The picture book I choose to represent fantasy and love is The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. It is a beloved classic that kids of all ages can relate to. This fantasy book can fit under the sub-genre category of fantastic stories; which means "they are about characters that are not people but talk or live in houses like ours, have feelings like ours, or lead lives similar to ours" (Lukens, Smith, Coffel, 2013, p.84). I mean who did not grow up wanting their stuffed animal to become real? I know I wanted my stuffed cat, Twinkles, to be real! So The Velveteen Rabbit is geared more towards younger elementary students, because they can most easily relate to the concept, but I definitely think it would be a good story for older readers to analyze and look in between the words for additional meaning. The pictures in the book seem more representative of expressionism. I think the author is trying to show the love and close bond between the boy and the stuffed rabbit through the pictures.
The story depicts a stuffed rabbit who arrives to a little boy on Christmas morning. The rabbit is so excited to have an owner, and the boy is excited to have a new stuffed animal. Eventually the rabbit gets pushed to the side as the excitement of new toys on Christmas morning takes over. The rabbit is sent to the nursery to live with the other toys, and winds up living in the cabinet. One night the boy is upset because he needs a stuffed animal to sleep with. The nanny cannot find his usual animal so hands the rabbit to him. From then on the rabbit is loved. He sleeps and cuddles with the boy every night. The rabbit was uncomfortable at first, because he liked his space, but now he loves to be held and cuddled.
I love the picture above because you can see the love in the little boy's eyes for his stuffed animal. The rabbit goes everywhere with the boy, including outside to garden. Eventually the rabbit starts to look worn and old, but it makes him feel "real", so he is not concerned. The little boy falls sick one day, and the rabbit stays in bed with him day and night. Finally, he has recovered, but the doctor has ordered that everything that was around the boy while he had Scarlet fever needs to be burned; including the rabbit. He is devastated, and the boy doesn't even realize what is going on. The rabbit is put in a bag to be burned, but saved by an angel. The angel grants his request that he become a real rabbit. He joins the other rabbits in the forest and is happy. Occasionally he runs into the little boy out playing in the forest and watches him, but the boy has no idea.
This is a great children's book that shows true love between a boy and a stuffed animal. It shows the type of dependence a child can form on an object; an object that makes them feel safe, loved, and comforts them. It is a kind of love most everyone can relate to because once in their childhood I'm sure they had a toy or stuffed animal they felt the same way about.
My second fantasy book that falls under the theme of love is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire. I choose this book because I really enjoyed the first book in the series, and was curious as to what happened in the next one! This book is more of a science fiction novel. Science fiction is defined as "a type of fantasy, since the events of the stories could not or have not occurred as they do in our world as we know it" (Lukens, Smith, Coffel, 2013, p.85). It discusses world/events that have not happened, but could possibly occur in the future one day. Catching Fire is a great example of a world that would hopefully never happen here; a world where children must kill other children in order to survive. Because of the type of story, the audience is intended for young adults. I do know many middle schoolers and younger students who have read the books and love them. But mostly because of the violent content and the discussion of love/marriage it seems more fitting for upper middle school/high school age students.
I love this picture in representing the book because it shows the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. This book, yet violent, is full of love. The love between Katniss and her family, the love between Katniss and her best friend Gale, the love she is supposed to have with Peeta, and the love for all the people in District 12. All the actions in this book are done out of love (most of them!).
The second book starts where the first one left us hanging; Katniss and Peeta have returned to District 12 as victors. They are happy and relieved to be home, but live in fear that they have angered the Capital. Katniss is back home with her mom and Primrose (her sister), hunting with Gale daily and trying to figure out her love issue with Peeta. Eventually the Capital retaliates out of anger towards Peeta and Katniss. They are holding another Hunger Games, this time with past winners only from each district. Obviously, Katniss and Peeta are required to go, as Haymitch is the only other victor from their district. It is decided it is best for him to stay back and help get sponsors while they are out playing the games.
So once again, they are taken to the capital and put back in the wild arena of the Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta team up with two other people from different districts; an older lady who has no chance of winning and a former friend of Haymitch's. Together they survive all the harsh obstacles the Capital is throwing at them. Many getting hurt, injured, and killed throughout the whole game. The older lady eventually dies, which is terribly sad to the others since she didn't deserve to die this way. Haymitch is working with 2 other people in the Hunger Games to find a way to escape and take Katniss and Peeta to safety so they won't be put in the position of having to kill each other again. Katniss and Peeta know nothing of this plan, so they are shocked one day when suddenly they are captured and taken away. Haymitch has finally figured out a way to deify the Capital and set them free; he wants to cause an uproar. Unfortunately before they can grab Peeta, he is captured by a hovercraft of the Capital's and taken there. The book ends with Katniss being taken to a doctor along with 2 other Hunger Games competitors and flown to safety in District 13, that was previously thought to not exist. Peeta has been captured by the Capital and they no nothing of his whereabouts.
The author leaves us hanging here, waiting to grasp the 3rd book and figure out if Peeta will be reunited with Katniss. One must wonder though, is their love real? Or is it simply they have become dependent on each other in order to survive and their love has grown from that? Was it so faked at the beginning that now they are starting to believe it themselves? Does Katniss truly love Gale, or is she confusing the love of a brother type figure with the love of a boyfriend?
Many questions can be asked about the world they live in, the idea of the Hunger Games, and about the love between Peeta and Katniss. There are a great many things about love that can be discussed with high schoolers since they can all relate!
Overall, these were great fantasy books to read!
Collins, S. (2010). Catching Fire. New York: Scholastic Press.
Lukens, R.J., Smith, J.J., & Coffel, C.M. (2013). A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature. Boston: Pearson.
Williams, M. (1983). The Velveteen Rabbit. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
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