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M.T. Anderson talks about didacticism in books for children and young adults (and other things):

Anderson: I think we all, as children’s book professionals—authors, librarians, children’s booksellers—are antsy about the idea of children’s books teaching a lesson. We disavow that intention left and right—but then we insist (for example) that books for children end on a note of hope. Our books for teens tend to have an underlying motion towards centrism, normalization, integration and socialization. So firstly, I think all writing has an ethics and a politics installed in it, whether people want to admit it or not. And secondly, I think we do deeply care about the message of our books—and for god’s sake, that’s not inappropriate.