Thursday, 2 January 2014
How Many kids got Percy Jackson & Heroes of Olympus Books For Christmas?
I have no idea but one would think that more kids will discover these books after seeing the films. I spoke to a ten year old boy today who has just read the Sea of Monsters and he thought it was much better than the film.
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Nico is not the typical gay boy in children's fiction
One of the things that is so exciting about Nico being a gay teenage character in fiction for the pre-teen age group is that he is not a typical gay boy, no-one could have predicted with certainty that he would be gay. None of his peers in the books suspect his secret.
This is in contrast to the very few other books written for this age group that includes gay boys.
The gay boys in books like the Misfits and Stitches (see tab above - LGBT literature for children) have themes about bullying of boys who are different and "girlie".
Nico is different, of course, he is a loner and a son of one of the big three Gods. But, he is certainly not feminine, no-one would call him a sissy and I can't imagine him the victim of bullying. He is one of the most powerful demigods and you would want him on your side in any fight.
I have known many gay teenagers and talked with adult gay men about their teenage lives. Strangely enough one of my best friends was very much like the boy in Stitches - as a teenager he liked sewing dolls clothes, too. So there is certainly a place for stories about queer boys who identified and picked on for being different.
However, There are other gay boys that you would never guess are gay, I've known them too, if anything there are more of those boys. Into all the stuff most boys are into.
Nico is a powerful hero in these books so lets celebrate that at last boys who want to be powerful heroes have a gay role model to identify with.
I can't wait for the next book and more stories with characters like Nico.
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Tom Daley - swimmer
British young man and role model "comes out" on you tube:
He is 19 and an Olympic swimmer.
He is 19 and an Olympic swimmer.
Friday, 29 November 2013
What do Reviews Say about House of Hades book in the Heroes of Olympus Series?
The reviews are overwhelmingly positive about this book, no surprise there, I've read it and it's wonderful!
I read this interesting review today: http://bookriot.com/2013/11/19/percy-jackson-new-world-kid-lit/
Like many (including myself) the writer cannot resist a comparison with the Harry Potter series.
If you really want to find negative comments then you will need to look for those who left 1-star reviews at Amazon.com and you will find a minority upset by the Nico story line.
The critics are upset that a teenage boy can have romantic feelings for another boy in the book - and yet they have been happy to read the entire series up to this point, which has included plenty of girl-boy romance along with death and danger. I hate to imagine the lives of lesbian and gay young people growing up in families like these and strongly recommend they watch the film "Prayers for Bobby" - see tab at top, or here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayers_for_Bobby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys5TyY8RaxI
On Amazon dot co dot UK there are no 1 or 2 star reviews, there are few readers of the books here, perhaps more liberal attitudes and perhaps less readers with extreme homophobic views: I speculate.
I read this interesting review today: http://bookriot.com/2013/11/19/percy-jackson-new-world-kid-lit/
Like many (including myself) the writer cannot resist a comparison with the Harry Potter series.
If you really want to find negative comments then you will need to look for those who left 1-star reviews at Amazon.com and you will find a minority upset by the Nico story line.
The critics are upset that a teenage boy can have romantic feelings for another boy in the book - and yet they have been happy to read the entire series up to this point, which has included plenty of girl-boy romance along with death and danger. I hate to imagine the lives of lesbian and gay young people growing up in families like these and strongly recommend they watch the film "Prayers for Bobby" - see tab at top, or here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayers_for_Bobby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys5TyY8RaxI
On Amazon dot co dot UK there are no 1 or 2 star reviews, there are few readers of the books here, perhaps more liberal attitudes and perhaps less readers with extreme homophobic views: I speculate.
Author Talks about Percy Jackson books
This was recorded in 2010 around the time of the Lost Hero.
Includes why many of the characters are ADHD and that girls are as likely to read the books as boys.
Includes why many of the characters are ADHD and that girls are as likely to read the books as boys.
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Using the word "gay" as an insult or to generally describe something in a negative way
This is common in the UK among school children and even young adults these days.
Though I would be very surprised to here proper grown up people use the word in this way (by which I mean those over about the age of 30).
There is a campaign to tackle this in schools but I am not sure to what extent this is taken as a serious problem by schools. You can find a press release about the campaign here:
http://www.stonewall.org.uk/media/current_releases/9326.asp
Why the use of the word "gay" to mean all things negative and bad should be stopped.
It is so obvious that we do not call people names related to disability or race (anymore) - the same applies here.
If you use the word gay to mean something you do not like then you are saying you would not like gay people just as much.
All of the young people growing up in an environment where unpleasant things are described as gay (such as home work, a TV game, a teacher, a child you do not like) then the message that
GAY = UN-likeable
is being repeatedly reinforced.
No wonder that attempted suicides among gay youth are shockingly high.
This use of language is unacceptable if we do not want that for our own kids (if they turn out to be gay), and we do not want to live in a society where people are disliked, hated, bullied just for who they love.
Though I would be very surprised to here proper grown up people use the word in this way (by which I mean those over about the age of 30).
There is a campaign to tackle this in schools but I am not sure to what extent this is taken as a serious problem by schools. You can find a press release about the campaign here:
http://www.stonewall.org.uk/media/current_releases/9326.asp
Why the use of the word "gay" to mean all things negative and bad should be stopped.
It is so obvious that we do not call people names related to disability or race (anymore) - the same applies here.
If you use the word gay to mean something you do not like then you are saying you would not like gay people just as much.
All of the young people growing up in an environment where unpleasant things are described as gay (such as home work, a TV game, a teacher, a child you do not like) then the message that
GAY = UN-likeable
is being repeatedly reinforced.
No wonder that attempted suicides among gay youth are shockingly high.
This use of language is unacceptable if we do not want that for our own kids (if they turn out to be gay), and we do not want to live in a society where people are disliked, hated, bullied just for who they love.
Monday, 25 November 2013
Could Nico & Percy become boyfriends - is this consistent with the story so far?
Yes I think it could and RR is an excellent writer who could carry this off. I don't want to speculate about what the author might do in future stories but as I am old enough to be Nico's mum I wonder what I'd say if asked
I'd look at the facts.
1) In the real world, where boys are boys and not demigods with super powers, boys rarely stick with their first teenage girlfriend so Annabeth and Percy are likely to split up soon.
2) Percy doesn't seem to be interested in boys, in that way, yet. BUT
I've known many gay & lesbian people who dated members of the opposite sex first, and were perhaps late teens or in their twenties when they feel in love with someone of their own sex. My best friend at school had a couple of boyfriends and then, half way between her 16th & 17th birthday she met the girl of her dreams. She said to me,
"being a lesbian had just never crossed my mind before."
As we were at school in the 1980s lesbians dating each other caused much outrage.
3) Most boys are not gay so when if it comes down to statistics Nico should not pin all his hopes on this, even if Percy & Annabeth finish.
Given points 1 and 2 above it is certainly possible but given point 3 above - my guess it this is an unlikely route for the story.
Dealing with the facts we know Percy is thinking of a long term future with Annabeth and has said they shouldn't be parted again. Percy is growing up though, not yet 17, so young to make such life plans.
Re-reading the story you can see that Percy's great feelings towards Annabeth could be due to their close friendship over many years. His love and affection for her could be as a friend rather than a boyfriend. Annabeth is in love with Percy and keeps saying so but that sentiment is not returned.
We often here the world "confused" applied to young people and their romantic feelings, a story in which Percy is confused fits well with all that has gone before.
The girls who may have been interested in Percy as boyfriend material have all been more aware of the situation than he has.
Personally, I hope this does happen or that the story is left open ended to suggest it might. What a great turn of events to this fantastic story if the central Hero turns out to be gay.
Does Nico stand a chance with Percy?
I'd look at the facts.
1) In the real world, where boys are boys and not demigods with super powers, boys rarely stick with their first teenage girlfriend so Annabeth and Percy are likely to split up soon.
2) Percy doesn't seem to be interested in boys, in that way, yet. BUT
I've known many gay & lesbian people who dated members of the opposite sex first, and were perhaps late teens or in their twenties when they feel in love with someone of their own sex. My best friend at school had a couple of boyfriends and then, half way between her 16th & 17th birthday she met the girl of her dreams. She said to me,
"being a lesbian had just never crossed my mind before."
As we were at school in the 1980s lesbians dating each other caused much outrage.
3) Most boys are not gay so when if it comes down to statistics Nico should not pin all his hopes on this, even if Percy & Annabeth finish.
Would Percy getting with Nico be consistent with the back story?
Given points 1 and 2 above it is certainly possible but given point 3 above - my guess it this is an unlikely route for the story.
Dealing with the facts we know Percy is thinking of a long term future with Annabeth and has said they shouldn't be parted again. Percy is growing up though, not yet 17, so young to make such life plans.
Re-reading the story you can see that Percy's great feelings towards Annabeth could be due to their close friendship over many years. His love and affection for her could be as a friend rather than a boyfriend. Annabeth is in love with Percy and keeps saying so but that sentiment is not returned.
We often here the world "confused" applied to young people and their romantic feelings, a story in which Percy is confused fits well with all that has gone before.
The girls who may have been interested in Percy as boyfriend material have all been more aware of the situation than he has.
Personally, I hope this does happen or that the story is left open ended to suggest it might. What a great turn of events to this fantastic story if the central Hero turns out to be gay.
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