[Lisa Marnell Posts: 11 Status: Offline WWW]

Hi All,

Does anyone have examples of middle grade fantasy or middle grade magical realism told from first person POV? I see first person more often in literary, realistic MG (SPARROW ROAD, THE SECRET HUM OF A DAISY).

I think my WIP is really upper MG, girl coming-of-age, realistic with one magical element. Literary in tone, I believe.

It just feels that third person dominates magical MG, and I'm wondering if this is a kind of "rule" for the age group.

I'd love anyone's thoughts or examples!

Thanks,

Lisa

[rainchains Posts: 369 Status: Offline Speak friend and enter WWW]

I don't think it's a rule, but I think fantasies tend to have broader realms and it's hard to cover all that ground in only one person's POV.

I still have a close third person fantasy which bogged down because I couldn't find a way for the main character to know things that were happening in distant locations. I didn't want to use one of those cliche outs like a crystal ball or portal to hop around.

If that's not a problem in your story, I don't see any reason why you can't use first person POV. 

rainchains

[read lisa scott Posts: 128 Status: Offline middle grade, chapter books, picture books]

My book, School of Charm, is MG magical realism with first person past tense POV.  I can't seem to write MG in anything but first person.

[carterhiggins Posts: 45 Status: Offline K-6 librarian, PB/MG author, blogger WWW]

Laurel Snyder's BIGGER THAN A BREADBOX is a perfect first person magical realism. And Jennifer Holm's THE FOURTEENTH GOLDFISH would be a great one to check out too.

[Natalie Posts: 749 Status: Offline Flying the Dragon, Charlesbridge 2012 WWW]

Mike Jung's GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES is in first-person past tense and Gennifer Choldenko's NO PASSENGERS BEYOND THIS POINT is first-person present.

I'd also recommend Cece Bell's EL DEAFO. While it's autobiographical, there are some daydream sequences that feel slip-streamy. 

[Mike Jung]

Who's awesome? NATALIE IS AWESOME!

[Natalie Posts: 749 Status: Offline Flying the Dragon, Charlesbridge 2012 WWW]

Who's awesome? NATALIE IS AWESOME!

 

I'll also add Nikki Loftin's NIGHTINGALE'S NEST.

[Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan Posts: 6 Status: Offline A writing mom on the run! WWW]

Great discussion. My WIP is first person, but not magical or fantasy. I feel like MG is the first age group where first person really works!

[Kristine Posts: 13 Status: Offline WWW]

THE FALSE PRINCE by Jennifer A. Nielsen (book one of the Ascendance Trilogy) is a MG fantasy told in first person. I enjoyed it a lot!

[RevellWriting Posts: 20 Status: Offline Author of STONEBIRD WWW]

My book, Stonebird, is first person magical realism.

Skellig by David Almond was first person.

The Last Wild by Piers Torday is first person. There are a fair few out there

[Pons Posts: 2,416 Status: Offline]

Sheila Turnage's The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing is 1st person past tense. It's a ghost story, so I don't know if that technically qualifies as fantasy.

[LindaJoy Posts: 391 Status: Offline Linda Joy Singleton author of SNOW DOG, SAND DOG WWW]

My midgrade series, CURIOUS CAT SPY CLUB, while not magical, is in first person present. It's just a style I've gradually grown to love for the feeling of immediacy.

[Lisa Marnell Posts: 11 Status: Offline WWW]

 

Wow! Such wonderful suggestions! Thanks everyone - I have some fun reading to do!

Lisa