Ruth Stiles Gannett, creator of the My Father’s Dragon trilogy, handed away on June 11 on the age of 100. I can’t overstate how vital she was to my early childhood.
My elementary faculty was a part of a program to encourage studying, and we might select one ebook to take dwelling. I used to be in first grade, and I made a decision on The Dragons of Blueland (the third within the trilogy after Elmer and the Dragon) although it was meant for sixth graders—I believe I wished to indicate that I used to be sensible sufficient to deal with a more durable ebook. It ended up being the very first novel I ever completed, in addition to the primary ebook I might actually name my very own.
I in all probability wouldn’t have written about Gannett’s loss of life for this weblog, however I’ve come to study that Gannett is definitely fairly beloved in Japan—probably much more than in america, the place she was born.
I truly first discovered about Gannett’s passing as a result of I used to be looking Twitter and noticed Gaogaigar director Yonetani Yoshitomo submit a picture of a big statue depicting the titular dragon, Boris. It was quoting one other tweet mentioning the information. After I tried to search for a supply, the one ones displaying up had been Japanese websites.
It seems that My Father’s Dragon was printed in Japan in 1963 as Elmer no Bouken (“Elmer’s Journey”), 15 years after it was initially launched in English. In 1966, it was tailored right into a puppet play for the NHK present Ningyougeki (“Puppet Theater”), after which into an anime movie in 1997. Yonetani’s picture above got here from a My Father’s Dragon exhibit that’s been touring Japan. And simply trying by Youtube, somebody created and uploaded their very own puppet present model in 2010, which has numerous views for a really small channel.
As an apart, there’s additionally a 2022 Netflix movie from the makers of The Secret of Kells. I haven’t see it, although.
After I was in first grade, I hadn’t but developed a eager curiosity in Japanese tradition. Trying again, I do discover it humorous that this creator who made such a huge effect on my life can be so celebrated in a rustic whose media has actually modified my life. I haven’t gone again to The Dragons of Blueland or the opposite books in a really very long time, however I’d simply take a while to revisit my childhood.
Thanks, Ruth. You had been a giant a part of why I cherished studying as a child, and Dragons of Blueland launched me to so many fantastic issues (not least of which was Fig Newtons). I hope your books proceed to encourage creativeness in folks younger and previous.
