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Waltzing Matilda by Banjo Paterson
Today I analyse a song using the same story template, which happens to be Australia’s unofficial national anthem. I own “Waltzing Matilda” in picture book form, though it always scared me as a kid. Although the tune is upbeat, inspired indirectly by Celtic folk music, “Waltzing Matilda” is a tragic ghost story about theft, suicide…
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The Chicken Book by Garth Williams Analysis
This month I’m blogging a series aimed at teaching kids how to structure a story. This seven-step structure works for all forms of narrative. It works for picture books, songs, commercials, films and novels. Today I take a close look at a story so simple you’d wonder how it could include all seven steps. Yet it…
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After The Fall by Dan Santat Story Analysis
Earlier this month I wrote a post on Teaching Kids How To Structure A Story. Today as case study let’s look at Dan Santat’s After The Fall, a metaphorical picture book with a very simple storyline and a strong message. Still, this isn’t a didactic (preachy) message. Why not? Because it’s metaphorical. If you have a…
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The Really Ugly Duckling by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith Analysis
Earlier this month I wrote a post on Teaching Kids How To Structure A Story. Earlier this week I looked closely at Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s Sam and Dave Dig A Hole to show how this classic story structure can be turned upside down, ironically. Today ‘s story is The Really Ugly Duckling. The Stinky Cheese Man…
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Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss Analysis
This month I’m blogging a series aimed at teaching kids how to structure a story. This seven-step structure works for all forms of narrative. It works for picture books, songs, commercials, films and novels. Today I take a close look at another Dr Seuss early reader, Green Eggs and Ham. Green Eggs and Ham is buddy…
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I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew Analysis
This month I’m blogging a series aimed at teaching kids how to structure a story. This seven-step structure works for all forms of narrative. It works for picture books, songs, commercials, films and novels. Today I take a close look at I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew by Dr Seuss. Solla Sollew is plotted using…
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The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler Analysis
The Gruffalo is an example of mythic structure, which has been super successful as a story structure across cultures for the last 3000 years.
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The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee Analysis
This month I’m blogging a series aimed at teaching kids how to structure a story. This seven-step structure works for all forms of narrative. It works for picture books, songs, commercials, films and novels. Today I take a close look at The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee to show how universal structure exists…
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The Gingerbread Man Story Structure and Analysis
I recently looked into The Magic Porridge Pot (a.k.a. Sweet Porridge), part of a whole category of folk tales about pots of overflowing food. Related, there is another category of folk tales about food that runs away. In the West, the most famous of those would have to be The Gingerbread Man, but have you…
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Teaching Kids To Structure A Story
Teaching kids to structure a story is not easy. A lot of students know how to begin, but can’t seem to finish. Others don’t know where to begin. There are plenty of writing templates out there which focus on detail: the five senses, character sketches, describe a setting… All of these are useful, but not…
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Why Are Witches Green?
We all know witches ride brooms and keep black cats for sidekick pets, but why the green witch? That tradition started quite recently, but we can also find links that stretch back to antiquity. The history of witches is terrifying and sad and is basically the story of marginalised people. Worse, people around the contemporary…
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Middle Grade Novel Study: Coraline
**UPDATE LATE 2024** Neil Gaiman is an abuser. If this is news to you and you’re skeptical, here is a link roundup. Tortoise was the first (semi) mainstream outlet to give voice to one of Gaiman’s victims. Unfortunately, Tortoise is funded and owned by a notorious anti-trans bigot, so even though I listened to the…
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Monster House Film Study
Monster House is a 2006 animated feature length film for a middle grade audience. The script was written by Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab. Harmon and Schrab had collaborated on Laser Fart previously, a film which I have not seen and will not be adding to my watch list. Monster House is already 12 years old, but the…
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The Misplaced Importance Of Bloodline In Fiction
A ‘chosen one’ story stars a main character who is basically ordinary, but because of their bloodline, they are destined for great things. Harry Potter is the iconic example of a contemporary chosen one story. Harry Potter comes after a long tradition. At TV Tropes you’ll find that Chosen One stories are so popular there…
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Thirteen (2003) Film Study
Thirteen is a 2003 feature length indie film which punches above its low-budget weight thanks to expert storytelling and characterisation. Director Catherine Hardwicke co-wrote the script with her erstwhile step-daughter Nikki Reed, who also stars as Evie Zamora. Hardwicke has known Nikki since Nikki was five. At the time this film came out I was…