na teksto or p tandaan

po natin ito yung unang tekstong

ma-encounter ng bata na tao ito yung

nagse-set standards at ito rin yung

marami siyang role no na naimpusuan

even the cognitive development of

children are included also kumbaga meron

siyang ganoong Burden ang children's

production kaya doon po papasok yung

Even I think Uh in in social media It's

everywhere na dini-discuss even Uh the

Educators the reading advocates are

Approaching this topic as something that

we have to really take seriously no

seryosohin natin dahil um usapin ito

kung paano natin pinapahalagahan yung

pagbabasa at yung kalidad ng binabasa ng

mga bata so gaya po ng tanong niyo

kanina meron po tayong mga standards no

at Kinikilala an Kaya nga po mayung mga

nag-aaral ng reading ano eh ung mga

nag-aaral po ng reading ah as as a

course or as a cognate in education no

Ano po yung kakayahang magbasa ng bata

as a Beginning reader as um middle

school reader so May ganon po tayong um

pag-aaral Kaya nga may mga libro na may

mga suggested reading ano audience kung

p pang Anong edad itong libro na ' so ah

kas sama po yung vocabulary no the word

count even the text or even the

illustration and the layout Meron po

yyung pinagdadaanang editorial process

at Depende po ito doon sa publication or

Publishing house k sa amin po sa that

alam le what we do is that we ensure

that the children we have kid testing no

the children read the the manuscript for

at least the ma ma of book print para

magco sila ay sorry That's it no no good

good Uh Okay we understand Uh Uh

kailangan may testing muna Parang parang

pilot testing kumbaga Yes maam Yes ma

Yes Go Go good go ahead go ahead go

ahead We want to HE You first kasi sila

naman yyung primary Consumer ng text no

or nung libro so ah we have thinking na

medyo dapat kailangan guided sila we are

they should be but again Sila naman yung

mag-classmate magbibigay sila ng comment

so i think yung librong ito hindi talaga

siya dumaan sa kid testing kasi ang

daming komento na mula sa publiko ah

mula sa vocabulary mula do sa paggamit

ng imahe at iba pa so Ito talaga po ay

concrete example ng kung hindi gustong

dumaan sa editorial Uh scrutiny no ng

mga nagpo-produce ng silents po ma'am

Teka let me let me drill down on that Uh

can you give can you cite examples I

think that's that's really very

interesting coming from expert Uh on on

the matter No No but you are here you

publish that's already that's already

ano layers beyond what we have Right now

can you give us examples for example you

cited among other things vocabulary

images and so on down the could you

could you Uh break it down for us Yes um

ah sa cognitive development ng bata No

ah meron siyang mga ah ah bilang na

salita na kaya lang iproseso yun yung

sinasabi sabi kanina nung nakausap

niyung former

nbt officer may mga lang no and the

images and the colors We also consider

that If kaya nga We Ask The children if

it's Like for example we had the book

before na ang comment ng bata is bakit

ganon iung mata no ndb sila doun sa size

or sa image ng mata So may nakikita

tayong matatanda na sa atin naprocess na

natin Pero sila hindi pa sila

nakakarating doon eh so We also take

that in consideration may mga pag aral

no tayo reading na na-establish na natin

but umuulit kasi yung reading ah reading

process ng tao o ng bata natin saka sa

luku yan So kaya mahalaga na sumasabay

din yung

pagte-text esting no Kasi may mga un nga

bagong mga conventions and leing so like

for now no um involve ang mga bata sa

technology so they have more access to

words terms that are um very medyo

advanced no for their agid so may

consideration tayo na ginagamit na

paggamit ng salita that's why um

binanggit ko kanina no na yung word C or

text heaviness um may kailangan ding

tingnan dito sa libro na to yung text

heaviness kung ano yung kayang i-consume

or basahin ng bata sa isang pahina Ah

yun so ang punto doon ay um kailangang

aralin no at um kung maglalabas ka ng

children's book ay dapat inaaral inaral

mo yung proseso inaaral mo rin at hindi

lang ikaw no you take on experts also ah

na alam yung buong produksyon so as I

said I think I heard it The Book is um

eight spreads No it's 16 pages I don't

know if the auxillary pages are included

but Uh it is t heavy No that's for one

heavy and um number two the images also

pwede siyang mapaunlad so i think

mapapaunlad siya if binuksan nila yung

space for a workshop that's what we call

in writing no the writers always do

workshop improve the text and for this

case this is children's book images also

must be a workshop and I think ang

illustr dor ng kabataan it's an

organization for the illustrators they

do workshops for illustrators also so

kumbaga This is not an easy an Know yun

Yung gusto nating i-clear na ano na ano

punto rito hindi siya madali no at hindi

siya yung mula lang dahil gusto mong

maging mesaya o magbigay ng ano tumulong

para magbasa sa mga bata yun automatic

Ah Ma'am halimbawa ah in the absence ng

isang libro Katulad niyan ah isang

kaibigan kung merong isang libro na part

two niyan no na part two niyan na same

audience yung target mo same more or

less same term of reference pero ang

title ay tungkol sa kataksilan ng

kaibigan yun ba ay Ah yun ba ay ah bagay

sa mga bata na ganyan din ang audience

ng first book na yan parang ah Baka kasi

hindi pa handa yung mga bata tungkol sa

usapin ng kataksilan ng kaibigan No

parang off hand ha off hand lang no from

your indicative na knowledge kasi

realidad ni Ronald e oo yan yung Ah

pwede bang gumawa ng ganong part two na

libro na same audience na ganong edad ng

mga bata same format pero ang tema ay

kataksilan

no ah as ako po as a reading as a

children writer

progressive progressive lens on marami

wala pong ah hangganan yung maaari natin

bigay bigyan ng paksa sa Panitikang

pambata kasi Kinikilala natin na may

kakayahan din yung batang iproseso sa

tulong din ng mga matatanda so i think

may maaaring may limit Pero ako po

Nagsulat ako ng ch book about political

prisoners no yung nanay niya political

Prisoner ung POV ng bata so i think

there are so many books about also about

Martial Law in and sa political Uh

topics it is possible It's how do we

process how do we scaffold how do we

unpack this ideas to the children and

this Comes The skills no skills na po

yung pag-uusapan natin dito If the if

the writer and if the illustrators are

skilled enough It's possible so i think

this is an issue of kakayahan po noo at

yung willingness to be na

mawshe po ng libro natin ngayon Dead set

na po na kailangan i-print na eh no

Humihingi na lang ng pera for the

printing and It's really problematic po

ito m very tingin ko very skilled si

Vice President

eh i detect some some I I will not

describe I will not describe what I

detect from your

voice Ma'am let me ask you I suppose you

already seen the the soft copy Iyung all

16 pages I suppose you already read the

book Uh

or or or do you have a copy just like

you sir and then I just browse it i just

browse it from the internet Uh and I

just took yyung mga sirian points nga n

libro um but in General So yun nga the

comments are ano It's very general

kailangan talaga na dumaan ang mga

teksto yun din po yung sentiment ng iba

pang writer No not just children's book

writer writers Filipino writers in

General na kailangan kilal ninung pag

worksop pagpapaunlad ng teksto ibukas

ito sa publiko since gagamitin ay public

funds no ibukas ito sa publiko at Hayan

yung publiko na magkumento at Actually

may mga skilled naman na kasi na writers

or mga book creators Bakit hindi yun ang

i-tap yun talaga po it will also address

the the gaps between the ano yung need

ng community na pagbibigyan ng libro if

if the children are more kailangan nila

ng may may inclusion ng mathematics ng

science ba hindi ganon klaseng libro

yung i-produce or may mga na-produce na

po kasing ganon eh i-tap na lang yun No

Why do we have to put Our name in our

face on the book Yeah halimbawa

halimbawa yan Ma'am no Ah yung title

isang kaibigan tapos kinukwento mo sa

mga bata anong ibig sabihin ng isang

tunay na kaibigan No tapos sa dulo Sa

dulo Sa last page nandun yung tunay na

kaibigan Ikaw pala yon no at Ah Ah ikaw

ay pulitiko yan ba ay wala bang rules

diyan halimbawa ikaw ay politician tapos

ang audience mo ay bata Tapos yung

conclusion ay ikaw yung ah

pinapatungkulan nung libro parang medyo

may kaunting gray area ako nakikita a

good example kids oo yun yung Ah okay

lang sana kung hindi ikaw eh ' ba yung

sa dulo hindi ikaw yung conclusion pero

sa dulo conclusion ikaw yung tunay na

kaibigan No parang nasa level siya ng

propaganda para sa mga bata

self promotion po no Ang tawag so i

think um magkakaproblem malaki po yung

problema natin sa libro na ito dahil

pera po ng publiko yung gagamitin buwis

po ng mamamayan yung gagamitin sa

pag-produce ng ng librong ito So doon po

tayo I think No you can promote kasi may

mga gumagawa naman po nito nagpasulat

sila sa ghost

writer para i-promote sila yung kanilang

image and their story of kwento ng buhay

nila at nagpapa sila and all nangyayari

po siya an sa akwal no at I think

nangyari dinin siya for some sa

children's literature pero hindi po siya

nagiging issue dahil ngayon ang issue po

kasi talaga natin dito ay nagde-demand

mula po sa kaban ng bayan yung

production ng ng promotion para sa

kanyang ano sariling ah placing no doon

sa

UM public

langage Maam let me just go back to the

technical aspect you already talked

about it briefly but I'd like to go back

to it in in in some specific form you

talked about yyung Iyung text heavy text

heaviness ng ng libro ideally ba as far

as children's books are concerned how

less text heavy should it be kasi I I

did notice Uh I went through all the

pages eh We have a soft copy eh um you

have for example entire pages or iisa

lang iung sentence with multiple

clauses Ah alam mo yun yung mahaba

mahabang sentence Tapos puro kama kama

kama lang

ganon

mm

exle

it itesting books ah una po sa lahat

dapat malinaw doon sa book producers sa

creators Sino po yung target nilang

leader age range pag nasagot ito follow

through po yan kung ano yung kaya nila

with terms of reading

no How many word counts or how many

sentences so ah doun po yung yung yung

complex sentences We avoid that and We

avoid too much adjective kung kung

hangga't maari or at least if there's an

adjective At least we put in um verbs so

kumbaga May May ano siya may kumbaga may

off value sa construction

ah na

magpa-presscon sa bata ito dapat

tinatakda yung pag ah ah

pagdescribe paglalarawan ah kumbaga may

space yung book para mas mag analyze

yung bata so i think yun yung problema

dito kasi Um yung imagery hindi siya

ganon nakakatulong ah at least as i

notice po sa social media post ah naging

problematic pa siya kasi hindi align

yung mga pages and Meron po tayong mga

images na hindi malinaw yung s sanga ba

or the detail so nagkakaroon ng blur or

sa pagpoproseso ng bata na nagkakaroon

ng gap no at yung mga mahahabang

pangusap po kaya ng nabanggit ko kanina

Ito po ay ano ah mahirap po ito that's

one malinaw no mahirap itong iproseso ng

isang batang ah mambabasa so though

meron may mga bata naman na may kaya no

pero we as much as possible we make it

Uh we make it Uh direct simple and at

least

um Yeah direct and simple so so Ma'am

ibig sabihin dapat ina-adjust doun sa

edad n mga bata yung ah pagkakasulat at

ikalawa kahit mga bata yan kailangan ay

grammatical

Yes dapat po ay wasto yung Ah

grammatical yun naman po ang tinuturo sa

paaralan ano I think um the author and

the advocate of the book Alam niya po

ito dahil po ah in her position before

she knows the conventions no of Uh

reading and writing So yun po yung

sanang na-consider sa pagbuo ng libro at

ah kung magpu-put na po ito I think it's

it's gonna be a big Uh Problem no

problema po dahil gaya ng nabanggit ng

iba sentiment din po ng ibang writers

children book writers and publishers na

independent publishers um maraming mga

libro na ano eh na nandiyan na ready to

gawa ng mga teachers sa public school

ang kailangan na lang ay fund No I think

the National Book development for

nagbibigay naman Nagbibigay din po

talaga sila no is just at hindi ganon

kalaki 10 million po kasi ito eh so iba

po yung ah kumbaga sa atin iba yung

usapan na dito no Hindi siya hindi siya

py

cash Ma'am let me squeeze in one more ah

we're almost out of to time but I have

to squeeze in one more kasi Uh kahapon

sabi ni obp spokesperson spokesman

Michael poa um they will publish 200,000

of these books at

Php50 per book Uh you yourself you're a

publisher I think You've generally seen

most of an of the contents um Is that a

reasonable

amount Actually sir just Hindi po kami

makapagdulot grat lam hindi hindi kami

makapagdagdag kasi nag-valedictory

ganito kadami tapos yung kalidad I think

Ano mas dagdag na problema pa po sa mga

reader natin

saun is to

much Salamat Salamat China

patri the

publish

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