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From
the January/February 2008 issue of The Horn Book Magazine Letters to the Editor September/October 2007 Horn Book I read Philip Charles Crawford’s article “Of Sissies, Invalids, and the Mysterious Boy in the Window” and liked it, but there is one point I contest. When discussing Colin in The Secret Garden, he gives the distinct impression that Colin’s only prison is Misselthwaite Manor, and his jailor is his father. This just isn’t true. Colin’s real prison is his certainty that he is doomed, and Colin is, therefore, his own jailor. Also, to claim that Mary rescued Colin is altogether too gentle a way of putting it. Colin is evicted from his self-pity; Mary removes him abruptly and without giving him a choice in the matter. By contrast, Jo March invited Laurie out of his prison. Furthermore, I would like to point out that where Jo meant to do Laurie a service, Mary wanted to upset Colin and make him shut up. Obviously I don’t think a detailed explanation of all this should have been included in the article, but there should have been some acknowledgment of Mary’s attitude during the key part of the “rescue.” Also, some credit should be awarded to Ben Weatherstaff for shocking Colin into deciding to walk. (I would, however, like to point out that I do agree with the article’s main point, but this misrepresentation bothers me.) Margaret Harding, age 13
In Kitty Flynn’s delightful article, “Everygirl: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Alice,” the Critical Choices class she referred to takes place in the book Alice in Lace, not Alice on Her Way. This is easily forgiven. For the past twenty-two years, Alice has been driving both me and the copy editor nuts. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
A great special issue on “Boys and Girls”; delightful and thought-provoking. I would have appreciated some identifying information about each of the writers in the “Little Women, Little Men” essays. Although I was familiar with most of them, I needed information about others. I assume I am not the only Horn Book subscriber with questions, and not identifying these writers made me feel like there was an “in crowd” of children’s and YA literature specialists that I did not belong to. Otherwise . . . thanks for your consistently high-quality and entertaining issues! Laura Foner |
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