Teach-Primary-Issue-19.7

A s a children’s author, I love writing funny stories, and I particularly love epistolary – also known as diary-style – books. One of the main pleasures of stories in these formats is that the protagonists easily get the wrong end of the stick. The viewpoint character may completely believe what they are writing, but the child reader loves spotting where that character is deviating from the truth. The humour we can get out of these situations, plus the joy children experience from being one (or many) steps ahead of the book, are two The unbelievable TRUTH Books that include an unreliable narrator allow the reader to realise that all is not as it seems, thereby allowing them to feel like they’ve unlocked a special secret hidden within the text. In this age of mass, unfiltered communication and information, children’s ability to spot an unreliable very good reasons why stories with unreliable narrators are fantastic for children. An unreliable narrator is a character who tells a story, but cannot be fully trusted to tell it accurately or truthfully. This may be because they are mistaken, forgetful, biased, or even deliberately lying. The narrator might misunderstand the world around them, or tell an outrageous version of events that readers are invited to question. In children’s fiction, unreliable narrators can create humour, mystery, or surprising twists that help young readers think more critically about stories. What makes a narrator unreliable? A narrator may be unreliable for several reasons: • Lack of knowledge: They might be too young or inexperienced to understand what’s really happening. • Bias: They could be trying to make themselves look better or make someone else look worse. • Imagination: They might confuse fantasy with reality. • Lying: They might deliberately tell untruths, either to deceive or for comic effect. Unreliable narrators can be a barrel of laughs, but they’re also great tools for critical thinking, says Bethany Walker ... Dear Teach Primary HR Team, I would like to apply for the role of in-school liaison officer. I love eating working with people and I find child ren particularly delicious inspiring. As you can see from Miss RR Hood’s reference, I do have experience of w orking with children. I have been told my k ey attributes are: • I have big eyes, which means that I am observant and always on the look-out. • I have a big nose, so I can sn iff out excellent opportunities. • I have big teeth, proving I am hungry for this job. I would very much like to discuss m y suitability for this role with you at in terview, and I look forward to eating meeting you then. Yours sincerely The Big Bad Good Wolf 70 | www.teachwire.net