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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon

I received this book in 2003 as a Christmas present but was a bit confused at the time as I’d seen it in the children’s section of our local book shop. It turns out it was aimed at both adults and children and was actually the first book ever to have been published simultaneously in both an adult and a children’s imprint.

The story is written by Christopher, a 15 year boy who we assume to be autistic. He is encouraged by his teacher Siobhan to write a book he would like to read. "This will not be a funny book," says Christopher. "I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them." (p. 10) What follows is an honest, naïve, tragic, funny, quirky mix of narrative about his everyday life, combined with his investigation into the death of a dog. He discovers that his mother is not dead and that his father has lied to him and cannot be trusted.

Christopher comments on and observes the situations in his life but is unable to interpret what he sees. The structural irony is a powerful tool in the author’s commentary on adults and the shortcomings in their behaviour. Christopher needs the adults in his life to provide structure yet his parents have both betrayed him whilst feeling they were doing their best for him in a difficult situation. Christopher’s father represented safety and structure until it became apparent that he had told an unforgiveable lie. The reader is keenly aware that Christopher’s parents are far from ideal, but as an adult reader the challenges of having a child with special needs are also plain to see. In one of her letters his mum writes “I was not a very good mother Christopher: Maybe if things had been differant, maybe if you’d been differant, I might have been better at it” (p.133) The most stable adult in his life seems is Siobhan who helps him to understand and deal with the challenges of life.

Although we assume Christopher is on the Autistic Spectrum and his outlook on life is often very naïve he still shows patterns of teenage development. He is searching for identity, rebelling, pushing boundaries although he has to justify this to himself by finding loopholes in promises and his own behavioural patterns. Christopher wants to investigate the death of the dog but has made a promise to his dad: ‘And then I did some reasoning. I reasoned that father had only made me do a promise about five things’ (p. 72). Christopher checks he isn’t breaking any specific promises and then continues his investigation. He is largely restricted by his own boundaries but is beginning to feel the pressure of parental control. He repeatedly dreams of a world where almost everyone dies of a virus and  “I can go anywhere in the world and I know that no-one is going to talk to me or touch me or ask me a question (p. 242). In his dream he can do as he likes without being reprimanded. Appleyard (1991) refers to Erikson’s theories of development when he writes, “So they have to work out a set of balances between their newfound sense of possibility and the restrictions with which adult society often appears to be threatening them.”(p. 98). All teenagers have to work out this balance but for Christopher it is even more complicated. He uses his love of maths to explain life:

“Prime numbers are what is left when you have taken all the patterns away. I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them.” (p. 15)

This story is “constructed around a young hero or heroine, journeys, tests of character, and harm finally defeated.”(Appleyard, 1991 p. 4) “While the plot may appear small from the outside, it is much larger for Christopher: it is a quest not just in search of the murderer, or even of personal discovery, but also a quest for truth – an opportunity for Christopher to break many of the shackles that bind him and dispel some of the lies that he has been told to keep him from harm.” (Selwyn, 2005).  This is truly a coming-of-age novel where Christopher begins to find his own identity. Christopher sums it up in at the end of the book: “And I know that I can do this because I went to London on my own, and because I solved the mystery of Who Killed Wellington? And I found my mother and I was brave and I wrote a book and that means I can do anything.” (p. 268)

The book has won many awards and is often regarded as a handbook for dealing with people with autism but it has also been criticised for the portrait it paints. Olear (2012), included a list of comments in his review: ““Stereotyped, inaccurate, horribly offensive... this isn’t how it is.” “Haddon does not understand Asperger.” “Stereotypical view of an autistic child.” “I find it hard to believe that Mark Haddon is an autism expert, because Christopher Boone isn’t like any other child with Asperger’s that I’ve ever met.” “A major disservice to the Autistic Community.” “An excellent portrayal of autism...NOT!””  Bartmess (2015) goes even further in her review: “Christopher is abandoned, deceived, abused, gaslit, and insulted, often by authority figures. Most other characters overlook or actively attempt to justify this. Equally disturbing is that on many occasions Christopher has no apparent emotional or physical reaction to abuse or insults. This particularly bothers me because it suggests that abuse and insults don’t harm autistic people, although they do, sometimes very greatly.”

Interestingly, Haddon maintains that he did not set out to write a book about autism and know very little about it!

This book is enjoyed by many children but there has been concern about its suitability because of the level of swearing. In fact, some schools and libraries banned it! Arguably, children hear these words frequently in everyday life and realise that Christopher is merely reporting what he hears around him. This book is suitable for 10+ as this is the age of discovering identity. A child this age is also able to understand the challenges Christopher has. The question of age suitability is put well by Ashapoorv, (2015), ‘Despite the fact that the book flows in a very mundane manner, it is accessible to both children and adults. It helps a child understand the tough part of relationships and love, while it teaches adults that every child is special and one of a kind.’

Bibliography

Appleyard, J.A. (1991). Becoming a Reader. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press

Ashapoorv (2015, August 6). The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon - review. Retrieved March 2, 2019, from https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/aug/06/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-nighttime-mark-haddon-review

Bartmess, E. (2015, April 4). Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Retrieved March 2, 2019, from http://disabilityinkidlit.com/2015/04/04/review-the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time-by-mark-haddon/

Haddon, M. (2003). The curious incident of the dog in the night-time. London, UK: Jonathan Cape.

Matos, A. (2004, October 4). Structure and Development in Mark Haddon’s [The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time]. Retrieved March 2, 2019, from https://angelmatos.net/2013/10/04/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/

Mcleod, S. (2008, September 17). Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development. Retrieved January 27, 2019, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

Mullan, J. (2004, May 1). Expletives not deleted. Retrieved March 2, 2019, from https://www.theguardian.com/books/2004/may/01/featuresreviews.guardianreview28

Olear, G. (2012, January 18). When Popular Novels Perpetuate Negative Stereotypes: Mark Haddon, Asperger's and Irresponsible Fiction. Retrieved March 2, 2019, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-olear/curious-incident-dog-night-time_b_1099692.html?guce_referrer_us=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8

Selwyn, M. (2005). Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Retrieved March 2, 2019, from https://www.bibliofreak.net/2015/02/review-curious-incident-of-dog-in-night.html

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My daughter was obsessed with this book (and sequels) when she was about 12. Although I was vaguely aware of the content I’m ashamed to say I didn’t read it at the time or even watch the films. As a mother and teacher I feel I should’ve read the book, if not to censor my daughter’s book choices, then at least to be able to discuss it with her.

I started reading this book after having read the short story ‘The Lottery’ (Jackson, 1948). The content and theme of this short story were both fascinating and shocking and reminded me of what I’d heard about ‘The Hunger Games’. Once I picked up the book, I could hardly put it down. Shocking, endearing, exciting, confusing and tragic. The story is set in a dystopian future where the rulers from the “Capitol” require two children from each of the districts to take part in the games – a fight to the death, orchestrated by the game-makers and watched by the entire nation. In many ways it is a classic story of good against evil. As I followed Katniss through the preparations and fight to survive, I was on the edge of my seat willing her to outsmart the other contestants. I was horrified at myself that I hoped the others would die, but it was the only way Katniss could survive. Outsmarting the game-makers was the icing on the cake!

Her father died in an accident, but not before teaching her to hunt and fend for herself; vital skills for survival. Her mother, ’with her dead eyes’ (p. 33) is emotionally absent and it is left to Katniss to provide for the family. Appleyard (1991) writes of the restrictions the adult world places upon adolescents in stories but in this case the adult world not only restricts but threatens their lives. The government, game-makers and population take pleasure in watching children fight. Even the adults who are supposed to help them are largely useless. Each time the children overcome a challenge, another is thrown at them. Adults have created a world of inequality where everyday survival is hard and then to make it even worse, they have created a survival game for children where the only way to survive is to kill others. The themes of inequality between rich and poor and suffering are woven into all aspects of the story, both before the games and in the arena. Even in the harsh fight for the survival in the arena, it is wealth (sponsorship and gifts) which keeps the children alive.

Katniss displays many of the characteristics of the traditional hero in pre-adolescent books and is the ‘central figure who by competence and initiative can solve the problems of a disordered world’ (Appleyard, 1991). She is strong, noble, clever, resourceful and caring. Yet her pride, whilst a strength, is a potential downfall and the underlying doubts and internal conflict about her relationship with Peeta (and Gale) form an undercurrent in the story also making the story appeal to the adolescent.

Cinna (the stylist) sees Katniss more clearly than she sees herself. He highlights her inner strength and connection to Peeta saying, “I want the audience to recognize you when you’re in the arena … Katniss, the girl who was on fire.” Katniss is in stage 5 (identity versus role confusion) of Erickson’s stages of development in which she starts to question her identity. ‘An identity crisis is a time of intensive analysis and exploration of different ways of looking at oneself’ (Appleyard, 1991). This includes the exploration of social relationships which we see in Katniss’s confused relationships with Peeta, Gale and Rue.

Despite the obviously violent and shocking premise of the storyline, I think this book is suitable for 12-15-year olds. There are three main things which adolescents find important in a book (Appleyard, 1991): Identification and involvement with the characters, realism and a story which makes them think. The Hunger Games includes all three. ‘Identification succeeds when the characters of adolescent novels match their readers' newfound sense of complexity, but do not exceed it. The chief difference from the characters of juvenile stories mis that the main characters of teenage fiction have inner lives. The reader has full access to their thoughts and feelings, their anxieties and self-questionings.’ (Appleyard, 1991). The story has great characters, lots of adventure and excitement, and ultimately a happy ending. The fact that the story is set in a world not dissimilar to our own makes it all the scarier. Yet there are moments of tenderness and tragedy. I cried when Rue died and when the ‘still warm loaf’ was sent to Katniss by the people of District 11. I was relieved when Foxface died accidentally as it meant both Katniss and Peeta had a chance without having to kill her. My heart broke for Peeta who so obviously adores Katniss.  

My own uneasy feeling about the book is mirrored in commentary made by others and the book was banned in some schools and libraries. Spiegler (2012) put it in perspective: ‘The violence itself, however, is not gratuitous and it is not celebrated. Quite the opposite. The violence is deconstructed, analyzed, and mourned by the lead characters. The book has a powerful anti-violence and anti-war message’. The book could be used as a catalyst for discussion on social responsibility with young people. Another interesting article I came across had a powerful message for encouraging young people to read the book: ‘Perhaps the main point of the novel is the main reason in truth why it is put up for banning. The novel talks about how you shouldn’t just blindly follow the government and that if something is wrong or unjust you should speak up against it.’ (Merrit, 2016)

Before researching the book I found it hard to justify a book where children have to kill each other, yet just like my daughter at the age of 12, I couldn’t put the book down. The younger child will read the book as an adventure where good overcomes evil and the older child will experience the theme, conflicts and outrage on a deeper level.

Bibliography

Appleyard, J.A. (1991). Becoming a Reader. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press

Collins, S. (2013). The Hunger Games. London, UK: Scolastic Ltd.

Jackson, S. (1948). The Lottery. USA: The New Yorker.

Mcleod, S. (2008, September 17). Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development. Retrieved January 27, 2019, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

Merrit, M. (2016, February 18). 403 Forbidden: Banned Books. Retrieved February 28, 2019, from http://sites.psu.edu/bannedbookscmlit130/2016/02/18/hunger-games/

Spiegler, J. (2012, March 30). Should I Let My Ten-Year-Old Read The Hunger Games? | Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility. Retrieved February 28, 2019, from https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/should-i-let-my-ten-year-old-read-hunger-games

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

“The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis has such a special place in my heart that I almost regret reading it again. I don’t want to read, research, and analyse it as an adult! I don’t want to lose the thrill and utter magic I experienced when reading this as a child. But I’ve read it now so there’s no going back. I’ll write this blog and then return to my naïve state of wonder which makes my heart beat a little faster when I imagine that lamppost in the middle of the snowy forest and the magical talking animals; I’ll remember how heartbroken I was when Aslan died and how happy I was when he came back to life.

The book was written in 1950 in England, following the war when many city children had been evacuated. It appears on many lists of favourite childhood books and has been adapted for television film and theatre. Between 1950 -1956 Lewis wrote the seven books known as “The Chronicles of Narnia”.

The four Pevensie children are sent to live in a mysterious house with an equally mysterious professor. They are left to their own devices and encouraged to amuse themselves. In the style of many children’s books they are essentially without parents although Peter, as the older brother often assumes a parent-like role. When the children seek adult advice from the professor he encourages them to trust their own instincts and to open their minds and imaginations as he wonders, “I wonder what they do teach them at these schools?” (p. 49). The children are in Erikson’s stage 4 (industry v inferiority) where children break loose from adults in order to achieve new goals. This book is a typical book for the younger reader: “they are all constructed around a young hero or heroine, journeys, tests of character, and harm finally defeated.” Appleyard (1991, p. 4). Although Lucy is the youngest, she is the one who finds Narnia first and together with her sister and older brother they fulfil the role of the “central figure who by competence and initiative can solve the problems of a disordered world’ (Appleyard, 1991, p. 2). In the tradition of children’s literature this story is based on of good versus evil, the slight twist being that Edmund has (unwittingly) chosen the side of evil. Eventually, although the young reader almost loses hope, good prevails and the White Witch is banished.

A few years after my initial reading of this book I discovered the story was allegorical and then I could clearly see the parallels with the story of Jesus, the crucifixion and redemption. I realised that the Stone Table and the deeper magic were actually the parts of the story I had liked least, largely because I didn’t understand the concept. I re-read the book as a teenager and then understood the story could be read on a deeper level.  C.S. Lewis (1966) said "The Narnian books are not as much allegory as supposed. Suppose there were a Narnian world and it, like ours, needed redemption. What kind of incarnation and Passion might Christ be supposed to undergo there?" Whatever his intentions, the parallels in the story make the Christian concept of redemption easier for children to understand on their own level.

I won’t delve into discussions and criticisms of the book. Book Trust summed it up nicely: “Adult readers will be quick to spot the Christian symbolism woven through C S Lewis's story, which some critics have found problematic - but children will enjoy the magic of this spellbinding adventure in its own right.”

The book has all the makings of a novel for children between the ages of 8 and 12. It transports you to a wonderful fantasy world, full of adventure, where animals talk and where children are heroes who help in the fight of good against evil. Donald Maass (2015) said, that great books “involve characters whom you cannot forget. . . they are larger than life . . . they act, speak, and think in ways you or I . . . do not." These characters truly were larger than life when I was a child and the memory of them and the way they made me feel still remains etched in my brain.

So arriving at the end of my blog I am feeling strangely relieved. I have managed to stay within the word count and my magical love of Narnia is still intact!

Bibliography

Appleyard, J.A. (1991). Becoming a Reader. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press Book Trust. (n.d.). The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Retrieved March 17, 2019, from https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book/t/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Higgins, J. E. (1966, October 19). A Letter from C. S. Lewis — The Horn Book. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from http://www.hbook.com/1966/10/vhe/authors-illustrators-v/a-letter-from-c-s-lewis/

Hubl. (2019) What Makes a great Novel for Children. Retrieved from: https://hubl.hu.nl/sites/hu.learn.mentorix.dk/files/userfiles/u2231/documents/what%20makes%20a%20great%20novel%20for%20children.

Lewis, C. S. (2010). The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. London, UK: HarperCollins Children's Books.

Maass, D. (2015). The Breakout Novelist: How to Craft Novels That Stand Out and Sell (Revised). Cincinnati, US: Writer’s Digest Books. 

Mcleod, S. (2008, September 17). Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development. Retrieved January 27, 2019, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

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The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson

Tracy Beaker – loud, annoying, over-confident, rude, precocious, badly behaved. This was my impression of Tracy Beaker from the snippets I saw on the BBC children’s series. My children watched it when they were younger and I caught the odd bit - usually as I was cooking dinner. The children watched her daring escapades with obvious delight but couldn’t quite understand that she got away with being so awful to everyone. I wondered why she couldn’t try to behave a bit better. It was sad that she was in a care home but she didn’t seem to make life easy for herself or anyone else around her.

I’m glad I read the book because (as I should’ve known), there is far more to Tracy Beaker than I gave her credit for. This is the tragic story of a child in care. Tracy writes a diary and shares her thoughts, hopes and dreams with us. She tells her own story with plenty of creative licence and takes us through a roller-coaster of emotions as we experience the joys, insecurities and disappointments in her life as a child in a care-home. Tracy has been let down and rejected by everybody in her life; her mother, her two foster families and even her best friend Louise. She dreams of her mother coming back and looking after her and lets her fantasy run riot, “She’s maybe in France… Maybe Hollywood. My mum looks so great she’d easily get into the movies” (p. 86,87). Tracy’s feelings are in turmoil as she doesn’t dare let go of her dreams but can’t pass up on the glimmer of an opportunity to be fostered. She just wants to be loved and have a ‘mother’.

Tracy needs to be in control of the situation and she tries to manipulate Cam into fostering her. Wilson herself says “I think Tracy reacts to situations and tries hard. Deep down, she’s soft-hearted and quite kindly. Being nice to people makes her feel good. She susses out adults and works out what makes them tick, and I think that makes adults feel uncomfortable. She sees exactly why they do things. She doesn’t think adults know best, but how she can get on their right side.” (Frampton, 20015) This relationship with adults is commented upon by Appleyard (1991) as a trait, “common to many children’s books, of the smart child who gets the better of stupid adults” (p. 20)

Tracy was wildly jealous when Justine’s dad came to visit. When he fails to show up next time she later recognises her own sense of rejection mirrored in Justine, “It was all right when she didn’t get a visit like us lot. But now I kept picking on her and saying silly sniggery things about her dad. And then she burst into tears.” (p. 96)

Tracy is only 10 but has experienced a great deal in her life. In terms of psychological development (Erikson, 1970) Tracy is in stage 4, Industry versus Inferiority; she is aware of the correlation between behaviour and accomplishment but often finds herself powerless to control her feelings and actions. The reader feels the conflict in Tracy’s character as she progresses into stage 5 of Identity versus confusion. Tracy’s identity and emotional development are entwined with her feelings of rejection and longing to have a mother in her life. She is beginning to (intermittently) reflect on her behaviour, when she says, “I was a bit shocked, I didn’t say anything that bad!” (p. 96). She begins to “experiment with different roles, activities and behaviors” (Appleyard, 1991) as she tries to make sense of her own life and her identity. He goes on to state that “family issues are not the subject of the books children ages 7 to 12 read; the heroes and heroines of these books have to be at least psychologically parentless if they are to be convincing models of world mastery” (p. 19) and whilst the book appears to be quirky diary, it is actually a child’s quest to find a mother figure whilst searching for her own place in the world. Erikson explains that children need a parent-figure in their life because: “If children are encouraged and reinforced for their initiative, they begin to feel industrious (competent) and feel confident in their ability to achieve goals.” (McCleod, 2008)

There is much discussion about the content of Tracy Beaker; some feel it romanticises life in a care home and others feel Tracy gives a bad example to children. Blogger Sally Whittle (2013) writes, “I can’t see ANYTHING about that character that seems nice. I told her I thought all of the bullying was just awful, and no matter how sad you are, being so ungrateful and rude is just plain wrong. “I’m just not sure what the message is.” Wilson said, “It is interesting that younger readers often seem to understand her spikiness better than adults. Some middle- class mothers ask me: “Why does Tracy behave so badly?”” says Wilson. “And I generally look at their children and put the question to them. The child will say: “She’s a bit sad because she hasn’t got her mum””(Frampton, 2005)

The book gives the impression of being for younger readers: just look at the bright cover and doodles on many of the pages. The reading level is not too challenging, but the content and unspoken challenges of a child in care would be understood better by a slightly older child.

The narrative is naïve and idealistic, appealing to an 8-year-old but the older reader is able to read between the lines to understand what is going on. The recommendation is for 8+ but I feel that 10-13 is probably more appropriate because this age group can identify with characteristics of Tracy’s stage of development.

In a survey by Scolastic (2010) 55% of the 9-13-year-olds said they read books to “help you figure out who you are and who you could become.” This book certainly gets you thinking about this!

The end of the story sums Tracy’s outlook on life:

“This started like a fairy story. And it’s going to end like one too.

Happily Ever After.” (p. 158)

Bibliography

Appleyard, J.A. (1991). Becoming a Reader. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press Frampton, P. (2005, March 23). The books of life. Retrieved March 22, 2019, from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2005/mar/23/booksforchildrenandteenagers.childrensservices

Mcleod, S. (2008, September 17). Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development. Retrieved January 27, 2019, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

Scolastic. (2010). Kids and Family Reading Report. Retrieved March 17, 2019, from http://www.scholastic.com/readingreport/

Whittle, S. (2013, August 12). Is Tracy Beaker more dangerous than demons and swords? Retrieved March 22, 2019, from https://www.whosthemummy.co.uk/is-tracy-beaker-more-dangerous-than-demons-and-swords/

Wilson, J. (1992). The Story of Tacy Beaker. London, UK: Penguin Random House.

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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Where you tend a rose, my lad, A thistle cannot grow.

I still remember the birthday when I was given a wonderful clothbound book with gold lettering. It was a collection of books including ‘The Secret Garden’. I disappeared into the magical world of those stories, only occasionally emerging to look for goodies.

This book, published in 1911, has surprisingly stood the test of time. It was originally published for adults and only gained popularity later when children’s literature became more widely recognised as a genre. Burnett herself, suffering from depression and grieving the loss of her son, wrote her stories in the garden of her country house. She found comfort in the healing philosophy of Christian Science which is reflected throughout her book. On rereading the book as an adult I recognised the fascination and magic of a garden coming to life yet I was shocked by the colonial perspective which I’d unquestioningly accepted as a young reader. I’ll come back to that later.

Mary, age 12, is spoilt and mean, her parents didn’t care for her and her mother “had not wanted a little girl at all” (p. 1) At the outbreak of cholera in India she was forgotten and abandoned by the other grown ups in her life, “Nobody thought of her, nobody wanted her”(p. 1) and even when she arrives at Misselthwaite Manor she is told, “You’ll have to play about and look after yourself.” (p. 22) as no-one has time for her. Colin, age 10, is also spoilt, ill and bad tempered; abandoned emotionally by a grieving father. He blames his mother’s death for his situation, “If she had lived I believe I should not have been ill always,” he grumbled. “I dare say I should have lived, too. And my father would not have hated to look at me. I dare say I should have had a strong back.”(p. 112) It is difficult to find anything to like about the two children yet somehow they connect with each other.

“Indeed, one of the book’s strangest features is that it is the two most wounded and unlikable characters who do the most to heal one another. The moral guidance of kindly adults doesn’t have much to do with it.” 

(Clark, 2011)

There are several sensible, helpful adults in the book but none of them take up the parental role and the children do not really expect them to. “When Martha told stories of what ‘mother’ said or did they always sounded comfortable” (p. 48) and Mary fantasises about meeting this perfect mother. Mrs Sowerby is the first adult invited to the garden and plays an important role in getting Mr Craven to come home to witness his son’s improvement, ensuring the perfect outcome for Colin.

The story is largely one of healing and growth and the garden is the catalyst for this: as the plants in the abandoned garden break through the ground and show new life, this is paralleled with the children becoming more healthy and discovering the joys of childhood. “When new beautiful thoughts began to push out the old hideous ones, life began to come back to [Colin], his blood ran healthily through his veins and strength poured into him like a flood.”(p. 225)

This leads me to the question of age-suitability. Appleyard (p. 4) states that books for the young reader usually involve adventure but even if they do not ���they are all constructed around a young hero or heroine, journeys, tests of character, and harm finally defeated.”

Mary, although an unusually unlikeable heroine, makes her own journey and adventure with Colin – the journey of growing up and overcoming their loveless childhood. In Erikson’s stages of development (Stage 4: Industry vs Inferiority), children begin to break loose from their parents in order to develop. Mary and Colin are largely free from adult interference and are expected to amuse themselves. They take great pleasure in secretly tending their garden, supporting the theory that, “If children are encouraged and reinforced for their initiative, they begin to feel industrious (competent) and feel confident in their ability to achieve goals.” (McCleod, 2008) Following Erikson’s stages of development and Appleyard’s analysis of the reader as a hero it is without doubt a book for the 8-12 age group.

Yet the book is over a hundred years old which is reflected in the language used. A review from The Guardian (2000) stated, “Eight-year-olds are likely to get frustrated by the sentence construction. Either read it to them or wait a couple of years.” I agree with this statement and yet the colonial setting led me to wonder if and how the book is still relevant or appropriate for today’s children. It would be wise for parents to discuss the historical setting of the book and the changes in social and cultural norms because Mary calling Martha “the daughter of a pig” and her claims that Indian servants are not people are totally unacceptable in this day and age. Interestingly, Rao (2009), when faced with the same dilemma, actually found this type of book presented an ideal opportunity to discuss these issues with her child:

“I could simply focus on reading modern children’s literature, replete with Asian heroines and positive role models. But I think the classics, even the dodgy ones, have lessons to teach modern children.”

Once the historical context is clear it strikes me that Mary’s behaviour is no worse than Tracy Beaker’s! This book has stood the test of time and will hopefully be enjoyed by children for years to come.

I still love this book and I often think about it when I’m out in my garden. I still think plants are magical but sadly my children (thus far) have shown no interest whatsoever in either reading my favourite book or helping in the garden!

Bibliography

Appleyard, J.A. (1991). Becoming a Reader. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press

Clark, A. (2011, August 5). The Secret Garden’s hidden depths. Retrieved January 27, 2019,from https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/aug/05/secret-garden-frances-hodgson-burnett

Guardian. (2000, March 24). Classic children’s library: 8-11. Retrieved January 6, 2019, from https://www.theguardian.com/books/2000/mar/24/childrens.library

Hodgson Burnett, F. (1978). The Secret garden. London, Great Britain: Octopus Books Limited.

Mcleod, S. (2008, September 17). Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development. Retrieved January 27, 2019, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

Rao, K. (2009, July 23). Are some children’s classics unsuitable for kids? Retrieved February 28, 2019, from https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2009/jul/22/childrens-classics-unsuitable-kids

P.S. I found my book – under my daughter’s bed! Covered in dust, unloved and unread!

[the-reading-circle]

About Me

One of my earliest memories of school is being allowed to pick a reading book to take home. I was about five and I was allowed to choose from a shelf outside the classroom. The names ‘Nip the Dog’ and ‘Fluff the cat’ still stir up a deep-seated pang of excitement!

This was the first of a long line of moments I remember being excited about books: waiting for my mum to come home from town with a new Famous Five book, the Narnia books for Christmas, a box set of Nancy Drew on my birthday and even the excitement of receiving a newly published Harry Potter book (I’d just given birth to my second child!). The books have changed but my approach to reading is largely the same; once I get started with a book, I find it almost impossible to put it down until I’m finished. My parents had to cajole me out of my bedroom for mealtimes and many years later my new born baby was very vocal when making it known that he was also (always) hungry and didn’t appreciate sharing his mother with a book!

Unfortunately, as I progressed through school and university, reading changed from being a pleasure and a hobby and became ‘homework’ and ‘learning’. Reading was either to gain knowledge and information or in the case of English literature, reading went hand-in-hand with analysis and committing quotations to memory. I actually enjoyed literature but I had little time or desire to read any other books for pleasure. It was a few years after graduating that I rediscovered reading. A 30-minute train ride to and from work (in the days before mobile phones) was a perfect opportunity to escape into a fantasy world and to rediscover the pleasures of a (good) book. I exchanged books with colleagues and started to enjoy talking about what we were all reading. This eventually developed into a book club which I still enjoy!

The next stage of my literary journey took me back to children’s books. As a mother and primary school teacher I spent lots of time finding and reading books for children. I firmly believe that children should be exposed to good books from an early age. Parents and teachers play an important role in encouraging a love of books. There is a limit to how many times you actually want to read ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ or ‘The Gruffalo’ but seeing your children experiencing the magical enjoyment of books is amazing. My children, now teenagers, are avid readers and they’re enjoying the fact that they can now advise me on suitable books for my literature course. My daughter lent me her copy of ‘The Hunger Games’ and once more I found myself completely hooked and unable to do anything until I’d finished the book. Thank goodness my children love pizza!

Books bring people closer together and reading Young Adult fiction has brought me closer to their ‘world’. And I love it! I love their books! We’ve come full circle!