Hello my lovely readers!
Tonight's #SeasonalSonnets entry was inspired by Tom Fletcher's relatively new novel, The Christmasaurus. Consequently, this post and my poem both contain a few spoilers (so stop reading now if that's an issue), but they're minor, mostly incidental to the plot (more on that later) and fairly highly publicised already.
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Technically, it's a kids' book, but that's why I'm writing about it - it's the sort of book I always wanted to read as a kid. The thing is, the main character (William Trundle), is a wheelchair user. He's also hilarious, gets in all sorts of scrapes, and befriends a dinosaur - the titular Christmasaurus. This is what makes the story so special - the fact that William uses a wheelchair is central to the plot (and the story deals very sensitively with issues around disability in order to raise awareness) but his wheelchair is presented in an extremely positive manner, and as something that he (and others should celebrate.
My bookish and wheely ten-year-old self was always desperate for a story like this (with a character like me!) but I never had it. I was therefore delighted when I discovered that the book was in the works, because it meant that young wheelchair users would finally have a character with whom they could identify. Naturally, despite being twenty-four when it was published, I had to read it too - and I can say without the slightest bit of shame that I literally cried tears of joy.
It's a truly wonderful book, and I'd recommend it to everyone. To my fellow wheely friends who also want character representation, to parents who want to instil disability pride in their kids, and to anyone who cares about disability awareness and diverse representation in literature and media - which brings me to the reason I'm posting about it tonight.
Even before publication, the rights were sold for it to become an animated film. Recently, however, it was also announced that it's been adapted into a musical, and we got a sneak preview on the Royal Variety Show. Being the keen bean that I am, I'd already got tickets, but having watched the snippet from the Variety performance I got even more excited, because it seems that the character of William will be performed by young actors who use wheelchairs - so now I can use it as a positive example of casting for my PhD! Whoop!
Now I just have to wait 365 days (until the 23rd December 2017) to watch it...!
But hey, I've waited my entire life for a book character like William, so another year shouldn't be too difficult.
If you've made it this far in this post, I thank (and salute!) you. In case it's not clear enough how much I loved this book, I'll leave you with my sonnet as a promise you will too!
23rd December
Tonight I’m writing of ‘The Christmasaurus’
a new festive novel, written by Tom Fletcher,
which gives much-needed representation for us
‘kids’ who’ve waited years t’identify with characters.
For William, the protagonist, surname’s Trundle
(a perfect name for someone in a chair!)
and t’tale tells of his adventures by the bundle –
which include riding a dino through th’air!
And though I bought it at age twenty-four,
I did so for my younger self, aged ten,
and all the books she read whilst longing for
someone like her who’d, from their pages, spring.
I’m so thrilled that the next generation
now has this book t’feed their ‘maginations.
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| Copyright Jessi Parrott December 2016 |
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