After being homebound for so many days, and flying through several books on my pile, I was struck by the habit of children's books to have chapter titles. There's a real table of contents in most children's books, and some great, descriptive chapter titles.
The Boy Who Lived
I Learn How to Grow Zombies
We'll Weather the Blast
Marilla Makes Up her Mind
Wheat
Grover Gets a Lamborghini
Having to pause a moment in the story is kind of nice sometimes. The chapter titles are often a teaser, probably great for read-aloud momentum! I flew through an adult book, The Reincarnationist it had 70 chapters, some of them only a page or two long. Dickens has chapter titles, but of course, he was serialized. But why not Evanovich or Kinsella? Does it slow the process down too much in today's busy world--maybe these authors are always under the gun the finish contractual obligations? I'm sure there are some current adult books with "real" chapter titles, but the ones in kids books are so unique and fitting.
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2 comments:
Actually that was one thing I loved about Michael Chabon's latest book. The chapter titles were hysterical yet quite descriptive.
Fancy that - just picked up the latest by Mr. Chabon. Will keep you posted.
Holdenj -love the Pooh reference. My daughter listens to the Pooh stories all the time - they are better now than I ever thought they were as kids.
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