Stacy PriceCynthia Rylant

Cynthia Rylant: Simple in Life, Emotional in Writing

Stacy Price

TE 836

8/29/05

Reading through the assignment, I felt overwhelmed with the idea of completing an author study in such a short amount of time. I choose Cynthia Rylant because this summer I attended a writing conference where the presenter read Relatives Came aloud. This book grabbed my attention because of the vivid language and humor throughout.

I believe children today have a plethora of books to choose from. There are so many different types of books, genres, author’s styles and crafting techniques in today’s children’s literature it can be overwhelming for a child that has a difficult time reading and choosing books. We, as teachers and parents, are also battling the advancement of technology with gameboys, gamecubes, computers, and internet websites. Reading a good book can be lost amongst the busyness of the day and the technology around us. Cynthia Rylant has published several books of all different levels and a diversity of genres. Her books appeal to all ages and levels of readers.

Having completed some basic research on Rylant, I now know where many of her stories come from. Rylant was born and raised in West Virginia. At a very young age her parents were divorced and Rylant was sent to live with her grandparents while her mother went to nursing school. Rylant grew up in the Appalachian region of West Virginia and was very poor. Even though she had limited experience with children’s books during her early years, the major influence on her published works are directly derived from her childhood experiences. In fact, many of her books deal with her life in the Appalachian region. (1) Rylant’s first book, When I Was Young in the Mountains, was based on her life with her grandparents. Rylant describes this time in an autobiographical statement posted with Educational Paperback Association as a “time that seems to have sunk thickest into my brain and my heart and much of what I saw and heard then has come into my books.Night in the Country, This Year's Garden, The Relatives Came . . ., all these came from my memories of those four years. It was hard for me, being away from my parents during that time, and so maybe everything I felt during that time I felt more intensely. And when you write stories, it's always your most intense feelings that come out. At least it's so for me.” Harcourt Trade Publishers asked Rylant in an interview, how much of your writing incorporates real-life events and characters?
Rylant answered, “Gosh, nearly all of it is spun from my real life. Not necessarily specific events in the books, but things that matter to me. Things I love or am troubled by. Insecurities and longings. I think maybe my writing is very much about my own longing, even the simpler books like Mr. Putter and Tabby.” (4) This is one reason I think Rylant is recognized as a versatile and well liked author.

As I mentioned earlier one of my favorite Rylant books is Relatives Came. This book portrays what happens when family gets together in the summer. The language and storyline in this book appeals to all ages because we all have families that get together. The book tells of the emotions of being with family. When the family arrives they give lots of hugs, eat lots of food and listen to music. Through reading Rylant’s books I have found her expression of emotions and setting the scene really grabs the reader.Children's Literature Review applauded Rylant's "straightforward approach, economical yet lyrical language, … and ability to express powerful emotions with restraint."Children's Literature Review best summed up Rylant's sincere and compassionate touch: "She stresses the importance of family and all living things. Despite the inclusion of such themes as loneliness, fear, or betrayal, her works ultimately convey understanding and hope.”(2) To help understand the way Rylant uses words to show emotions and set the scene, I have provided examples from a variety her books.

The Case of the Baffled Bear is an easy reader. This story is about a bear and a bunny that solve the mystery of a missing whistle. The first paragraph sets the scene.

In a high rise building deep in the heart of a big city live two private eyes; Bunny Brown and Jack Jones. Bunny is the brains, Jack is the snoop, and together they crack cases wide open. (8)

The Blue Hill Meadows is a collection of four stories about the Meadows family, and also is a good example of how Rylant sets a scene.

Blue Hill, Virginia, lay in a soft green valley with blue-gray mountains and clear, shinning lakes all around. It was here that the Meadow family lived-Sullivan and Eva and their boys, Willie and Ray. And it was here that they found their much-loved dog. (7)

All I See and An Angel for Solomon Singer contain a great message of friendship and the emotions of feeling alone and feeling at peace. All I See is about a little boy that makes friends with a painter down by the lake.

They stood side by side then, that day, brushes tucked behind their ears, painting. Gregory painted a blue whale floating in seaweed full of tiny pink fish. Charlie painted whatever he saw. (5)

In An Angel for Solomon Singer, Rylant explains how Solomon is not happy living in New York because it is not like Indiana where he grew up. Solomon eventually finds a special place to go and meets Angel, the waiter at the Westway Café. I love the change of attitude that is illustrated in the following scene.

And slowly and quietly with time, something happened. On Solomon Singer’s walks each night to the Westway Café, the streets began to move before him like the fields of wheat, and he thought them beautiful. The lights in the buildings twinkled and shone like stars, and he thought them lovely. And the voices of all who passed sounded like the conversations of friendly crickets, and he felt friendly toward them. (6)

Rylant has written over 60 children’s books which include a couple series sets like Henry and Mudge and High-Rise Private Eyes. Some of the most popular series sets are Poppleton and Mr. Putter and Tabby. Many of Rylant’s books involve animals as the main characters. I think this is another reason why Rylant’s books are loved. Children love books where animals are the main characters. Many of her beginning readers and chapter books contain animals. Children understand especially if they have pets, on a basic level the feelings of their pets. Children can be egocentric but Rylant uses animals to connect with what the children already know. She is able to help young children connect with the emotions in the books through the animals. Cynthia uses her life and animals as characters in her books.

Rylant leads a simple life but one of great adventures that she explores through her writing. Diane Ward, a friend of Cynthia Rylant, states, “She believes that people have the right to lead any life that suits them. The important thing is to live life and be kind in the process. She walks gently through life, sifting her experiences and creating stories from them, remembering friends and sending surprise packages of tea and bubble bath or note cards and candy and always a short note the a brightens your day.” Ward goes on to say, “I believe these qualities of grace and humor, along with the love she has for those of us who are doing their very best we can with what life has given us, are what make Cynthia and her writing so special.” (3)

Rylant states, “I love being a writer because I want to leave something here on earth to make it better, prettier, stronger. I want to do something important in my life, and I think that adding beauty to the world with books like The Relatives Came or Waiting to Waltz or Henry and Mudge and the ForeverSea really is important. Every person is able to add beauty, whether by growing flowers, or singing, or cooking luscious meals, or raising sweet pets. Every part of life can be art. I am so grateful to be a writer. I hope every child grows up and finds something to do that will seem important and that will seem precious.”(9) These comments give me a sense of who Cynthia Rylant is as a person and how she blends her personality and her career as a writer. Rylant’s expression of emotions and details to set the scene come from her devotion to adding beauty to the world. I agree with Diane Ward when she said Cynthia Rylant uses grace and humor to make her writing special.

Bibliography

1. Cynthia Rylant. Retrieved September 27, 2005, from Wikipedia.

2. Cynthia Rylant. Retrieved September 28, 2005, from Anne Merner Pfeiffer Library at West VirginiaWesleyanCollege.

3. Horn Book Magazine, The. Cynthia Rylant.Boston: Jul 1993. Vol. 69, Iss. 4; p. 420 (4 pages)

4. Interview with Cynthia Rylant. Retrieved September 27, 2005, from Harcourt Trade Publishers.

5. Rylant, Cynthia. All I See. New York: Orchard Books, 1988.

6. Rylant, Cynthia. An Angel For Solomon Singer. New York: Orchard Books, 1992.

7. Rylant, Cynthia. Blue Hills Meadow, The. San Diego: 1997.

8. Rylant, Cynthia. Case of the Baffled Bear, The. Greenwillow Books. 2004.

9. Rylant, Cynthia. Cynthia Rylant. Retrieved September 27, 2005, from