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From: Sherry <kidbooks_at_thegrid.net>
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 10:00:09 -0700
As the author of several adventure/survival novels for middle grade readers I made a conscious decision early on to have female protagonists. (This is quite unusual within the genre.) My first adventure novel, "Frozen Stiff" (Random House) came out in 1997 and remains in print. Back then, I believed boys wouldn't read "Frozen Stiff" unless there was also a boy character. So I gave my main character a male cousin--put them in kayaks and got them lost in the Alaskan wilderness.
After visiting tons of schools over the years and meeting thousands of fans (mostly 4 to 6th graders) I've learned that boys don't really care that the main character is a girl. They're much more tuned in to the story's action and adventure and fast pace.
All the best, Sherry www.SherryShahan.com ICE ISLAND (Random House/Yearling, 2013)
Received on Sun 18 Aug 2013 10:00:09 AM CDT
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 10:00:09 -0700
As the author of several adventure/survival novels for middle grade readers I made a conscious decision early on to have female protagonists. (This is quite unusual within the genre.) My first adventure novel, "Frozen Stiff" (Random House) came out in 1997 and remains in print. Back then, I believed boys wouldn't read "Frozen Stiff" unless there was also a boy character. So I gave my main character a male cousin--put them in kayaks and got them lost in the Alaskan wilderness.
After visiting tons of schools over the years and meeting thousands of fans (mostly 4 to 6th graders) I've learned that boys don't really care that the main character is a girl. They're much more tuned in to the story's action and adventure and fast pace.
All the best, Sherry www.SherryShahan.com ICE ISLAND (Random House/Yearling, 2013)
Received on Sun 18 Aug 2013 10:00:09 AM CDT
