Mimmi Söderlund, literary scientist and librarian at Västerås city library, believes that there has been a development in how to depict different living conditions in children's literature. However, it is still uncommon to talk about class in books for children.
- If we look at the subject words used by libraries to categorize books, the term class is not used when talking about children's literature. It is charged to talk about class and children. It is thought that the parent belongs to a class but it is too charged to say that the child does, says Mimmi Söderlund.
Artist Uje Brandelius, former press secretary for the Left Party, has written the children's book Home at Harald Henriksson, which deals with class and friendship. He believes that it is especially controversial to describe class differences in modern times.
- If you portray injustice in 1880, then it is a fairytale and a little cute and harmless and can pass in any home regardless of political color. When we do the same thing in 2019 then it is something you, the parent, have to decide whether you want to read or not, he says.
Mimmi Söderlund believes that it will become more and more common with children's books that depict social problems such as class and poverty but also mental ill health and broken family ties.
- I think we will see even more of this extremely dark, especially in chapter books. There is a lot of darkness in popular culture at all. Children see more than we think and then we need to develop the type of culture that is meant for them so that they can absorb the messages appropriately.