I am going through a strange reading phase at the moment, and I am not sure what to make of it except to keep doing it. I am reading children's books, from novels for the 10+ set like the magnificent one whose cover I have displayed above, and YA (young adult) genres like Michael Grant's Gone series. I could pretend that I am doing it as a professional endeavour, but that is not the case. I find myself thumbing through the monthly Scholastic catalogues that the company sends my students, looking for books that interest me, and I find these little gems. The Underneath, shown above, is one such treasure. It is the beautifully written story of a lonely and pregnant calico cat who finds the equally sorrowful hound, Ranger, and the bond they forge before fate sends them down a twisted, dangerous road; the modern story is intertwined with an old magical legend that begins a thousand years before in the same bayou region of the US South. It is a tale of bravery, loneliness, of wanting and loss, and all told with a poetic, elegant prose that just captured me and wouldn't let me go. I wish I could write like this debut novelist, so beautifully descriptive without being long-winded or full of unnecessary words. There is so much feeling and longing on each page, so much ugliness and then, wondrous beauty. I could not put this book down, and yet... I am not 10, and still was enchanted by the unfolding of this story.
I can't quite explain why it is that I am drawn to this younger fiction. Perhaps it is because there are amazing writers now turning to a younger audience, or perhaps because these novels work on different levels. The students in my class who have read this book were just as enraptured by its pages, and seem delighted that I am now reading it out loud to the class. This alone tells me that the author did not set out to write a children's story that ended up appealing to adults only to fail the target market, but the fact that a friend's 10 year old daughter devoured it in one day during my recent trip to California just cements that belief.
5 comments:
Oh, one of my favorite college courses was in childrens lit. Everything is at stake needing to be discovered or run from in the stories; about every story is retold and arranged for cultural emphasis. And language is a big thing, wonderful, poetic indeed.
While you find what interests you, it could be you recommend a book or two to students because you've read them and then how cool would you be? (not that you are not already!).
lovely post!
-ginab
A wonderfully written book is always a wonderfully written book, whether officially an "adults' book" or "children's book". And I find that the stories of children's books are such that touch and move people of any age.
What a sweet book. Although, I have to admit if there are any sad parts, I would be unable to read it involving animals.
Some books are for any age
xo
I think it’s because the upcoming writers, and indeed the publishers, know that this is now where the money is; the “teen” readership. It’s a very lucrative marketplace involving “spin-offs” into computer games, and movies.
Admittedly my own reading habits regarding contemporary literature have flagged somewhat, and I tend to go back to Scott Fitzgerald, Ken Kesey, etc. But I’m not aware of there being a new James Joyce or Salman Rushdie out there at present. Sadly, adult novels perhaps came to mean “intellectual depth” to the masses, rather than a damn good read.
There is a parallel in cinema. For example, all the recent big budget horror movies of recent times have been certificated either “15” or “12”. (“The Others”, “Sixth Sense”, “Blair Witch”, etc). Certificate “18” is all but extinct in ANY genre. The simple reason is that this ensures a huge financial return at the box office, then the subsequent pc game, t-shirts, celeb TV appearances, and magazines. Not to mention the soundtrack album. (I don’t think one could get financial backing for ANY movie now unless you have “the star” and a potential soundtrack album featuring “old” pop / rock classics).
Just thought you'd like to know, Anne Marie, I've ordered this book on your recommendation. It sounds delightful!
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