Sunday, June 11, 2006

Cool Girls and Wicked Women

Jen Robinson, over at Jen Robinson's Book Page has been compiling a list of "Cool Girls" in children's/YA literature. The final list of 200 "Cool Girls" is now listed (on the link above), and is very impressive. I have a strong interest in "cool girls" myself, as a consequence of reading the Harry Potter novels and Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, so the final list is full of ideas of more books to read !

Coincidentally, after watching the Holes movie and then re-reading Louis Sachar's book, I have started (with the help of readers) compiling a list of Wicked Women in children's/YA literature (that aren't fairy tale wicked witches and bad fairies because we all know they abound !). Be warned, though, that the list is taking shape over on the Scholar's Blog Spoiler Zone, which means there is likely to be spoiler-ish information in the comments. When I get the chance, I shall be putting all the different women and books together into a list in a separate post, but in the meantime, feel free to add the names and book details of any more Wicked Women you can recall encountering.

4 comments:

ThursdayNext said...

Mrs. Rachel Lynde from L.M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables" is wicked. She is so mean to Anne when she firsts meets her, causing Anne to explode! (Chapters IX and X)

Mrs. Rachel was one of those delightful and popular people who pride themselves on speaking their mind without fear or favor. "She's terrible skinny and homely, Marilla. Come here, child, and let me have a look at you. Lawful heart, did any one ever see such freckles? And hair as red as carrots! Come here, child, I say."

Anonymous said...

Hi Michele,

Thanks so much for the link! I love the title of this post (Cool Girls and Wicked Women). And I look forward to seeing what you come up with for a list of wicked women. They're more difficult to think of than the "cool girls", but certainly essential in making books suspenseful and meaningful.

Michele said...

She sounds charming ! I'll add her to the list over on the Scholar's Blog Spoiler Zone.

Michele said...

Jen you're welcome for the link - and thanks for the link back ! I'm glad that you liked the title of the post - I thought it had a certain pleasing symmetry to it...