About Writing and Wanting…
“The neighborhood stores are an important part of a city child’s life. They are his contact with the supplies that keep life going; they hold the beauty that his soul longs for; they hold the unattainable that he can only dream and wish for.”
As I read Betty Smith's A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN last week, I smiled as I came across this quote. It captures a bit of what I’m thinking about as I begin my critical thesis at Vermont College of Fine Arts. I’m now in my third semester of the program, and third semester is all about the critical thesis-a long, deep look at an aspect of children’s literature. I'll be working closely with my new advisor, Laura Kvasnosky.
I’ll be looking at picture books depicting children in tough economic times. How do authors show young children riding out the financial downturns that affect their families? How can authors show this realistically, without sugar-coating? How can we, as writers, portray reality yet impart hope? Finally, there are factors that foster resiliency in young children-the ability to withstand tough times. Do the characters we create have these factors in their lives, or not? How will this affect character and story?
Right now I’m knee-deep in picture books, reading and thinking about these questions. Some of my current favorites are
TIGHT TIMES by Barbara Shook Hazen
A CHAIR FOR MY MOTHER and AMBER WAS BRAVE, ESSIE WAS SMART, both by Vera B. Williams,
GETTIN' THROUGH THURSDAY, by Melrose Cooper,
and THOSE SHOES by Maribeth Boelts.
Do you have any favorite stories about children facing “tight times?” What are they?
As I read Betty Smith's A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN last week, I smiled as I came across this quote. It captures a bit of what I’m thinking about as I begin my critical thesis at Vermont College of Fine Arts. I’m now in my third semester of the program, and third semester is all about the critical thesis-a long, deep look at an aspect of children’s literature. I'll be working closely with my new advisor, Laura Kvasnosky.
I’ll be looking at picture books depicting children in tough economic times. How do authors show young children riding out the financial downturns that affect their families? How can authors show this realistically, without sugar-coating? How can we, as writers, portray reality yet impart hope? Finally, there are factors that foster resiliency in young children-the ability to withstand tough times. Do the characters we create have these factors in their lives, or not? How will this affect character and story?
Right now I’m knee-deep in picture books, reading and thinking about these questions. Some of my current favorites are
TIGHT TIMES by Barbara Shook Hazen
A CHAIR FOR MY MOTHER and AMBER WAS BRAVE, ESSIE WAS SMART, both by Vera B. Williams,
GETTIN' THROUGH THURSDAY, by Melrose Cooper,
and THOSE SHOES by Maribeth Boelts.
Do you have any favorite stories about children facing “tight times?” What are they?