Wednesday, July 26th, 2006...10:42 am

Jackanory
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What good *news*, Jackanory is returning to our screens.

Jackanory was one of my favourite television programmes as a child. It featured wonderful stories told by talented and interesting story-tellers and it really fired up my imagination. The programme was certainly partly responsible for my rapacious appetite for books which I have to this day.

I look at some of the children’s television programmes that are on today, and feel like an old fogey thinking “It was better in the old days.” But truly it was. There is very little variety and the programmes seem unimaginative, with exceptions of course.

Thankfully, this is countered in part by the huge explosion in children’s literature. Rowling and co. have seemingly opened a lid on writing for children. Authors and publishers alike have recognised the importance of the market. DB and I are avid readers of children’s literature which is as diverse and exciting as it has ever been.

Oh, I’m reminded of Rent-a-ghost! Do you remember that one? Surely an all time classic. Along with Jim’ll Fix It (which I wrote about *here*).

4 Comments

  • Jackanory was very good and when a particularly good story-teller was featured it did help inspire a love of books.

    Rent-a-ghost was chattered about on Russell Brand’s radio show the other week, it reminded me how very weird it was. What a bizarre concept for a tv programme!

    Jim’ll fix it, I loved it at the time but can never look at Jim the same after that Louis theroux doc a few years back. ((shivers))

  • I just remember how weird it was when I realised Blue Peter presenters are now younger than I am!

  • Oh, I used to love Rentaghost! Please tell me they are going to bring that back as well. Children’s TV isn’t the same as it used to be. Brooke looks at me as if I’m insane when I explain to her that we used to have children’s programs on TV from 3pm to 5pm Monday to Friday. She looks at the 25 satellite TV channels that spew out kids stuff pretty much 24 / 7 and says in all seriousness “I’m glad I wasn’t alive when that was happening!”

  • I share your love of children’s literature – some of the best books I’ve read in ages were the “His Dark Materials” trilogy; fantastic, well written and very moving.