tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post1458585104824584687..comments2024-03-28T06:28:49.282+00:00Comments on Picture Book Den: Look who’s laughing now - Crossover humour in picture books • Elys DolanUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-2023446213973464722015-04-12T09:35:06.199+01:002015-04-12T09:35:06.199+01:00Thank you, Elys, for a really interesting read. I&...Thank you, Elys, for a really interesting read. I'd say that cross-over appeal is absolutely critical since it's the adults (usually) who read the books. And if that includes humour, all the better. I agree that for adult parody to work in a picture book, it needs to be extremely well balanced with humour for children. Being respectful to your child reader and giving him or her a feeling of power through reading the book is so important. If you have the adult laughing at something 'secret', then I think it could feel disrespectful/disempowering to the child IF he or she isn't laughing at something else at the same time. I think this can be done really well in picture books, but it does have to be done extremely well. The time when I don't like it (and I know I might make myself unpopular by saying this) is in pantomime where you've got double entendres that will go over children's heads. I do feel that using implied sexual references almost 'to get one over on children who aren't quite sophisticated to get it' is just disrespectful to children and pretty much, mocking them. The kind of parodying you've referred to in picture books here is wholly different -the difference between a joke that would be too complicated for a child to get straight away because it would involve references that he or she is not familiar with (as with reference to films etc) and a joke that the adult who is hearing it -in the company of a child- would not be comfortable sharing with a child. <br />Thank you for getting me thinking about different kinds of humour!Juliet Clare Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06020801246132751659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-77380223295075167942015-03-28T15:54:39.396+00:002015-03-28T15:54:39.396+00:00Love your post and your examples, Elys. William Sh...Love your post and your examples, Elys. William Shatner-Moose! Brilliant. This kind of humour is absolutely up my street, and as a parent I love it. But as you point out, it's a struggle to get crazy humour through the gatekeepers - How come the animal poo was ok but you had to remove the flies? It actually makes me feel angry to hear things like that. It's censorship of the kind of surreal creativity that the British in particular are good at. Power to your elbow. Moira Butterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17355420549929911500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-37682528279826434142015-03-28T11:24:06.569+00:002015-03-28T11:24:06.569+00:00My first book was about a troll with a bottom prob...My first book was about a troll with a bottom problem (Dog Did It) and the follow on was about bad manners (Bad Manners Benjie) so toilet humour is my thing. However I sadly also get the Star Wars and Star Trek parodies. <br /><br />I think the best laugh out loud moment I've had with a book was the ending of Tadpoles Promise. If you haven't read it then you're in for a treat. I've watched others read it (adults) and they either laugh straight away or are shocked then laugh. Lynne Garnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05697330164705623835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-74195773548960170962015-03-27T13:15:40.613+00:002015-03-27T13:15:40.613+00:00Thanks for getting me thinking, Elys. Interesting....Thanks for getting me thinking, Elys. Interesting. I've realised I use silly irony (I think!) and sometimes I reread a manuscript and tell myself I need to add more fun. However, I don't intentionally add humour aimed at the adult, but instead I hope the adult takes wry humour from some of the situations that will strike a chord (if that makes sense?!).Paeony Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13129555451791248798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-91704274772578005472015-03-27T12:22:47.732+00:002015-03-27T12:22:47.732+00:00My 8 year old and I LOVE your books. They sort of ...My 8 year old and I LOVE your books. They sort of remind me of Richard Scarry with all the things going on in the background. I think the levels of humor are important--sure, kids won't get it all, but us parents, who read the books a million times, appreciate it. :)Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18304987001735754561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-67753466674814983122015-03-27T07:50:30.410+00:002015-03-27T07:50:30.410+00:00Nice post. I think cross over humour is a god thin...Nice post. I think cross over humour is a god thing as long as it doesn't get in the way of the story etc. After all, you have two adult 'filter's' to go through before a child even sees a book, publishers and parents/librarians, although they are both second guessing what a child 'really' wants. . But still, you need to appeal to them in some way too. .Jon Burgess Designhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686489273842347796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-77247108968986968372015-03-26T20:07:41.543+00:002015-03-26T20:07:41.543+00:00Thanks for a great post, Elys.
I think it's f...Thanks for a great post, Elys.<br /><br />I think it's fine to include jokes for adults in a picture book providing they don't detract from a young reader's enjoyment of the book. I adored the Asterix books as a child, but didn't get some of the jokes in them until I re-read them to my son, which made sharing them a rewarding experience for us both.<br /><br />As you say in the post, it's about finding the right balance.<br /><br />And I'm all for referencing films and other media. I think picture books are often a little too insular in their outlook. Mark Oliver and I sneaked several references to our favourite sci-fi films and TV shows into 'Aliens: An Owner's Guide.'Jonathan Emmetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413964991466780348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-20801327629575248662015-03-26T16:57:32.924+00:002015-03-26T16:57:32.924+00:00I love this post, Elys. I try and use cross-over h...I love this post, Elys. I try and use cross-over humour in my picture books too, I think because, as a parent, I know how it feels to have to read a book over and over again to a child. It's nice for the parents to have something to look at too :) I don't use toilet humour or slapstick much but I do use parody a lot. In my Fairytale Hairdresser books and I try to riff off old tales or nursery rhymes and find in-jokes there. I do think it's fine that some humour goes over the children's heads - it becomes more like a pantomime, where some jokes are for adults and some for children.Abie Longstaffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682225221860351795noreply@blogger.com