It is my firm and unyielding opinion that abridged books are a detriment to society. We have this strange idea that books must be dumbed down in order for children to enjoy and understand them. Frankly, this is insulting to both the child and the author, and harmful to the literary world and the child’s mind. There are numerous reasons why abridged books should be avoided, but for now, I humbly submit three for your consideration: They diminish a child’s vocabulary, they turn reading into a box-checking activity, and they rob children of a story’s full delight.
Green Ember author S. D. Smith recently sent an email to subscribers, with an essay that warns teachers and parents: “Explain up, don’t dumb down” when using more complicated words with children. As I wrote in the Children’s Literature Supplement (CLS) for the Washington Review of Books:
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