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Year of Graduation
2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MFA: Children's Literature
Directing Professor
Hillary Homzie
Abstract
Letting go is never easy but having the courage to let go of those ideas and things that no longer serve our story has been a beautiful reminder to me that letting go in whatever its form is not a detrimental end, but far from it. It is an opportunity to plant the seed so that a new story can germinate and in time spring to life in such a way that creates something truly magical, beyond what you dreamed was possible. That is the real gift of story. In this thesis, I am submitting a hybrid format of four picture books and one chapter book, through which I share an in-depth view of my journey through craft. Little Froglet’s Search for Rain, Melvin the Marshmallow, Meanie Munch, The Dream Tree, and McGregor the City Slick’n Chicken are stories that address universal themes around friendship, kindness, bullying, loss of a grandparent, and tales that import the value of community and overcoming one’s fears. Nature is unbounded in her gifts and stories that emerge outdoors continue to fill my mind, and motivate my feathered pen. From the marshmallow that likes camping, to the school-aged bully who just wants a friend, to the city chicken, a dreaming tree, and a little froglet who sets out on a quest, these are the tales I tell through which I have learned the power and art of letting go: letting go of word count to allow for the wonderful interplay between words and pictures; letting go of my little darlings that don’t serve or move my story forward; and letting go of attachment to genre so that a broader range of stories can emerge.
Recommended Citation
Gorsuch, Adria, "Little Froglet's Search for Rain, Melvin the Marshmallow, Meanie Munch, The Dream Tree, and McGregor the City Slick'n Chicken" (2022). Children's Literature (MFA) Theses, Hollins University. 13.
https://digitalcommons.hollins.edu/mfatheses/13
Contact Information
pennerag@gmail.com
Purpose Statement
The purpose of preserving this thesis document is to provide a definitive record of student progress upon completion of the degree. This text will not reflect any revisions to the manuscript made after degree completion. For the most current version of the work, please contact its author.