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Cynthia Rylant's Books for Older Readers: The Islander and
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From: michele Missner <missnerm>
Date: Fri, 17 Jul 1998 21:00:13 -0700
I just finished reading the Islander. The discussion certainly made me curious enough to want to read it--and Rylant is always interesting. Is is a hard book to categorize. Could it be "magical realism"? It certainly is realistic for the most part, but it does have a magical element which may be in the main characters imagination. We have characterized Francesca Lea Block's books as magical realism and certainly there are some of the same elements although Rylant does not carry it to the extreme that Block does.
Islander is definitely a very warm book--the bond that develops between the boy and his grandfather, the old lady who knew Anna, the people in the town, and there is a religious element to it as well in the faith that the main character has developed--and may have had right from the start. He certainly is not very skeptical that he has in reality seen the mermaid, the sea otter ( was it that?) with the diamond on its hand, the key that indicates where a living thing is that need help. He has a deep faith that these things are true.
Part of the discussion has been on the sense of home in this book and it is certainly there and it is a strong element throughout the book. Rylant packs a lot into a short book.
I started to read some of the short stories in Every Living Thing. Because Spaghetti has been mentioned several times, I started with that and went on the "Drying Out". What a odd duo to put together!! Drying out seemed to be for a much older reader and was a much more sophistocated story. Of course, animals are a main element. Time to read more. Michele Missner
Megan Schliesman wrote:
-Michele Missner Program Leader, Library Media Services Appleton Area School District Appleton, Wisconsin Tel: (920) 832H99
Library Media Specialist Appleton West High School 610 N. Badger Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin 54914 Tel:(920) 832A62 Fax: (920) 832b39 Email: missnerm at athenet.net http://www.athenet.net/~westfive
Received on Fri 17 Jul 1998 11:00:13 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 17 Jul 1998 21:00:13 -0700
I just finished reading the Islander. The discussion certainly made me curious enough to want to read it--and Rylant is always interesting. Is is a hard book to categorize. Could it be "magical realism"? It certainly is realistic for the most part, but it does have a magical element which may be in the main characters imagination. We have characterized Francesca Lea Block's books as magical realism and certainly there are some of the same elements although Rylant does not carry it to the extreme that Block does.
Islander is definitely a very warm book--the bond that develops between the boy and his grandfather, the old lady who knew Anna, the people in the town, and there is a religious element to it as well in the faith that the main character has developed--and may have had right from the start. He certainly is not very skeptical that he has in reality seen the mermaid, the sea otter ( was it that?) with the diamond on its hand, the key that indicates where a living thing is that need help. He has a deep faith that these things are true.
Part of the discussion has been on the sense of home in this book and it is certainly there and it is a strong element throughout the book. Rylant packs a lot into a short book.
I started to read some of the short stories in Every Living Thing. Because Spaghetti has been mentioned several times, I started with that and went on the "Drying Out". What a odd duo to put together!! Drying out seemed to be for a much older reader and was a much more sophistocated story. Of course, animals are a main element. Time to read more. Michele Missner
Megan Schliesman wrote:
-Michele Missner Program Leader, Library Media Services Appleton Area School District Appleton, Wisconsin Tel: (920) 832H99
Library Media Specialist Appleton West High School 610 N. Badger Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin 54914 Tel:(920) 832A62 Fax: (920) 832b39 Email: missnerm at athenet.net http://www.athenet.net/~westfive
Received on Fri 17 Jul 1998 11:00:13 PM CDT
