Post by gwen on Apr 29, 2011 21:04:28 GMT -5
What an interesting character.
I don’t know a lot of children like this character. However, I do know quite a few kiddos who act a little like her. Or who act a lot like her, but only once in a great while. I think that’s what makes her compelling. She’s a bit over the top, but still believable. A big part of the appeal is that a child could easily imagine what it might be like to do the things she does, even if he’d never really have the guts to do those things himself.
Speaking of guts, the way the mc’s behaviors are presented (and the way some of the themes repeat--the beavers are my personal favorite) really shows the intensity of the character. Early on, the reader starts to wonder what makes her tick. As my preschooler said, “Why does she keep doing bad stuff?” The fact that she keeps doing “bad stuff” despite the reactions of others reveals a lot about the character and also draws the reader in. What will she do next? What’s going to happen to her in the end? And the specifics of the behaviors she engages in speak volumes about the character: the nature of her relationship with her brother, her imagination and creativity, her fierce independence.
In my opinion, the ending is funny, but it did surprise me. About halfway through, I started expecting the girl to Learn Her Lesson at the end. That’s how boring and predictable I am. And you could argue the girl does learn a kind of lesson. It’s not the one I was expecting, but it is true to the character, realistic, and funny.
Anyway, the ending (and what is revealed about the character via the ending) made me wonder how well this kind of character sells. Specifically, are the people out there buying picture books looking for characters that set a good example? Or, on the flip-side, does this book have a strong built-in market because of the character? In other words, are parents of impish or mischievous kids (and whose kids aren’t impish or mischievous sometimes?) likely to select this book because it speaks to their experience? I really feel like it could go either way. I’m curious what others think.
I don’t know a lot of children like this character. However, I do know quite a few kiddos who act a little like her. Or who act a lot like her, but only once in a great while. I think that’s what makes her compelling. She’s a bit over the top, but still believable. A big part of the appeal is that a child could easily imagine what it might be like to do the things she does, even if he’d never really have the guts to do those things himself.
Speaking of guts, the way the mc’s behaviors are presented (and the way some of the themes repeat--the beavers are my personal favorite) really shows the intensity of the character. Early on, the reader starts to wonder what makes her tick. As my preschooler said, “Why does she keep doing bad stuff?” The fact that she keeps doing “bad stuff” despite the reactions of others reveals a lot about the character and also draws the reader in. What will she do next? What’s going to happen to her in the end? And the specifics of the behaviors she engages in speak volumes about the character: the nature of her relationship with her brother, her imagination and creativity, her fierce independence.
In my opinion, the ending is funny, but it did surprise me. About halfway through, I started expecting the girl to Learn Her Lesson at the end. That’s how boring and predictable I am. And you could argue the girl does learn a kind of lesson. It’s not the one I was expecting, but it is true to the character, realistic, and funny.
Anyway, the ending (and what is revealed about the character via the ending) made me wonder how well this kind of character sells. Specifically, are the people out there buying picture books looking for characters that set a good example? Or, on the flip-side, does this book have a strong built-in market because of the character? In other words, are parents of impish or mischievous kids (and whose kids aren’t impish or mischievous sometimes?) likely to select this book because it speaks to their experience? I really feel like it could go either way. I’m curious what others think.