Dyslexic Protagonists

Celebrating National Dyslexia Awareness Week 2012

Dyslexic Protagonists

So for my last blog in celebration of National Dyslexia Awareness Week I thought I’d write about dyslexic protagonist in books, I can’t find too many so here is a few…

Hank Zipzer -  Hank Zipzer: The World’s Greatest Underachiever series -  Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver

Henry Winkler is best known for playing The Fonz in the 70’s – 50’s nostalgia TV show ‘Happy Days’.  Henry is dyslexic and upon a suggestion from his agent to write children's book with a child dyslexic protagonist he teamed up with Lin Oliver author of the ‘Who Shrunk Daniel Funk’ series to write the Hank Zipzer books. The books are about Hank and his mishaps caused by his dyslexia and have been based on Henrys experiences as a child. In ‘Holy Enchilada!’  The sixth book in the series  Hanks tries to hide his dyslexia in an effort to impress a visiting student from Japan cause while making enchiladas for a Multi-Cultural Day lunch, but Hank makes an error reading the recipe and has put wrong about the amount of chili powder. To see an interview with Henry Press Here.

Standish Treadwell - Maggot Moon – Sally Gardiner

Sally Gardner is the dyslexic award winning author of ‘I coriander’ she is also works closely with Dyslexia awareness campaigns.  In her most recent book Maggot Moon the protagonist Standish Treadwell is dyslexic.  The story sees Standish Treadwell standing up and making a stand against the oppressive motherland when his best friend Hector is taken away. Standish must over come all obstacles including dyslexia and lead his grandfather and a small band of rebels.

Percy Jackson - Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series - 

Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan wrote the first book in the series, ‘Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief’ for his son, who has both Dyslexia and ADHD. Percy Jackson is a normal twelve year old who is struggling with his dyslexia and ADHD, finding school difficult,  Click here to see a Manilla Bulletin Publishing Corporation’s article on Dyslexia in The Percy Jackson books. During the book (and now major motion picture) Percy discovered that he’s son of Poseidon  and therefore a demigod, and that his apparent learning disabilities are actually to his advantage as his head is ‘ Hard-wired for ancient Greek’ on English.  The books show the struggles that dyslexics have within the educational establishments and yet have a positive empowering message and even making dyslexia cool – who wouldn't want to be a demi-god?

Typing Dragons, Paperless Books and Coloured Paper a Dyslexics Tool Kit

Celebrating - National Dyslexia Awareness Week 2012

Typing Dragons, Paperless Books and Coloured Paper

a Dyslexics Tool Kit

I'm a technophobic - or at least I hate the idea of new things – ‘I’ll never own a DVD –What’s wrong with Videos!’  And well, now I have over 600 and no videos in site.  Same thing happened with Blue-rays, CD’s, Mobile Phones, the list goes on. However despite my reservations about new technologies I have to acknowledge that technology is actually a huge and liberating part of my life.

I write and well if I had to write in hand or even type it on a manual typewriter – I couldn’t. Why? Well if I hand write anything the likelihood of anyone being able to decipher the story from between the spelling errors, bad grammar and appalling handwriting is very low (even I can’t read my own writing.)  Even a type writer would not be much help as you can’t go back and edit. So I write on the pc, and then edit and edit some more – and some more, and repeat the process until the manuscript is in a version of English that other people have a fighting chance of reading.

This got me thinking about technologies that enable people with dyslexia to meet their potentials, so here are a few things that help me and other dyslexics I know…

Typing Dragons - Dragon NaturallySpeaking

Although I love the idea of writers dictating their stories as a dragon types it in to the PC, the reality is not quite that exciting but nevertheless a great tool. Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a PC program that allows you to talk, and it will then type out what you dictate in a word processing program. In the earlier editions you had to ‘Train your Dragon’ to understand your voice, but I’ve been assured by friends who use it that the newer versions need no training – that you simply choose from a list of local dialects and then you’re good to go. My friends that use this in the work place say it helps them keep on top of reports and stop the backlog from piling up.

There is also now TEXT HELP software specifically designed for educational market.  There is a completion for students to win a copy of text help running this week, to see more press here.

Paperless Books - Kindles and E-readers

I have to say that due to my nature I’m not a great fan, but one of my friends dyslexic daughter finds that it enables her to read. The Kindle/e-readers have features where you can change the font, font size to one of your own choosing that is easier for you to read. You can also change the background colour to which ever colour makes grounds the words, again making it easier to read. Another plus is that while reading on a kindle/e-reader no one can see what you’re reading or how quickly you’re reading it stopping dyslexic children and teenagers being embraced and teased.

Coloured Paper

As an artist/painter there is nothing I find more intimidating than a pristine white empty gallery. As a writer there noting more daunting than pristine white paper. White – so perfect – so full of expectation. White – so happy to allow the letter to dance merrily over it so you have no chance of reading or writing them down in the proper order to spell anything correctly. There is a simple solution - adapted by Roald Dahl and adopted by many dyslexics – Coloured paper. Roald Dahl used yellow (as do I or cream) anther friend uses lilac.  It’s cheaper than the other technologies but can be a real help – as it get you less panicked before you begin and helps ground letters and words.

Thanks for reading and if you have any tips or tricks that help you combat your dyslexia please share them…

How Three Dyslexics Shaped the Modern Fairy Tale

Celebrating National Dyslexia Awareness Week 2012

How Three Dyslexics Shaped 

the 

Modern Fairy Tale

Here is my second blog in celebration of National Dyslexia Awareness Week 2012.  Part of raising people awareness about dyslexia is to change people’s perceptions of it – and what better way to do this than celebrate the achievements of dyslexics. Now there are so many dyslexics who have achieved so much it was difficult to know where to start but given the premise of my blog 1.writing, 2.Fairy Tales, 3. Dyslexia – so this had to happen.

A Celebration of three men that was instrumental in the shaping of modern fairy tales who were dyslexic; Walt Disney, Hans Christian Anderson and Roald Dahl

Hans Christian Anderson 1805-1875

Hans Christian Anderson was like many dyslexics, creative by nature. He was in his early years an actor, and he was an avid paper artist. He had the fortune to have his education funded by Frederick VI -  King of Denmark, but like many dyslexics, he found schooling difficult.  Despite the hurdles imposed by his dyslexia, Hans went on to become an author, his most famous and most notable works, being his Fairy Tales, which include ‘the little Match Girl’, ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Thumbelina’.  His fairy tales are inspired whilst preserving the darker elements of their forefathers.  

1952 his life was made in to a musical called ‘Hans ChristianAnderson,’ and his fairy tales have inspired many re-writes, dramatizations, animations and movies on IMDB there is list of at least 230 movies based on his works. His works still inspire next year will see the realse of two animations based on his tale ‘The Snow Queen’ one of the same title by Wizart animation the other by Disney called ‘Frozen.’

Walt Disney 1901 -1966

Walt has been cited as being dyslexic, although it has never been definitively proven.  It is apparent that he had difficulties at school after which he went to pioneer animation making the first feature length animation ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ in 1937. Disney although not the most sensitive in his adaptations of classic fairy tales, had a creative commercial vision changing people perception of fairy tales. Walt for instance was the first to bestow names and personalities to the dwarfs.  Under his supervision, many fairy tales were given the ‘Disney Makeover’ and now long after his death the Disney Corporation is still rolling them out – with the recent ‘Tangled’ and upcoming Frozen.

Roald Dahl 1916 – 1990

Short story and screenwriter turned children’s author. Roald Dahl ‘s children’s book are some of the most loved for people of my generation and are still adored by children today. Many of them have been adapted for small screen and in to movies and even musicals. Roald was dyslexic, and  one of his methods to combat it was to write on Yellow Paper. Roald also wrote a book called ‘The Vicar of Nibbleswick’ where the protagonist is dyslexic; the book was illustrated by Quinton Blake and released in 1991 with proceeds going to Dyslexia Institute in London (now Dyslexia Action).

Roald made an impact on the perception young people had on fairy tales when he realised ‘Revolting Rhymes’ and ‘Rhyme Stew’, where he had re-written many well know fairy tales, with his particular humour – who can forget Red Riding Hood whipping a pistol from her knickers? When they came out parents were shocked – I recall many heated conversations between my parents and other adults about how ‘inappropriate’ they were. However to us kids of the time they made stuffy predictable fairy tales exciting.

So here we go a celebration of three king of Fairy Tales, whom were all Dyslexic! But before we go here’s just one more bit of fairy tale wisdom by another dyslexic…