Synopses & Reviews
From a veteran creator of children's entertainment, an insider's view of how even the most violent games and TV shows can help children conquer fears and develop a bold sense of self.
Children choose their heroes more carefully than we think. From Pokémon to the rapper Eminem, pop-culture icons are not simply commercial pied pipers who practice mass hypnosis on our youth. Indeed, argues the author of this lively and persuasive paean to the power of popular culture, even trashy or violent entertainment gives children something they need, something that can help both boys and girls develop in a healthy way. Drawing on a wealth of true stories, many gleaned from the fascinating workshops he conducts, and basing his claims on extensive research, including interviews with psychologists and educators, Gerard Jones explains why validating our children's fantasies teaches them to trust their own emotions and build stronger selves.
Review
"[P]rovocative and groundbreaking....Providing realistic and helpful advice, Jones says parents need to learn to differentiate between what violent games mean to children and what they mean to adults..." Publishers Weekly
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"[T]his book will show involved, attuned readers that fantasy in all its forms...can be a tool to strengthen and comfort young people instead of just a threat to their sensibilities....Highly recommended." Library Journal
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"Does for pop culture what Bruno Bettelheim did for violent fairy tales in The Uses of Enchantment." USA Today
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"[C]ompelling....The author...provides historical perspective on violence in American culture and in the news and entertainment media in this bold look at a topic of much concern to parents and teachers." Vanessa Bush, Booklist
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"Although not an academic, the author has done his homework. He presents his case convincingly, and the concluding notes provide support." School Library Journal
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"Gerard Jones does for contemporary popular culture what Bruno Bettelheim did for classic fairy and folk tales demonstrate why they are so meaningful for children and how they contribute positively to their development. His approach is bold and fearless, tackling researchers and reformers head on. Killing Monsters is essential reading for anyone who cares about children." Henry Jenkins, Director of Comparative Media Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Review
"Gerard Jones's reassuring book offers all of us parents, teachers, policymakers, media critics new ways to understand the challenges and
rewards of fantasy violence in the modern imagination." Lynn Ponton, M.D., author of The Romance of Risk: Why Teenagers Do the Things They Do
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"We need to move away from thinking that we can force children to choose only what we believe is good for them. This thoughtful book forces the needed and long overdue dialogue from which we can empower children and accept the reality of their needs." Donna Mitroff, Sr. Vice President, ABC Family
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"Killing Monsters is a compelling challenge to common wisdom about the influence of media violence....Invaluable." David E. Kleeman, Executive Director, American Center for Children in Media
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"Killing Monsters offers an important perspective that is often missing from the debate over the effects of media violence on child development: the child's." Dr. Carla Seal-Wanner, former Director of the Graduate Program in Instructional Technology and Media, Columbia University
Synopsis
Children choose their heroes more carefully than we think. From Pokemon to the rapper Eminem, pop-culture icons are not simply commercial pied pipers who practice mass hypnosis on our youth. Indeed, argues the author of this lively and persuasive paean to the power of popular culture, even trashy or violent entertainment gives children something they need, something that can help both boys and girls develop in a healthy way. Drawing on a wealth of true stories, many gleaned from the fascinating workshops he conducts, and basing his claims on extensive research, including interviews with psychologists and educators, Gerard Jones explains why validating our children's fantasies teaches them to trust their own emotions and build stronger selves.
Synopsis
Taking more than just a few jabs at the current zeitgeist, cartoonist and parent Jones argues that violent entertainment can be useful to children, and that assailing it can stunt a child's emotional development. Jones combines his personal parenting experiences, interviews with teachers and psychologists, and his own cartoon drawings to illustrate this controversial thesis.
Synopsis
From a veteran creator of children's entertainment, an insider's view of how even the most violent games and TV shows can help children conquer fears and develop a bold sense of self.
About the Author
Gerard Jones is a writer whose credits include the New York Times, Harper's, Batman and Spider-Man comics, and Pokémon cartoons. Recently, he has developed the Art & Story Workshops for children and spoken on fantasy, aggression, and the media at institutions around the country. He is the author of Honey, I'm Home: Sitcoms Selling the American Dream and The Comic Book Heroes. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and son.