ABSENT FRIENDS
Whenever I go into schools to talk about my books (just e-mail me if you’re interested, I’m quite reasonable and neurotically punctual Southern Rail permitting!) I often say that I hope my books might be of help to young people experiencing some of the problems of my protagonists.
I’m currently awaiting my agent’s opinion on a new book I’ve written (please be kind) so I’ve had time to read several books aimed at teenagers. It was interesting to note that the last three all featured dead or absent parents. Thinking back to my own work, I realised that of the six main characters only three of them live with both parents and Chris in 'Silenced' is grieving for his best friend, Declan.
Given that the loss of a parent is probably a child’s greatest fear (I’m fifty-seven and it’s still a major preoccupation) I suppose it’s not surprising that it should feature so heavily in Young Adult fiction. 'Billy Elliot' (although a film and musical) is in my view one of the most perfect examples of Young Adult fiction around. Perhaps the selling point is the dancing, but the really emotional aspect of the story is about Billy coming to terms with the death of his mum.
Indeed as I try to plot a new book it’s quite difficult to imagine a family with two parents working as well as a single parent family. Even when both parents are physically present, one is quite often emotionally absent (depression is one of the current themes that is often explored.)
So who are we writing for? I always say that when I was being bullied at school, I would have liked to read a book like 'comin 2 get u' - truthfully I’m not sure it would have helped. Similarly when I offered the books I’d been reading featuring deceased parents to a teacher friend for her primary school library, she politely declined (for the moment) on the grounds that a parent had recently died and it was all ‘a bit too raw’.
I was also warned before an awards ceremony for which my book 'Silenced' (about a boy whose best friend dies in a car crash) had been nominated, that some pupils from one of the schools attending had recently been involved in a fatal car accident and it would be best to talk about one of my other books.
But I still believe fiction can help young people to understand their peers better, particularly ones who are suffering. Perhaps it’s a question of timing. Because sometime books are a great way to help people realise that they’re not alone.
I’m currently awaiting my agent’s opinion on a new book I’ve written (please be kind) so I’ve had time to read several books aimed at teenagers. It was interesting to note that the last three all featured dead or absent parents. Thinking back to my own work, I realised that of the six main characters only three of them live with both parents and Chris in 'Silenced' is grieving for his best friend, Declan.
Given that the loss of a parent is probably a child’s greatest fear (I’m fifty-seven and it’s still a major preoccupation) I suppose it’s not surprising that it should feature so heavily in Young Adult fiction. 'Billy Elliot' (although a film and musical) is in my view one of the most perfect examples of Young Adult fiction around. Perhaps the selling point is the dancing, but the really emotional aspect of the story is about Billy coming to terms with the death of his mum.
Indeed as I try to plot a new book it’s quite difficult to imagine a family with two parents working as well as a single parent family. Even when both parents are physically present, one is quite often emotionally absent (depression is one of the current themes that is often explored.)
So who are we writing for? I always say that when I was being bullied at school, I would have liked to read a book like 'comin 2 get u' - truthfully I’m not sure it would have helped. Similarly when I offered the books I’d been reading featuring deceased parents to a teacher friend for her primary school library, she politely declined (for the moment) on the grounds that a parent had recently died and it was all ‘a bit too raw’.
I was also warned before an awards ceremony for which my book 'Silenced' (about a boy whose best friend dies in a car crash) had been nominated, that some pupils from one of the schools attending had recently been involved in a fatal car accident and it would be best to talk about one of my other books.
But I still believe fiction can help young people to understand their peers better, particularly ones who are suffering. Perhaps it’s a question of timing. Because sometime books are a great way to help people realise that they’re not alone.
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