Suzy Davies's Blog: Book News - Posts Tagged "creativity"

Those of you who have followed me, and have read my articles about “Snugs” will know of the main story behind my Children’s Series, and, in particular, Book One, which is almost there!

I have already talked about how the magical optical illusion of the “Isle of Wight Polar Bear,” inspired me to write my new Children’s Series.

But, perhaps, equally important to the genesis of “Snugs,” was a craft activity I did with my late Art Teacher dad, (as he was then,) at the age of around six or seven.

I remember asking how to draw a polar bear, and my dad got some lino, and showed me how to make a lino* cut picture.

I remember, we both worked at an old table in the garage. I first practised with a potato stamp, and when dad could see I had the hang of it, I cut the picture of a snow bear into the lino, pressed it into the ink, and then onto a sheet of paper.

Little did I know that decades later, “Snugs” would reappear, larger than life, enchanting, and drawn - much better - I might add, by my very accomplished illustrator!

When you do creative activities with your child, you may spark a memory in them, that will develop into something more, and one that will last forever!

* short for linoleum, a common flooring material.

Tomorrow I'm chatting with Jonathan Hines of U.K Talk Radio about my new Children's Book, "Luna The Moon Pig, The Pig Who Hid" which is released on December 9th, 2017. Watch social media for details of tune in times.

When the wall came down
there was nothing ordinary
anymore.
We glimpsed the trappings of The West
denied to us -
luxuries manifested,
from the dust.

All of us encrypted
words in stone.
One by one
they fell;
graffiti
of the oppressed.
Yet
our eyes
glittered
with the dust.

We saw a man
carry a fragment
home;
it was a History book,
a tome,
of an ordinary man,
and a bargain
with his soul.

Copyright Suzy Davies 2018. All Rights Reserved.

Sometimes, people overlook the value of reading fantasy to children because of our obsession with a hierarchy of knowledge that places “realism” above “fantasy” and “science” above “art.”

We want to cram our children’s heads full of facts, such is our banking system of education. But this is not what education is about.

Although my brain is more artistic than scientific, I value science and hope that my books will help to develop the imaginations of scientists in the making as well as budding artists. And I think they will! For nothing that has ever been invented by a scientist has been invented without an imaginative brain. And nothing created by an artist is created without the capacity to envision something out of the ordinary.

Although both my children’s books are based in reality, they are full of modern parables, tales within tales. This kind of fantasy is created at metaphorical level in the text and allows for a multiplicity of meanings and scope for children’s imaginations. It is through exploring the many threads that combining of metaphors can create, that children learn to innovate for themselves.

Learning to put unusual things together at metaphorical level helps "out of the box" thinking.

Older children will also learn to reason. Not all possible meanings in a text are equally valid. They will use logic and reason to uncover what is the most likely interpretation of the book or what the author intended the meaning to be. And they will have opinions of their own.

Some time ago a reviewer of “Snugs The Snow Bear” seemed to misunderstand why I had mentioned The Northern Lights in my snow bear tale, and gone into some detail describing them. They, of course, were a metaphor for the supernatural magic of the snow bear, and were meant to indicate that he should be free to show up like them, as part of nature, part of the environment and natural beauty of the world.

At another level, an older child might interpret these lights as triggers to fantastic memories of home, a kind of analogy to the way in which memory operates like cinema - a series of flashing images before one’s eyes, that can be fleeting and transitory. Of course, at a more literal level, The Northern Lights immediately conjure up the snow bear in his natural environment.

A quirky metaphor in Snugs The Snow Bear is an egg-timer. I will not reveal the literal meaning in the text here. But at metaphorical level, it may be interpreted to represent the “sands of time” running out on climate change.

Children’s books that are written clearly and simply mean very young kids can read them and enjoy them. Those that also have rich layers of meaning allow older children and adults to enjoy them, too.

It is my belief that imagination is like a muscle. Use it often enough, and you will develop it.

If we are to see future generations of artists, scientists, great thought leaders and innovative business people in the making, they will need imagination in bucketloads.

Children’s books are a rehearsal for life. Through fantasy, children can learn to problem solve, put themselves in the position of the characters and develop an imaginative empathy for others, including animals.

Rather than dumbing down and short-changing our kids, we should be posing questions about the world around them for which they can seek answers and solutions.

This does not mean our books have to be dry and boring. On the contrary, through being entertained, children will surprise us with the discoveries their imaginative minds make.

I believe that creativity is a kind of potential we all have. It comes out in people in different ways. What develops creativity? Being surrounded by interesting things from an early age. This does not have to be a childhood filled with material things. Experiences create new synapses in our brains, and enhance our ability to think in new and innovative ways. In actual fact, the way children can naturally improvise and “make” their own kind of entertainment using their imaginations demonstrates this.
Of course, unless we continue to experience and learn new things throughout our lives, everything becomes dull and routine. It’s like a car journey. Drive the same way to work every day, and before you know it, you do not pay attention. Meet the same people day in day out, and you may be missing out on fresh ideas and perspectives and new opportunities. Stop learning, and life is not a challenge anymore.
How do we continue to develop those seeds of creativity we had in childhood? Go against the grain. Think laterally. Set ourselves challenges. Be adventurous. Learn something new every year. "Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder," (E.B White.) Maintain that curiosity, spirit of adventure and zest for life you had as a child.
Of course, there are some people who do not have a good start in life. But sometimes adversity - in childhood or in the rough and tumble of lives - can drive us forward to start afresh. If ever you find yourself in a bad place, imagine yourself in a better place, and use your creativity to plan the brilliant future you deserve.
Life continues to teach us. Seniors who are creative and sharp have a positive and curious mindset, and every day is a new adventure.

Reviewed by Melanie Kennedy for Readers’ Favorite

The Nightingale and The Sunflower is a short story by Suzy Davies and follows a family in Ukraine as they try to live their lives during the Ukraine-Russia War. Mom, Dad, and their three girls have to flee their home and move far away as their country is plunged deeper and deeper into conflict. A chance encounter with a soldier delivers sunflower seeds to Daniela. As they carry on their journey and meet other refugees, the sunflower seeds symbolize hope for the parents and children, displaced and missing their homes. Planting, tending to, and building structures for the sunflowers to grow and flourish brings the children and adults together in the little community. Together they paint an exceptional mural of a nightingale, celebrating its powerful and beautiful song and the effervescent colors of the mural become a beacon of hope in trying times.

Suzy Davies writes an extraordinarily hopeful and promising story for the people of Ukraine. The message in The Nightingale and The Sunflower is one of love and expectation. There is hope that the world will be a better place and that we can all build a better world for ourselves and future generations. The story transcends the Ukraine-Russia War and can be applied to any struggle humankind faces at this time. I cannot imagine what Ukrainians must be going through at this time, but I wish and pray that they can find even the smallest hope in their daily lives and be as brave and confident in a brighter future as Daniela is, thanks to the image of the nightingale and the sunshine from the growing sunflowers.