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Anthony Browne as risk taker
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From: Robin Smith <smithr>
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 09:08:26 -0500
I remember talking very briefly with Anthony Browne at a conference at the CCBC and commenting on the book, The Big Baby. It is very popular with my students and I use it with some writing we do about transformations. We also use the wonderful Piggybook as well. Anyway, after my comments, he quipped,
"You are probably the only person, according to my publisher, who has actually read that book!"
It takes a bit of a risk in today's youth-oriented world. It is the story of a father who will do anything to stay young, including drinking the ELIXA DE YOOF, which returns him to his babyhood...except that he still sports his enormous adult head! We see him having his diaper changed and sitting on a potty seat. It is hilarious...and my children always "get it." They tell all sorts of funny stories about their parents' quest for youth and beauty. I think they find it especially funny because they are in such a race to be older and grown up. They can't imagine why their parents, and the father in the book, want to be young again...especially THAT young.
When I met the very young looking Mr. Browne, I had to wonder if he had been partaking of the ELIXA himself.
This is a book to make grownups laugh...and squirm.
I love it. Robin Smith
-----Original Message---- From: Kathleen Horning
[SMTP:horning at education.wisc.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2000 8:19 AM
To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
Subject: Re: Anthony Browne as risk taker
Judy O'Malley made reference to Anthony Browne as a risk taker in the field of children's literature because he imbeds references to other artists' works in his illustrations without explanation. I agree that Browne is a risk take for that reason ? as well as others.
I think that one the books with which he took a big risk was his version of "Hansel and Gretel" published by Julia MacRae in 1981. Just by setting this familiar folktale in modern times, he makes it seem so much scarier than picture books versions set in an earlier time. There's nothing more jolting that the bottle of Oil of Olay on the stepmother's dresser! Also, his subtle visual suggestions throughout that the stepmother and the witch are one and the same add an extra layer of psychological meaning.
Are there other books by Anthony Browne that you find risky?
Kathleen T. Horning (horning at education.wisc.edu)
Cooperative Children's Book Center
University of Wisconsin-School of Education
4290 Helen C. White Hall
600 North Park St.
Madison, WI 53706
608&3930
FAX: 608&2I33
~~~~~~~~~~
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Received on Wed 14 Jun 2000 09:08:26 AM CDT
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 09:08:26 -0500
I remember talking very briefly with Anthony Browne at a conference at the CCBC and commenting on the book, The Big Baby. It is very popular with my students and I use it with some writing we do about transformations. We also use the wonderful Piggybook as well. Anyway, after my comments, he quipped,
"You are probably the only person, according to my publisher, who has actually read that book!"
It takes a bit of a risk in today's youth-oriented world. It is the story of a father who will do anything to stay young, including drinking the ELIXA DE YOOF, which returns him to his babyhood...except that he still sports his enormous adult head! We see him having his diaper changed and sitting on a potty seat. It is hilarious...and my children always "get it." They tell all sorts of funny stories about their parents' quest for youth and beauty. I think they find it especially funny because they are in such a race to be older and grown up. They can't imagine why their parents, and the father in the book, want to be young again...especially THAT young.
When I met the very young looking Mr. Browne, I had to wonder if he had been partaking of the ELIXA himself.
This is a book to make grownups laugh...and squirm.
I love it. Robin Smith
-----Original Message---- From: Kathleen Horning
[SMTP:horning at education.wisc.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2000 8:19 AM
To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
Subject: Re: Anthony Browne as risk taker
Judy O'Malley made reference to Anthony Browne as a risk taker in the field of children's literature because he imbeds references to other artists' works in his illustrations without explanation. I agree that Browne is a risk take for that reason ? as well as others.
I think that one the books with which he took a big risk was his version of "Hansel and Gretel" published by Julia MacRae in 1981. Just by setting this familiar folktale in modern times, he makes it seem so much scarier than picture books versions set in an earlier time. There's nothing more jolting that the bottle of Oil of Olay on the stepmother's dresser! Also, his subtle visual suggestions throughout that the stepmother and the witch are one and the same add an extra layer of psychological meaning.
Are there other books by Anthony Browne that you find risky?
Kathleen T. Horning (horning at education.wisc.edu)
Cooperative Children's Book Center
University of Wisconsin-School of Education
4290 Helen C. White Hall
600 North Park St.
Madison, WI 53706
608&3930
FAX: 608&2I33
~~~~~~~~~~
To remove your address from the mailing list, send a message with the header...
To: listserv at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
Subject: signoff ccbc-net
Received on Wed 14 Jun 2000 09:08:26 AM CDT
