I discovered the other day that when you post a status update to Facebook about something you're considering writing, you might be surprised by how much feedback you get.
I posted this little musing: that I was pondering (just pondering, mind you!) a re-telling of St. George and the Dragon for beginning readers. To put it mildly, I was amazed by the enthusiasm this musing generated. How wonderful to hear those words of encouragement. It makes me think I really ought to try it!
The difficulty I'm facing right now is finding the time to dive into any more new projects. I've started several in July, what is meant to be my serious writing month (meaning the only month where the sweet girl is in camp enough to give me some real daylight hours in which to work). I'm posting a number of reviews at Eps because we need the income, but I'm also working on several longer-term projects: two essays, one potentially longer non-fiction book, and some fiction.
The St. George idea sort of winged me out of nowhere the other day. I've had dragons on the brain, as you can probably tell from my recent posting on re-reading (in which I contemplated some of the differences in Tolkien and Rowling's treatment of dragons). The sweet girl and I are in the midst of a read-aloud of The Silver Chair, where Eustace Scrub (former dragon!) has yet another starring role. I've been working on a story (with a contemporary setting) that combines some elements of Sleeping Beauty and St. George and the Dragon (both princes-fighting-dragon stories). And I've been thinking about the particular gifts of really good writers for beginning-intermediate readers like the sweet girl.
Thinking about St. George led me to Margaret Hodges and Trina Schart Hyman's gorgeous, oh so gorgeous, picture book version. It's a Caldecott Medal winner, just stunning.
But I know that's only one take on the legend of George, merrie saint of England. I'm particularly interested right now in different versions of the legend, and in what visual images and colors recur most often through the different re-tellings. I went to the Baldwin Online Children's Literature project, my favorite repository of old stories and legends, and searched on "St. George" within the site. LOTS of versions popped up, and I've only had time so far to read a couple.
At any rate, I do seem to be finding dragons everywhere I turn. A friend wrote me today (yes, via FB) to say she'd recently purchased a small stuffed dragon to keep beside her while she works on the fantasy book she's writing. And I just finished Regina Doman's dark and thrilling contemporary Gothic fairy-tale Black as Night in which the New York subway system was wonderfully described as a fire-breathing dragon (and a terrific fight scene takes place near the third rail underground).
So if anyone wants to share any more good dragon stories or illustrations, St. George or otherwise, let me know!
2 comments:
Ah, dragons are grand! Of course, I'm always a fan of Puff (I bought a plush Puff at the Peter Paul and Mary concert in 2006) and Elliot from Pete's Dragon. So lovable! And The Reluctant Dragon. I tend to go for the cuddly ones!
I also have read a few of Anne McCaffrey's books; her treatment of dragons is pretty interesting. I especially liked Dragonsong, about an abused teenage girl who saves a clutch of fire lizards, sort of miniature dragons who hum melodically, and writes an epic poem about them, which sets her on the path of becoming a master bard. Sounded pretty cool to me!
I must have dragons on the brain lately too because in Salem, I bought a button and bumper sticker that say, "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup." I've seen it before, and given its Tolkienishness, I couldn't resist...
I've only recently discovered The Reluctant Dragon. Apparently Kenneth Graeme wrote it before he wrote The Wind in the Willows. I definitely want to read it!
Love the button/bumper sticker. :-)
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