Monday, November 20, 2006

HMOCL 19 On Display

There's an interview with recent National Book Award winner M.T. Anderson over at The Book Standard. He's interviewed by Kirkus as part of a December 1st Best of Children’s Books special. When asked about his influences he has this to say:
I learned a lot about crafty plotting from The Great Brain, about atmosphere, melancholy, and whimsy from The Moomins, about sorrow from The Juniper Tree, about claiming the arts from Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, about cliff-hangers from The Hardy Boys, and about how to set up my own construction-paper discothèque from Dynamite! magazine.
I am deeply sad that he wasn't also a fan of my beloved Three Investigators books. Ah, Jupiter Jones. Where are you today, my friend?

Link courtesy of Bookslut.
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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:53 AM

    OMG. Flashback. I loved those Three Investigators. I had a crush on Pete Crenshaw when I was in the fifth grade.

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  2. Greg Pincus12:19 PM

    For me it was the Mad Scientists Club (proving that my geeky credentials are decades in the making), but The Great Brain and Hardy Boys and Dynamite! are also key touchstones, so I'm thrilled to see M.T. Anderson mention them. Cuz, ya see, I figure if I've got the same influences, I must be able to write like him!

    What?

    Oh, well. It was worth a try....

    Happy Thanksgiving break, Fuse!

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