Wednesday, April 22, 2009

SLJ Bob: Isabelle Cages The Bears

Judge Coe Booth's dilemma: Chains or Tender Morsels?

And the answer is...."As a reader. I want to go on a journey with a character. I want to care about him or her. While Tender Morsels is bold and original and thoroughly memorable, I cared about Isabel. And for that reason, my vote has to go to Chains."

Writers, add that to the list of things your book should be! And as I felt sorry for nobody loving psycho Frankie, I also feel sorry for Liga. I mean, Liga gets completely screwed, doesn't she? It's not her fault she was abused and hid from the world that hurt her. But just like the villagers didn't care about Liga and her father (and c'mon, they had to know!), so, too, does Liga not get the love from Booth.

I picture Frankie and Liga on the sidelines... Frankie plotting "so they won't let me win the BoB...I'll show them...I am secretly sending emails to SLJ right now, pretending to be the Battle Commander...." Meanwhile, Liga is staring in the distance, thinking "I wish I could run away to a safe place with bears....oh yeah RIGHT 'cause that worked so. well. last time."

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

1 comment:

Jess said...

I think I'm enjoying BOB for the commentary more than finding out who will win. Me, I didn't care about Isabelle. And I was completely sucked into the world of Tender Morsels. But you can't really argue with which set of characters a judge liked more, can you?