Rereading the Alanna books reveals a simple, oft-repeated lesson: Girls, it turns out, can do everything boys do -- in fact, they can do it better. (And, like, how much better is this for young girls to hear than the endless litany of designer brand names infesting some current YA, which, okay, I also enjoy reading but I'm glad I read this and not that as a 9 year old?)
It could only be Fine Lines, the Friday feature which takes a semi-serious, sometimes-critical, look at beloved children's and YA books from the past. This week it was Tamora Pierce's FIRST book, published in 1983.
That was a little before my tine in terms of reading YA literature, and though the book wasn't exactly elementary school fare, I think I might have enjoyed it. Grrrl Power all the way.
5 comments:
The Alanna and Trickster stories are ones that my daughter goes back to again and again and again.
I've GOTTA read Pierce one day.
Here's to posts about strong female protagonists today!
Aaaaargh. JULES!? Sister, we have GOT to help you out here. Once you read Pierce, you'll be hooked. 4Ev-ah.
I'm sorry, ladies, but Alanna and Aly do not even hold candles to Keladry...
:) Just found this site. Love it. Yay! (Mind if I link?)
Hi Aerin, welcome and link away!
I have to say that the Circle of Magic books WERE my favorite... but now I'm pretty much a Terrier girl. I have a new best-loved book every time Tamora Pierce writes a new one!!!! She's just ...amazing. And really kind and funny in person (I saw her at SCBWI last summer - too spooked to speak, but she's a brilliant, brilliant person).
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