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Making Up Megaboy, Monster
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From: Ginny Moore Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 15:14:34 -0500
Patty and Marc talked about whether or not "Making Up Megaboy" offers closure, whether or not a book is required to do this. Several of us mentioned whether or not a certain lack of closure adds to or detracts from this particular book. We don't agree, and agreement isn't necessary.
Perhaps "Making Up Megaboy" suggests a new literary form, perhaps not. Not having words specific enough to express exactly what we want to say is frustrating. That's one of the reasons why the visual elements in "Making Up Megaboy" are so important, at least to me. Maybe that's why his Megaboy art was so important to Robbie.
Virginia Walter wrote that she wanted to explore what would make a child kill someone. She referred to the kids who never do anything that extreme, but who are not noticed, who fall between the cracks somehow and live in quiet desparation. What about those about whom we draw conclusions based only on what and who we think we see?
Nina commented that "Megaboy" might be viewed as a commentary on the media portrayal of such a tragedy. Even though that wasn't Ginny Walter's intention, some will interpret "Megaboy" this way. Maybe some will interpret "Monster" one of the above ways, too.
Let's add the novel "Monster" to our discussion at this time.
"Monster" was written by Walter Dean Myers and illustrated by Christopher Myers (HarperCollins, 1999). It's OK to continue commenting on "Megaboy," but for those who've had a chance to read and see "Monster," here's a good opportunity to share your responses to this novel written as a movie script "starring" Steve, an African American high school student on trial for his alleged involvment in the murder of a convenience store clerk. For those who haven't read
"Monster" yet, one big difference between "Monster" and "Making Up Megaboy" is that we know some of what Steve is thinking, but only what he chooses to share with us through the screenplay he's writing.
...Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/) A Library of the School of Education, University of Wisconsin Madison
Received on Thu 15 Jul 1999 03:14:34 PM CDT
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 15:14:34 -0500
Patty and Marc talked about whether or not "Making Up Megaboy" offers closure, whether or not a book is required to do this. Several of us mentioned whether or not a certain lack of closure adds to or detracts from this particular book. We don't agree, and agreement isn't necessary.
Perhaps "Making Up Megaboy" suggests a new literary form, perhaps not. Not having words specific enough to express exactly what we want to say is frustrating. That's one of the reasons why the visual elements in "Making Up Megaboy" are so important, at least to me. Maybe that's why his Megaboy art was so important to Robbie.
Virginia Walter wrote that she wanted to explore what would make a child kill someone. She referred to the kids who never do anything that extreme, but who are not noticed, who fall between the cracks somehow and live in quiet desparation. What about those about whom we draw conclusions based only on what and who we think we see?
Nina commented that "Megaboy" might be viewed as a commentary on the media portrayal of such a tragedy. Even though that wasn't Ginny Walter's intention, some will interpret "Megaboy" this way. Maybe some will interpret "Monster" one of the above ways, too.
Let's add the novel "Monster" to our discussion at this time.
"Monster" was written by Walter Dean Myers and illustrated by Christopher Myers (HarperCollins, 1999). It's OK to continue commenting on "Megaboy," but for those who've had a chance to read and see "Monster," here's a good opportunity to share your responses to this novel written as a movie script "starring" Steve, an African American high school student on trial for his alleged involvment in the murder of a convenience store clerk. For those who haven't read
"Monster" yet, one big difference between "Monster" and "Making Up Megaboy" is that we know some of what Steve is thinking, but only what he chooses to share with us through the screenplay he's writing.
...Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/) A Library of the School of Education, University of Wisconsin Madison
Received on Thu 15 Jul 1999 03:14:34 PM CDT
