ReadWonder: An Inside Look #209 (Author Interview)

An Inside Look with Jennifer Swender

(Author of Stuck)

Welcome to my favorite feature of my blog...

*Season #ONE (June of 2016 to March of 2017)

*Season #TWO (Summer of 2017)

*Season #THREE (School Year 2017/2018)

*Season #FOUR (Summer/fall of 2018)

*Season #FIVE (School Year 2018/2019)

*Season #SIX (Summer 2019)

*Season #SEVEN (Fall 2019)

*Season #EIGHT (Winter/Spring 2020)

*Season #NINE (Fall 2020)

*Season #TEN (Winter/Spring 2021)

*Season #ELEVEN (Fall 2021)

*I'm excited to present season #TWELVE with brand new interviews/authors.

*It has been such an honor to connect with authors and "chat" about their novel, characters, and thoughts about the story.

*This is the ELEVENTH interview in which I'm calling Season #TWELVE.

*Thank you to Jennifer Swender for being the Two Hundred-Ninth author I've had the pleasure of interviewing. I truly appreciate it.

Stuck

by Jennifer Swender

(November 9, 2021)

How did you come to know Austin?
During one of my early years as a teacher, I had a new student join the class toward the end of the year. As a new teacher, I was pretty much in survival mode from one day to the next. It wasn't until a colleague made a comment that it dawned on me that this very kind and quiet fourth-grade student didn't really read. How had I missed it? How had my perception been so different from what was going on inside the student's head?

What do you think is his most admirable quality?
Austin is extremely smart. He's insightful about the people and situations around him. In fact, his mind is often doing "double-duty"—thinking about what he's doing and at the same time, thinking about how others perceive what he is doing or how they will most likely react to what he's doing. But I think his most admirable quality is his kindness—he wants to help and he wants to be seen as helping. I think STUCK is the story of a certain fork in the road—will he be accepted and embraced for the best of him (i.e., get the chance to be a Safety) or will he be rejected, disheartened, and see confirmation of his negative feelings about himself?

Is there anything you wish he would have changed or done differently in his story?
I can't think of anything I wish Austin had done differently. Readers might ask: Why didn't he ask for help sooner? Why didn't he tell his mom what was going on? etc. But if he were a louder or more demanding person, he wouldn't be who he is. He does get there eventually. It's similar to when his mom finally brings in the permission slip, and Ms. B says: "No worries. It's here now."

What do you think Austin can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what he went through?
I think books are an incredible way to see into someone else's head. I hope kids realize that everyone has doubts and weaknesses, everyone has moments of "if other people only knew [blank], they wouldn't like me, etc." But at the same time, I hope Austin's story helps kids see themselves as likewise brave, strong, and smart. As Christopher Robin says to Winnie the Pooh: "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

How did you research Austin and the circumstances he found himself in?
I read about reading challenges, specifically dyslexia—how it can manifest, how it is assessed, and how technology can serve as a support. One of the most helpful resources was an article about successful adults who experienced reading challenges when they were in school. They talked about some of the "tricks of the trade" to make it through certain situations, like asking to go to the restroom at just the right moment.

Do you and Austin share any similarities?
Yes, I would say we are both observers. We also both like audio books and cried reading the novel Bridge to Terabithia. I was also a Safety in fifth grade, although my job was "milk seller." (Chocolate $0.06; Regular $0.05; Skim $0.04.)

What was the hardest scene to write about him?
As a writer, I would say the scenes with Austin and his mom were the hardest. I was trying to walk a fine line, showing how much his mom really loves him and yet the limits of her ability to provide the kind of support he needs. Emotionally, I found the scene with the lock-down drill difficult to think about. In the story, it turns out to be just a drill, but the knife-edge of anxiety that Austin balances on is not solely because of what's going on in his own life. He has real reason to feel like something bad could happen at any moment. However, this is also the moment when his perspective broadens and he can see that he and Dee are not adversaries; they're on the same side.

Who do you think was his biggest supporter and why?
It might surprise some to say I think one of them is his mom. In an early draft, a reader commented: "Why is the mom so mean?" That was not my intention—revision! I see Austin's mom as truly doing the best she can. But just like a chair can't stand on two legs, it's when Austin broadens his support and accepts help from Bertie, Ms. G., and Ms. B that things start to feel more solid. I would say his other biggest supporter is Bertie. She is the best of unconditional friendship, openness, and acceptance, even if it does come with a lot of words.

Why do you think some young people end up with a low self-esteem because of their appearance or their ability? Is it because of their peers, their family, society?
That's a tough one. I think for some kids it's probably all three, starting with the family at the center, then expanding outward in concentric circles, and then for other kids it might be none of those things. Maybe it's a comment they hear or an image they see that sticks with them. I do think we all get some pretty strong messages (intentional or not) about what it means to be smart and good and attractive. And at the start of the story, Austin lumps all of these positive attributes together—in his mind smart = good, so if he's not smart in the traditional sense, what does that say about his "goodness" as a student? As a person? His large size also makes it hard for him to "fit in" and go unnoticed, which is all he really wants at the start.

What do you think Austin is doing at the present time?
I think he is listening to an audio book while looking at the posters in his room. He is in Mr. J.'s fifth grade class and enjoying his role on the Safety Squad. I picture him helping the little kids on the bus and off the bus, feeling a sense of purpose and belonging.

Book Pages

Monday, March 21, 2022

An Inside Look #209 (Author Interview)

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