Something that all the best Mid Grade or Junior Fiction does, is portray an authentic child's experience of the world, whilst still couching the more difficult aspects in terms that a child can process. This is never more true than in the case of various types of abuse that children may unfortunately be subjected too. However, many adults find such portrayals difficult to access because they are 'cartoonish' and don't deal factually with what's happening. There is also the child censorship issue as to what it is appropriate to include in a children's book.
This week the dragons take a look at why difficult topics are presented the way they are in children's fiction. Why is it that children need that different portrayal that doesn't grip most adults in the same way? Why are portrayals of abuse and bullying so often paired with fantasy elements? How is it that some books contain a subtext accessible only for people who can look with a child's perspective? And why is it important that these unpleasant realities are reflected in children's literature at all? After all, isn't reading about escapism? On the slab this week Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian, The Tulip Touch by Anne Fine, Telling the Sea by Pauline Fisk, the Harry Potter series (naturally) and many more.
Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Episode 317: I Want Candy! - Giving Your Characters a Balanced Diet in Speculative Fiction
Episode 316: Vampire Detectives and Snarky Female Cops - Urban Fantasy Tropes that need a Change
Episode 315: Vampire Detectives & Snarky Female Cops - Urban Fantasy Tropes that need a Change
Episode 314: Old Souls and Mischievous Urchins - Writing Child Characters in Speculative Fiction
Episode 313: The Economy of Boots - Wealth and Poverty in Speculative Fiction
Episode 312: All the Feels - Widening the Appeal of Your Writing with Feel Good Moments
Episode 311: Run Away! Run Away! - the enduring Charm of Cowardly Characters
Episode 310: Villainesses and Dense Heroines - the Reverse Harem Trope in Speculative Fiction
Episode 309: False Prophets and Unwanted Messiahs - Examining the White Saviour Trope in Speculative Fiction part 2
Episode 308: False Prophets and Unwanted Messiahs - Examining the White Saviour Trope in Speculative Fiction Part 1
Episode 307: Good News Everyone! - 2021 the Best Bits
Episode 306: Japes and Tricks and Festive Diversions - Traditional Games Played at Yule and Christmas
Episode 305: Skulls and Sheets and Winter Puzzles - The Origins of the Riddle
Episode 304: What If Examining Storytelling by Changing the Pivot Points in Speculative Fiction
Episode 303: Wicked Queens and Nefarious Princes - The Evolution of the Disney Villain
Episode 302: My Only Love Sprung from My Only Hate - the Enemies to Lovers Trope in Speculative Fiction
DD Episode 301: Everyone was Kung Fu Fighting - Martial Arts as a Storytelling Tool in Speculative Fiction
Episode 300: How Not to be a Bad Art Friend - Professionalism and Empathy in Writing
Episode: 299: Who Watches the Watchmen - Gatekeeping in Speculative Fiction
Episode 298: Long Pig & a Nice Chianti - Cannibalism in Fact and Fiction
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