“Over/Under”: Pixar Edition
Setting the record straight on the best and worst Pixar movies.
Casual Friday: Trauma and Triumph in Katherine Paterson's "Jacob Have I Loved"
What is asked of a reader when they read a depressing story about an unhappy child?
Casual Friday: "Peter Pan" and the Riddle of Childhood
It’s only in the 19th century, really, that childhood gets established as a period in life meant for fun, play, curiosity, fantasy and all the other things we associate with childhood.
Munsch Ado About Nothing: “The Boy in the Drawer” as an Allegory for Tantrums
Munsch's stories very often grant children power and label adults as inconsistent, selfish, unreasonable, unhelpful, or incompetent. No wonder the books are so popular with kids.
The Real Monster at the End of This Book is Your Child
Ever wonder if your child is too obedient? Does she always respect the limits you set for her? Is she sympathetic to other children and supportive when they express their fears?
Well worry no longer, because Little Golden Books and Sesame Street have the story for you!
Monetizing Play: Bubbles
Writing at the crossroads of introspection, poetry, prose, and marketing:
"What is it about the soap bubble that so fascinates and delights the child?
Childhood, Memory, and Fantasy in "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" and "The Little Prince" (SPOILERS)
Ocean is frustrating for the way it privileges childhood, fantasy, and spirituality, but relegates these to ephemeral glimpses into a higher truth that ultimately has no place in the mundane.
Alexander is a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Kid
Man, that invisible castle thing? You got lazy and didn’t draw a picture, didn’t you, and now you’re upset ‘cause the teacher liked an actual picture better than your blank page? If you’re gonna be a jerk about drawing time, at least have the courage of your convictions to stand by your BS move and not act like you weren’t trying to be clever and lazy. And what have you got against sixteen, mister?