Frankly at the United Kingdom Literacy Conference at Nottingham University last week, I was bowled over by Naomi Hamer’s talk on tweenie girls’ books (and stuff).
It was great, Naomi is doing really exciting stuff, loking at the way in which popular fiction texts aimed at tweenie girls are increasingly merging a range of text types within their covers. However the stories move beyond the pages and into merchandising on a grand scale so that the fiction on the pages moves seamlessly in and out of the books onto screen, web pages, consul games, cell phones and more. So the stories move out into other text types, but different text types are also within the pages so that we see chat rooms represented; collages of all kinds. She referred to ‘fluidity’ and the ‘blurring of of lines’ across and between texts and back again.
Naom was slick and fast in her delivery and so confident of her data and theory … it was wonderful. And I want to think some more about all of this … which linked in fact with the work DrKate reported on from her Barnsley creative arts work with artists and schools. But it also takes in the notion of artefacts as text. (Something I have also witnessed and even taken part in on Flickr.)
I have found the wonderful Clarice Bean site here and you can buy MARVELLOUS stuff here. (I like the accessories best.)
I am afraid Guy was a bit immature and tried to steal Naomi’s book from her.
(Sadly, that kind of behaviour can spoil it for everybody else.)
Now just before I go now … here is the wonderful Vic:
She looks like a filmstar.
Wow so much to take in. Thanks for the link to Clarice Bean website Dr Joolz as this will cheer up Molly who is a Clarice Bean fan but is a bit down at the moment as her teacher says she cannot read.
This is baffling as she is very good on the Barbie Website and the Disney Channel but maybe she finds old fashioned books a bit much.
Comment by kate — July 12, 2006 @ 9:38 am
Thank GOd for the merchandise.
Comment by citybitch — July 13, 2006 @ 7:44 pm
We sell the full range of Clarice Bean merchandise at and if you are a Lauren Child Fan we also have a massive range of Charlie & Lola merchandise too. We ship worldwide.
Comment by Juicytots — October 5, 2008 @ 6:01 pm