tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post6664706492529530112..comments2024-03-15T09:26:02.796-05:00Comments on PROJECT MAYHEM: Magic Realism or Fantasy? What's the Difference? by Joy McCullough-CarranzaProject Mayhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05154342399869089664noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-16215046680671733122015-08-17T02:22:06.848-05:002015-08-17T02:22:06.848-05:00I recommend a book by Jim West called Libellus de ...I recommend a book by Jim West called Libellus de Numeros (The Book of Math) that makes math and science relevant and fun in a story of magic and danger. The story is about Alex, a young precocious girl, who mysteriously gets transported to a strange world where Latin and Math combine in formulas and equations with magical effects. With a cruel council leading the only safe city of its kind in this world, she will have to prove her worth to stay as well as help this city as it is the target for two evil wizards who seek to destroy the city and its ruling council. To help the city and also get back home, she will need the help of the greatest mathematician of all time, Archimedes. In a world where math is magic, Alex wishes she paid more attention in math class. Search for the book on Goodreads for reviews. A review mentioned, “A lot of the books that have educational elements embedded in the plot feel forced. Libellus de Numeros is just the opposite. The math, science, etc. are natural, organic, contributing parts of the plot that fit in seamlessly." My 11-year-old daughter just finished reading it and she learned math and science in a fun way.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16417704083463196856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-24378391348357325902015-08-14T17:17:18.376-05:002015-08-14T17:17:18.376-05:00I definitely agree with this: "...firmly grou...I definitely agree with this: "...firmly grounded in the real world, and deals with real people grappling with real world conflicts. The elements of magic are employed (with a light hand) to illuminate those characters and their real world struggles. The magical elements in magic realism do not tend to have rules and systems around how they occur. And they’re usually presented side by side with the realistic elements..."<br />HOWEVER, I don't agree that the magic is accepted as being "completely ordinary." If anything, I'd say it's the magic in FANTASY that is accepted as being completely ordinary (within that fantasy world). Whereas in magical realism, which is taking place inside the "real world" the magic is definitely seen as unusual. In Laurel Snyder's BIGGER THAN A BREADBOX (which I would definitely consider magical realism) the main character is initially shocked by the fact that whatever she wishes for appears inside this magical breadbox. She does accept it (lets face it kids are pretty accepting and I would agree that this is normal in magical realism) but it is not something she sees as an ordinary occurrence. And I would say this holds true for all the books I would consider MG magical realism including: WHEN YOU REACH ME, NORTH OF NOWHERE, SEVEN STORIES UP. ALL THE ANSWERS, etc. Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05242662872919658589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-81830404103183321012015-08-09T18:19:38.697-05:002015-08-09T18:19:38.697-05:00You know, I haven't read it! It's been on ...You know, I haven't read it! It's been on my list for a while and re-reading the descriptions to see if I could glean an opinion, I'm bumping it up. Library hold placed! :-)Joy McCullough-Carranzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09499534418217657768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-11762323516746802582015-08-09T18:17:16.563-05:002015-08-09T18:17:16.563-05:00Yes, I think you're right about categorization...Yes, I think you're right about categorization sometimes limiting POC authors. I'd call Ophelia a fantasy, but if we think about it as a spectrum, it's more to the left of something more overtly fantastical. Joy McCullough-Carranzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09499534418217657768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-53303373633318470722015-08-09T18:13:30.445-05:002015-08-09T18:13:30.445-05:00With paranormal elements, I think the question is ...With paranormal elements, I think the question is whether the paranormal elements are central to the story and whether they're treated as otherworldly or matter of fact. There are ghosts in One Hundred Years of Solitude, for example. But a story like Rules for Ghosting, where the central conflict of the story focuses on ghosts and their otherworldlinessJoy McCullough-Carranzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09499534418217657768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-15590844735350354452015-08-08T09:51:24.396-05:002015-08-08T09:51:24.396-05:00Thanks for this explanation -- so great to have ex...Thanks for this explanation -- so great to have examples! Andrea Mackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15250681746122381149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-31450713213674305822015-08-06T18:37:44.065-05:002015-08-06T18:37:44.065-05:00Eek, published too soon. The first sentence of par...Eek, published too soon. The first sentence of paragraph two should start "About the fine line between fantasy and magic realism, the book I'm thinking of..."Annanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-52168626684375628962015-08-06T18:35:56.172-05:002015-08-06T18:35:56.172-05:00Thank you for acknowledging the "Latin Ameri...Thank you for acknowledging the "Latin American author = must be magic realism" stereotype. I sometimes wonder if the reason we have a lack of POC authors in certain genres is because they get categorized like this.<br /><br />The book I'm thinking of is Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy. It's probably flat-out fantasy than magic realism, but the magic is in the real world and the main conflict is a real-world problem, rather than the magic villain. It was really odd to me. Not bad, just different than what I was expecting.Annanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-44534169490847159372015-08-06T17:01:15.828-05:002015-08-06T17:01:15.828-05:00Nikki Loftin's Nightingale's Nest and Lau...Nikki Loftin's Nightingale's Nest and Laurel Snyder's Bigger Than a Breadbox are definitely magic realism! I think The Mostly True Story of Jack walks the line -- starts out as magic realism, but dips more closely into fantasy by the end. <br /><br />A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd are two great examples of magic realism from the past year -- magic in a realistic contemporary setting with great voice. <br /><br />Where do put a book like Glimmerglass House by Kate Milford? I consider that magic realism but it could also be said to be paranormal. What's magic and what's paranormal activity? Kell Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18089691866850131698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-40438541062231653702015-08-06T16:06:58.890-05:002015-08-06T16:06:58.890-05:00Great explanation. Thanks.
I wonder where you pla...Great explanation. Thanks.<br /><br />I wonder where you place THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF JACK by Kelly Barnhill.R. Elena Tabachnickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02878565161601629949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-10400835393198296712015-08-06T13:07:27.587-05:002015-08-06T13:07:27.587-05:00Excellent post, Joy. :)Excellent post, Joy. :)Shari Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12495151345889657066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-14063893370727975252015-08-06T10:17:03.463-05:002015-08-06T10:17:03.463-05:00I love this part of your definition, which really ...I love this part of your definition, which really clarifies the distinction for me: <br /><br />"The magical elements in magic realism do not tend to have rules and systems around how they occur. And they’re usually presented side by side with the realistic elements, as though the magic is completely ordinary (which, in turn, can elevate the ordinary to magical)."Dianne K. Salernihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16459839567235304842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-66704889892212893632015-08-06T09:06:13.228-05:002015-08-06T09:06:13.228-05:00I was going to mention Nikki Loftin, too! Her newe...I was going to mention Nikki Loftin, too! Her newest book Wish Girl would also fall into the magic realism category, I think.Tara Dairmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02553180762608936696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-66145371514828148002015-08-06T08:56:19.590-05:002015-08-06T08:56:19.590-05:00Great post~ thanks for clarifying! I agree with yo...Great post~ thanks for clarifying! I agree with your assessments :) One of my favorites is Bigger than a Breadbox. Nikki Loftin's Nightingale's Nest was wonderful as well!Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14121018905141253640noreply@blogger.com