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
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 103: Best Served Cold - Revenge Arcs in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 102: Squibs and Mundanes - Representation of Disability in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 101: Back on the Broom - More Enchanting Children's Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 100: So You Want to Be a Writer? - Celebrating 100 Episodes of Dissecting Dragons
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 99: Long Live the Resistance - The Problem of Magical Revolution in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 98: In Review: 2017 - the Good, the Bad and the Weird
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 97: Cheese and Crackers - Our Favourite Bad Christmas Films
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 96: Fanfiction Revisited - Cassie Clare, 50 Shades and the Next Top Seller
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 95: The Horse's Point of View - Gender Politics in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 94: Inner Space - Altered Realities in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 93: Damnation, Retribution and Redemption - Hell Planes and Purgatory in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 92: Blood Drinkers and Psychic Thieves - the Vampire in SpeculativeFiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 91: Evil Twins and Partners in Crime - Siblings in Speculative Fiction and Real Life
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 90: Yay or Neigh - Horses, Pegasus and Kelpies in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 89: A Night at the Overlook Hotel - Haunted Houses in Speculative Fiction (And their real life counterparts)
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 88: Heavenly Hosts and Fallen Fiends - The Angelic Being in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragon: Episode 87: Losing the Plot - Revamping, Recycling and Reusing your Writing.
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 86: Leches, Perverts and Peeping Toms - Attitudes to Sexual Depravity in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 85: Witches, Bitches & Shrews - The Wise Woman Archetype in Speculative Fiction
Dissecting Dragons: Episode 84: More Tainted Love - the Romantic Subplot in Speculative Fiction
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