Paper Tigers has an awesome Australian author interview. (A portent of great things to come later this month!) Via the ever-fab Ya Ya Ya’s, who have amusing — and really strange — news about The Dangerous Book for Boys. And may I just join them in saying “Huh?”
“What’s In Their Backpack?” at The Edge of the Forest: Way too cute.
The Guardian’s Imogene Russell Williams bemoans the lack of anti-heroes in fiction for girls. Though I’d never heard of the character she mentioned (Flossie Teacakes?!), I doubt we’re suffering from a surfeit of sweetness in the kidlit world. Weren’t people just complaining about our girl Junie B? Has this woman never met Ramona Quimby?
I think it’s possible that the writer may not have read a children’s book since sometime in the eighties… when she was a child? (Or else there really is very little cross-over between here and the UK?!) A few people responded to this post, but I know we can come up with more than a few novels which don’t feature sickeningly sweet girls – or even girls who long to be eighteen. My list begins with Flora Segunda, how about yours?
Pennypacker’s Clementine.
I nominate the heroines in Patricia Wrede’s “Enchanted Forest Chronicles”, Princess Rosalind in Janet Lee Carey’s “Dragon’s Keep”, and Robert Munsch’s “Paper Bag Princess”.
There are lots of other unconventional princesses these days, for those who care to look!
Seriously, email me, and I will!
Boy, don’t get me started either. Too late…
Yolanda’s Genius-Carol Fenner
The Golden Compass-Philip Pullman
Wisechild-Monica Furlong
It’s silly. Most of my favorite books with female protagonists are not sickly-sweet girls, nor do they long to be eighteen.
Either here or on the Guardian – yes. I kind of hate it when people make big statements on “the state of children’s literature” without backing up what they say!
Do you really want me to start that list? I’ll never stop.