Who Stole The Wizard Of Age Analysis
In the Eyes of A Child
“There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million,” author Walt Streightiff once stated. In the perspective of the child, no matter from what century the child may have been or is from, the world is filled with mystery and new adventures every day. Children’s literature, since the nineteenth century, has been capturing the world in which children see with their own eyes. The imagination, curiosity, and adventure of children are portrayed by authors who remember what common thoughts and questions they once had at the young age which they set their main characters to be in their stories. Whether it is a chapter book for children ages ten and older, a beginner chapter book for eight …show more content…
and older, or even a picture book with few words, the children’s books will have the central theme of a child’s mind yearning for exploration in common. In the three books, Holes by Louis Sacher, Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? by Avi, and We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson, not only is curiosity seen in the character’s, but the books also all share similar plot components with literary elements to catch the reader’s attention and similar child characterizations.
Even though it is evident that these three particular books do not have a similar plot, they still share similar plot elements which connect the three.
Both Holes and Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? are categorized as mystery books, however the picture book We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past does not have a plot which can be named a mystery. Although this is the case, all three still share elements of surprise in their stories, which hook the children readers into reading more. As the plots of these stories develop, the child reader becomes further pulled in to reach the ending climax. It is clear from the first couple of pages in Avi’s chapter book that the twins, Toby and Becky, will be looking for the enigmatic thief of the Checkertown Library who stole the five most treasured children’s books of the town. As the novel by Sacher progresses, the reader becomes aware that there is a mystery as to why Camp Green Lake is so secretive with the artifacts found in the holes dug and what underlying story those artifacts are connected to. The element of surprise found in the picture book, We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Woodson comes when the grandmother whispers in Teeka’s ears to tell her, “Hope Martha don’t bring that pie again,” which grabs the reader’s attention through the book, anticipating Cousin Martha’s arrival at the picnic with her supposed “dried-out apple pie” (Woodson, 1997, p.6). With these three books, the imaginative minds and curiosity of the children can be seen from the plot progression and element of surprise of the
books.
Through the plots of these three books, the authors illustrate the importance of the literary elements and connections to children for their children’s books to be successful and appealing to the age appropriate audience. The setting of each story is an everyday common place which the child can picture him or herself in. With this text- to-world connection from the very beginning of each book, the authors grasp the reader’s attention with a reading hook. With the descriptive details of the setting in the beginning of each book, the reader can automatically picture what situation the character is in. In Holes the very first sentences, “There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. There once was a very large lake here, the largest lake in Texas. That was over a hundred years ago. Now it is just a dry, flat wasteland,” (Sacher, 1998, p.4) helps the reader realize that the camp that they probably have been to or seen on T.V. is not the same type which is in the book. This camp instead “is a camp for bad boys” (p.5). Similarly, within the first paragraph of Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? “Checkertown”, Ohio is claimed as the twins’ home town and the main setting of the story. The common place chosen in this book is the library, a haven for children in their middle school and elementary school days. In this novel, every book mentioned, The Wizard of Oz, “Winnie-the-Pooh, The Wind in the Willows, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found there, and Treasure Island” (Avi, 1981, p. 14) are famous children’s books, providing the readers with text-to-text connections as well. The five books are the main focus of this plot and for those particular books to be meticulously chosen by Avi, shows that the author intended for the children readers to feel comfortable with this book by being able to relate to the twins. As for the picture book, the title and cover picture themselves give away the setting of a nice summer Sunday picnic at a park with Teeka’s family. In this book, the child can feel connected to having a family dinner or picnic with common dishes such as “yams and potato salad and collards, a big old ham, Grandma’s chicken fried crisp and tender, melt-in-your-mouth cornbread” (Woodson, 1997, p.19). Each family member that arrives also has a distinct personality which Teeka observes. There is her Cousin Martha who “scares the stove into baking bad,” then her mean cousin Terrance who places fake flies in Auntie Sadie’s sweet cob corn, second cousin Jefferson who thinks he is cute and many more that fit personalities of all average family members. Through the authors’ strategic writing and plot developing, the books can be easily related to the children reading them, making them intrigued with the story, and placing themselves in the characters’ shoes.
With the plot continuing and story developing, building up further eagerness within the readers, the child protagonist’s characteristics are revealed slowly to the audience, constructing a stronger connection with the readers. The main characters of each book, Stanley Yelnats, Toby and Becky, and Teeka, share the common personality of being inquisitive and persistent in their goals. Stanley Yelnats, in Holes has perseverance at first to simply serve his term at the camp and get out without getting involved with the other campers. However his personality changes from the first few weeks when “his muscles and hands weren't the only parts of his body that had toughened over the past several weeks. His heart had hardened as well” (Sacher, 1998, p. 82) and he did not feel any sympathy for any of the other guys, even after learning Zero, his fellow camper, was illiterate. At the end, after spending time with all of the other characters, and learning about them personally, Stanley makes a plan with the others to survive and save them. He tries to steal Mr. Sir’s car even when “Stanley felt his fingers start to twitch. He took a deep breath to steady himself and tried to think clearly. He had never driven before” (Sacher, 1998, p.141). Like the other main child characters of these three books, Stanley proves himself to be daring and compassionate for what he believes in. Toby and Becky in Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? also have a commonality of being adventurous. Whilst prying from their Gramp about information of Mrs. Chesterton, Miss. Tobias’ companion, her gramp said, “ ‘Curiosity killed the cat,’” to which Becky replied, “ ‘Satisfaction brought him back’” (Avi, 1981, p. 39), showing her witty and audacious personality to continue with her mission to find the thief. Toby and Becky’s true bravery is depicted in the final scene when they fearlessly break into the library in the middle of the night to catch the thief in the act trying to get the treasure from behind the mirror. Teeka on the other hand shows determination in a different way, in which she does not embark on a journey but instead keeps her thoughts to herself. It is obvious the importance of the family picnic to Teeka. While she realizes, “Pretty-boy Trevor walking into that park with a handful of nothing” (Woodson, 1997, p. 13), and “nobody can eat that smile [he] brought for the camera”(Woodson, 1997, p. 15), she also knows that even though coming to the picnic empty-handed is frowned upon, at the end the family is still loved. Throughout this picture book it can be seen that Teeka is frowning upon most of her relatives who either come in with nothing or act a foolish way, but she keeps in mind the importance of family. With the growing personalities of the main characters, the readers also can relate to their situations and dilemmas found in these three similar books.
Children’s books come in a vast amount of different sizes, shapes, and styles, however along with their differences; they bring about a connection with the young readers they relate to. In these three books, Holes by Louis Sacher, Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? by Avi, and We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson, the authors share a commonality with their plots, setting, characters and relation to the children. These three books share an element of surprise for the readers, literary elements to which readers can relate with and protagonist characters with daring personalities which hook the readers onto the book and help them imagine the story in the character’s shoes. By finding the commonalities between these three books, it is easy to see how books which may seem to be miles apart in their stories and characters, can actually be a lot more similar than imagined.
References
Avi, 1., & James, D. (1997). Who stole the Wizard of Oz. New York: Knopf.
Louis Sachar HolesThe Book. (n.d.). Louis Sachar Children's Author Home Page. Retrieved November 15, 2011, from http://www.louissachar.com/HolesBook.htm
Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Woodson, J., & Greenseid, D. (1997). We had a picnic this Sunday past. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.
“There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million,” author Walt Streightiff once stated. In the perspective of the child, no matter from what century the child may have been or is from, the world is filled with mystery and new adventures every day. Children’s literature, since the nineteenth century, has been capturing the world in which children see with their own eyes. The imagination, curiosity, and adventure of children are portrayed by authors who remember what common thoughts and questions they once had at the young age which they set their main characters to be in their stories. Whether it is a chapter book for children ages ten and older, a beginner chapter book for eight …show more content…
and older, or even a picture book with few words, the children’s books will have the central theme of a child’s mind yearning for exploration in common. In the three books, Holes by Louis Sacher, Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? by Avi, and We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson, not only is curiosity seen in the character’s, but the books also all share similar plot components with literary elements to catch the reader’s attention and similar child characterizations.
Even though it is evident that these three particular books do not have a similar plot, they still share similar plot elements which connect the three.
Both Holes and Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? are categorized as mystery books, however the picture book We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past does not have a plot which can be named a mystery. Although this is the case, all three still share elements of surprise in their stories, which hook the children readers into reading more. As the plots of these stories develop, the child reader becomes further pulled in to reach the ending climax. It is clear from the first couple of pages in Avi’s chapter book that the twins, Toby and Becky, will be looking for the enigmatic thief of the Checkertown Library who stole the five most treasured children’s books of the town. As the novel by Sacher progresses, the reader becomes aware that there is a mystery as to why Camp Green Lake is so secretive with the artifacts found in the holes dug and what underlying story those artifacts are connected to. The element of surprise found in the picture book, We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Woodson comes when the grandmother whispers in Teeka’s ears to tell her, “Hope Martha don’t bring that pie again,” which grabs the reader’s attention through the book, anticipating Cousin Martha’s arrival at the picnic with her supposed “dried-out apple pie” (Woodson, 1997, p.6). With these three books, the imaginative minds and curiosity of the children can be seen from the plot progression and element of surprise of the
books.
Through the plots of these three books, the authors illustrate the importance of the literary elements and connections to children for their children’s books to be successful and appealing to the age appropriate audience. The setting of each story is an everyday common place which the child can picture him or herself in. With this text- to-world connection from the very beginning of each book, the authors grasp the reader’s attention with a reading hook. With the descriptive details of the setting in the beginning of each book, the reader can automatically picture what situation the character is in. In Holes the very first sentences, “There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. There once was a very large lake here, the largest lake in Texas. That was over a hundred years ago. Now it is just a dry, flat wasteland,” (Sacher, 1998, p.4) helps the reader realize that the camp that they probably have been to or seen on T.V. is not the same type which is in the book. This camp instead “is a camp for bad boys” (p.5). Similarly, within the first paragraph of Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? “Checkertown”, Ohio is claimed as the twins’ home town and the main setting of the story. The common place chosen in this book is the library, a haven for children in their middle school and elementary school days. In this novel, every book mentioned, The Wizard of Oz, “Winnie-the-Pooh, The Wind in the Willows, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found there, and Treasure Island” (Avi, 1981, p. 14) are famous children’s books, providing the readers with text-to-text connections as well. The five books are the main focus of this plot and for those particular books to be meticulously chosen by Avi, shows that the author intended for the children readers to feel comfortable with this book by being able to relate to the twins. As for the picture book, the title and cover picture themselves give away the setting of a nice summer Sunday picnic at a park with Teeka’s family. In this book, the child can feel connected to having a family dinner or picnic with common dishes such as “yams and potato salad and collards, a big old ham, Grandma’s chicken fried crisp and tender, melt-in-your-mouth cornbread” (Woodson, 1997, p.19). Each family member that arrives also has a distinct personality which Teeka observes. There is her Cousin Martha who “scares the stove into baking bad,” then her mean cousin Terrance who places fake flies in Auntie Sadie’s sweet cob corn, second cousin Jefferson who thinks he is cute and many more that fit personalities of all average family members. Through the authors’ strategic writing and plot developing, the books can be easily related to the children reading them, making them intrigued with the story, and placing themselves in the characters’ shoes.
With the plot continuing and story developing, building up further eagerness within the readers, the child protagonist’s characteristics are revealed slowly to the audience, constructing a stronger connection with the readers. The main characters of each book, Stanley Yelnats, Toby and Becky, and Teeka, share the common personality of being inquisitive and persistent in their goals. Stanley Yelnats, in Holes has perseverance at first to simply serve his term at the camp and get out without getting involved with the other campers. However his personality changes from the first few weeks when “his muscles and hands weren't the only parts of his body that had toughened over the past several weeks. His heart had hardened as well” (Sacher, 1998, p. 82) and he did not feel any sympathy for any of the other guys, even after learning Zero, his fellow camper, was illiterate. At the end, after spending time with all of the other characters, and learning about them personally, Stanley makes a plan with the others to survive and save them. He tries to steal Mr. Sir’s car even when “Stanley felt his fingers start to twitch. He took a deep breath to steady himself and tried to think clearly. He had never driven before” (Sacher, 1998, p.141). Like the other main child characters of these three books, Stanley proves himself to be daring and compassionate for what he believes in. Toby and Becky in Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? also have a commonality of being adventurous. Whilst prying from their Gramp about information of Mrs. Chesterton, Miss. Tobias’ companion, her gramp said, “ ‘Curiosity killed the cat,’” to which Becky replied, “ ‘Satisfaction brought him back’” (Avi, 1981, p. 39), showing her witty and audacious personality to continue with her mission to find the thief. Toby and Becky’s true bravery is depicted in the final scene when they fearlessly break into the library in the middle of the night to catch the thief in the act trying to get the treasure from behind the mirror. Teeka on the other hand shows determination in a different way, in which she does not embark on a journey but instead keeps her thoughts to herself. It is obvious the importance of the family picnic to Teeka. While she realizes, “Pretty-boy Trevor walking into that park with a handful of nothing” (Woodson, 1997, p. 13), and “nobody can eat that smile [he] brought for the camera”(Woodson, 1997, p. 15), she also knows that even though coming to the picnic empty-handed is frowned upon, at the end the family is still loved. Throughout this picture book it can be seen that Teeka is frowning upon most of her relatives who either come in with nothing or act a foolish way, but she keeps in mind the importance of family. With the growing personalities of the main characters, the readers also can relate to their situations and dilemmas found in these three similar books.
Children’s books come in a vast amount of different sizes, shapes, and styles, however along with their differences; they bring about a connection with the young readers they relate to. In these three books, Holes by Louis Sacher, Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? by Avi, and We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson, the authors share a commonality with their plots, setting, characters and relation to the children. These three books share an element of surprise for the readers, literary elements to which readers can relate with and protagonist characters with daring personalities which hook the readers onto the book and help them imagine the story in the character’s shoes. By finding the commonalities between these three books, it is easy to see how books which may seem to be miles apart in their stories and characters, can actually be a lot more similar than imagined.
References
Avi, 1., & James, D. (1997). Who stole the Wizard of Oz. New York: Knopf.
Louis Sachar HolesThe Book. (n.d.). Louis Sachar Children's Author Home Page. Retrieved November 15, 2011, from http://www.louissachar.com/HolesBook.htm
Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Woodson, J., & Greenseid, D. (1997). We had a picnic this Sunday past. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.