Creating a Monster?
As a children’s writer, mum and teacher, I spend a lot of time thinking about children; what makes them happy? Worried or anxious? Angry? Troubled? As I write for young people, I like to add value to their lives in some way even if it’s just to give them a few hours of entertainment; make them laugh, cheer them up, give them a bit of escapism from our busy, competitive world. But I’m also aware of how easy it is to program them. For instance, take superheroes. We all love a superhero (I think I have a secret longing to be Catwoman and to whip those baddies into shape). They’re fearless, handsome/beautiful, strong, in fact, they’re invincible and that includes the ones that don’t have superpowers! Whatever scrape they get themselves into, however seemingly impossible, they manage to escape! Good always defeats evil and quite honestly, I love that story. The light can never be overcome by the darkness. However, as children grow into teens, it is so easy to move into the more a...