Gr 5-8-In this excellent addition to Tim Podell's series on contemporary children's authors, he interviews Gail Carson Levine in her Hudson Valley home. Her determination to write in the face of several rejections by publishers is emphasized. She had sent manuscripts to publishers for nine years before
Ella Enchanted (HarperCollins, 1997) was accepted, and went on to win a Newbery Honor Book Medal. She explains how she didn't like or understand Cinderella in the fairy tale. Levine had always liked the action and exotic characters in fairy tales. She talks about the cloak of invisibility and walking in seven league boots, and what using them would feel like. One part of fairy tales she does not like is the idea of "love at first sight," which emphasizes external beauty and sweetness. The languages used in
Ella Enchanted were inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien's works. Levine provides a very visual description of her writing process. She says writing a first draft as like being in a cell with no doors or windows. Words are the condensation on the walls of the cell. Her spunkiness and imagination come across very clearly. She takes viewers on a tour of her Hudson Valley home, and talks about growing up in New York City and how that led to her independence. Books played a large role in her childhood. She is a self-described "monster reader," someone who reads anywhere and at any time. Technically the visuals and audio are very clear. Voices are conversational in tone and pacing. Levine's wonderful sense of humor is apparent when she shares her worst rejection letter with the audience. This will be a very useful addition to school library collections.
Copyright 2002 School Library Journal. Used with permission.
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