Jan-Feb Group Read Theme Nominations

[Jalilah]

It is time to nominate a theme for our January 15- February 15 group read. First we will nominate the theme and then afterwards nominate books for that theme in a different thread.
The theme can be a particular fairy tale or myth or can be something general, (for example like "water creatures".)

[Leah]

The exploration of human weakness. This could be any "weakness" : curiosity, dishonesty, selfishness, pride, laziness, etc. And those are just the obvious types. In some stories bravery might be considered a weakness, or the desire to be independent, or asserting one's individuality when conformity is the social norm. Many possibilities.

[Jeri]

Fairy-tale helpers. Cats, giants' wives, wise old women, fairies, little old men in the forest, etc. The main characters in fairy tales often have magical helpers. In Puss in Boots it was a cat, in Sleeping Beauty it was a fairy, in the Golden Goose it was a magic old man in the forest. Except in fairy tales and comic books, it's very uncommon for fictional main characters to have helpers. We're always supposed to be able to handle anything alone. Help is supposedly for weaklings!

[Margaret]

Siblings. Many fairy tales have siblings as protagonists, or the main story-line surrounds problems that happen to siblings. My favorite fairy tales tend to be about siblings, now that I think about it!--The Juniper Tree, Fitcher's Bird, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White Rose Red, etc.

[Mary]

I came here to nominate siblings, too.

[Kimshme]

I like the sibling idea

[Kirsten]

Maybe I just can't think of anything else, but I also like the sibling idea! The fairy tale helpers theme sounds interesting, too... Often there is some sort of animal that shows up here and there to help characters in children's fantasy and fairy tales.

[Melanti]

I admit - I was originally thinking of something along Leah's lines though I was thinking more of physical weaknesses rather than mental - but now I really like the sibling idea.

[Margaret]

Maybe we're all thinking of family during the holiday season!

I like all the themes actually. They're broad enough so that it will be easy to come up with nominations, but specific enough to be interesting.

[Jalilah]

I like everything that's been suggested as well!
However just to add something different I'll nominate the Fairy Tale 12 Dancing Princesses plus variations The Worn Out Slippers and Kate Crakernuts as my Theme!

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "I like everything that's been suggested as well!
However just to add something different I'll nominate the Fairy Tale 12 Dancing Princesses plus variations The Worn Out Slippers and Kate Crakern..."

I've been really wanting to read The Girls at the Kingfisher Club.

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "I like everything that's been suggested as well!
However just to add something different I'll nominate the Fairy Tale 12 Dancing Princesses plus variations The Worn Out Slippers a..."

Well, since there are 12 sisters, 12 Dancing Princesses could also fit into the siblings theme, although the relationship between them is not as complex as in other fairy tales.

Any other nominations?
We have:
Exploration of Weakness
Fairy Tale Helpers
Siblings
Seven Dancing Princesses/Worn Out Slippers/Kate Crakernuts

Anything else?

[Lacey]

I was thinking of a Winter theme -- fairy tales that have wintry elements or take place in wintry climes, like The Snow Queen, East of the Sun & West of the Moon, etc.

[Katy]

Jalilah wrote: "I like everything that's been suggested as well!
However just to add something different I'll nominate the Fairy Tale 12 Dancing Princesses plus variations The Worn Out Slippers and Kate Crakern..."

Oh, I need to read some Kate Crakernuts!

[Jalilah]

Okay, how about:

Exploration of Weakness
Fairy Tale Helpers
Siblings
Can't Stop Dancing (Seven Dancing Princesses and related takes)
Winter

I will be very busy next week so I'd like to set up the poll tonight.
Is everyone okay with that? Then we will have one week to vote for the theme. A week to nominate books and a week to vote for them.

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "Okay, how about:

Exploration of Weakness
Fairy Tale Helpers
Siblings
Can't Stop Dancing (Seven Dancing Princesses and related takes)
Winter

I will be very busy next week so I'd like to set up the..."

Sounds good.

[Jalilah]

I created the poll https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...
For some reason it does not show up on the polls page

[Melanti]

Huh. Well, it's there now.

[Jalilah]

Lacey wrote: "I was thinking of a Winter theme -- fairy tales that have wintry elements or take place in wintry climes, like The Snow Queen, East of the Sun & West of the Moon, etc."

We did HCA's Snow Queen as a group read last year, but of course there are many tales that take place in Winter.

[Jalilah]

Melanti wrote: "Huh. Well, it's there now."

I forget to click on one thing and Chris corrected it.