Religion in MG/CB?

little_e · May 25, 2016

Hello folks.
So I'm working on a story about two boys off on an adventure around the year 1000. Obviously this was a time when religion was a big deal in people's lives, and since my protagonists come from two different religious traditions (Sami paganism and Islam,) logically I think they'd discuss it at some point, or one of the characters would pray, reference a deity, or just drop an inshallah into a sentence.

But I am well aware that grownups are touchy about religion and the target market for chapterbooks is probably whichever grownup does the ordering for public schools, and no one wants to get a bunch of parents mad at them.

I am perfectly happy writing the book either way. The characters' religions don't impact the plot in any way; they happen to have just traveled a long way. There's definitely no intention of "promoting" one belief or the other. If I get lucky and write a whole series about these kids' adventures, though, they would travel to even more lands, and it does seem a little weird to have characters crossing through Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Muslim, Hindu, etc., lands without mentioning religion.

So I'm appealing to collective wisdom. If religion is like swearing, then I assume any religious content is an auto-ding, and I'll be happy to keep it out. But if you think editors/agents would think it odd to have characters in a time and place where religion was obviously a big deal not mention their beliefs even in passing, then I'll be happy to have some references. This is just a totally practical question.

Thanks!

kenpochick · May 25, 2016

When I was a kid my friends went to a different church then I did. We did at times talk about church in terms of "can't play until after church" or teaching each other the songs. But mostly we didn't talk about it. This will be from the kids perspective so if your story is not about religion, I can't imagine any reason for bringing it up. Sure a character could wear a hijab or meet up after temple/ritual, but I don't think it would be a central part of kids conversations. It can just be present without being stressed.

little_e · May 25, 2016

Certainly it wouldn't be stressed. I was just writing a scene where the kids wake up on an iceberg and thought, "Well of course Suleman would pray before setting out," and then I thought, "But religion is a touchy subject and schools might not want to touch a chapterbook with even mild references."

Brightdreamer · May 25, 2016

MHO...

There are always going to be people finding reasons not to buy something. Don't let that fear alone scare you out of writing something if it comes up naturally in the story... and it seems likely that, in a long journey, their backgrounds are going to come up: morning prayers, or songs, or stories, or what do to when they encounter death, etc. If you present it as a cultural exchange and not preaching or dogma ("You're a nice boy and a good friend. Too bad you're going to rot in Hell for eternity." "Gee, you're right, that's terrible - how can I be saved from my loathsome heathen-ness?"), I wouldn't see a problem with it. In your "waking up on an iceberg" scene, for instance, the other boy might ask about the morning prayer and Suleman can give a simple answer as they get on their way. It needn't open up a huge dissertation on religion to satisfy basic human curiosity at something they may not have seen before.

frimble3 · May 26, 2016

I don't know anything about Sami paganism, but a Muslim should be praying 5 times a day, yes? So, it's bound to come up. I don't know about the adult gatekeepers, but that's the kind of thing I loved in books when I was a child (still do, really). All the ways that people are different, things I wouldn't have seen at home.

JeniferTidwell · May 26, 2016

If you think it won't damage your chances with editors, then please do put these details in. I'm neither Muslim nor Pagan, but for a long time, I was a member of a minority religion. I've always found it lovely whenever my 9-year-old runs across fiction that describes other cultures and religions, even when it's not important to the story -- it helps normalize and de-mystify other people's religious practices. We could all use more of that, especially in the United States.

heza · May 26, 2016

I don't have time to go look for specific agents who mentioned it on #MSWL MG, but I know I've seen agents requesting MG and YA with Muslim characters.

little_e · May 26, 2016

frimble3 said:
I don't know anything about Sami paganism, but a Muslim should be praying 5 times a day, yes? So, it's bound to come up.

Technically, yes, but in my experience, kids tend not be very strict in their religious observance.

I'm still researching Sami beliefs.

Brightdreamer said:
...If you present it as a cultural exchange and not preaching or dogma ("You're a nice boy and a good friend. Too bad you're going to rot in Hell for eternity." "Gee, you're right, that's terrible - how can I be saved from my loathsome heathen-ness?"), I wouldn't see a problem with it. ...

Hahaha, of course.

JeniferTidwell said:
... I've always found it lovely whenever my 9-year-old runs across fiction that describes other cultures and religions, even when it's not important to the story -- it helps normalize and de-mystify other people's religious practices. We could all use more of that, especially in the United States.

Well, let's hope, then

heza said:
I don't have time to go look for specific agents who mentioned it on #MSWL MG, but I know I've seen agents requesting MG and YA with Muslim characters.

Great! Thanks for the info.

Lord Hierarch · May 27, 2016

Unless it's bashing religion using strawman arguments, I don't see the problem.

AlyssaHollingsworth · Jul 21, 2016

Brightdreamer's points are great!

I think it depends on how you handle it, but I would say include the religion. There is a cultural aspect of religion (from Afghan Sunnis to Alabaman Southern Baptists and everything in-between), so a character raised in a certain religion (and especially if they are practicing/believing) would see the world through that lens. It wouldn't just be a matter of "he has to go pray," but also a matter of what he would eat, how he would interpret morality, all the way down to washing hands before a meal, taking shoes off at the door, opting for a side-hug instead of full-on, etc. etc. etc. The trick is to weave it in deftly, but into the full character. This would also depend very much on the characters themselves--some kids are far less concerned with religion, but some people are actually more attuned to religious rules and norms when they're younger. It should be unique to who your boys are.

Also, though I was raised in a Christian home and am an active believer, I love reading about people of different religions. Much (if not most) of my reading as a kid explored characters throughout history who had different faiths. Some gatekeepers might turn up their noses, but I think many would find it a selling point. (I would also find it strange for a Muslim not to say inshallah!)

Mark Moore · Jul 23, 2016

I'm currently writing a MG novel that's about magical girls in the vein of Sailor Moon, Winx Club, W.I.T.C.H., etc., and the five girls come from some different religious backgrounds (three are Catholic, one's Shintoist, and one's Buddhist/Jainist/folk). Of course, then they all meet the Goddess and add Wicca into the mix. :tongue

Religion in MG/CB?

little_e

Trust: that most precious coin.

kenpochick

I should be writing, not on AW.:-)

little_e

Trust: that most precious coin.

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

JeniferTidwell

Birdie wrangler

heza

little_e

Trust: that most precious coin.

Lord Hierarch

AlyssaHollingsworth

Mark Moore