Excerpts from my Postcards from La-La Land combo review of Snyder's The Changeling and Janet Taylor Lisle's Afternoon of the Elves:

. . . . .

Back when I wrote my first Nostalgic Review, I mentioned that Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s The Changeling had a similar story line [as Janet Taylor Lisle's Afternoon of the Elves]. I used to think Snyder’s story was a re-interpretation of Lisle’s, but in fact it’s the other way around, since The Changeling was published in 1970. Not that Lisle was necessarily conscious of the similarities — she describes her inspiration coming from an actual little village a neighbor’s daughter made in her yard — but just reading the jacket summary set the wild echoes flying* for me.

…. I like that neither story tells you absolutely, definitively whether the hints of magic are real or imagined, whether Ivy and Sara-Kate are truly who they say they are, whether these books can be considered fantasies or not. The reader has to decide for her- or himself.

The biggest difference between the two stories is the final tone. Afternoon of the Elves feels much more bittersweet, whereas The Changeling has a more hopeful feeling in the end. I’d forgotten that about Lisle’s story — it’s been over ten years since I last read it. The saddest thing (no spoilers, I promise) is how people talk about Sara-Kate, how they blame her both for being too strong and for being too vulnerable. She’s independent, so she must be conniving and cruel. And yet how can someone so strong be such a failure in other senses? How can she not have asked for help? It’s as though they forget she’s only eleven.

. . . . .

* Tennyson, "The Splendor Falls"

I enjoy young adult reads as they often know how to handle deep topics with a lighter touch. The Changeling deals with sibling rivalry, true friendship, bullying, and most of all resiliency despite family dynamics of alcoholism and lawbreaking.

Ivy finds escape through her imagination and creative play. This also benefits her shy friend, Martha. But there is something haunting in how Ivy weaves the story of how she was exchanged at birth and thus not like her other family members. This stings deeper when she states, "There are worse things than the dark", and Martha intuitively knows not to ask what this may be.

The young adult reader can relate to the day to day experiences, both positive and negative. But the adult can feel the deeper meanings and reflect on whether they were Ivy or knew a child like Ivy and what were their reactions in similar situations. Would make a great class read to encourage empathy. And would also provoke discussion in an adult book club. Would be nice to read along with The Glass Castle for comparison and contrast.

Please read with your preteen child or grandchild. And recommend A Tree Grows in Brooklyn to the teens you love. It also discusses resiliency and stresses the importance of education for escaping poverty.

As in the legends where Changelings are children of supernatural parents who are switched for human babies, Ivy is someone who does not fit into her family of drunks and jailbirds: she is an enchanting girl with a kind, energetic, and free-spirited personality. She becomes close friends with Martha, a quiet and shy girl from a much wealthier family. Both of them are outcasts in their own way, but their constant support towards each other Change them into strong and wonderful characters. A great book about friendship and growing up.

Loved ZKS as a kid, and this one took me right back. Dancing, trees, magic, what else could you want?

Zilpha Keatley Snyder was one of my favorite authors back in middle school when I started reading like crazy. In fact, The Velvet Room, is my all time favorite from that time. I was recently reminded of that fact and was considering re-reading it, but was afraid it would be a bit disappointing as an adult. As a trial, I picked another book of hers I remembered enjoying and figured if I still liked that as much, I would read Velvet Room again. Sadly, the Changeling was good but not great, at least from an adult point of view. It does have good messages for kids and the story isn't bad, but it just wasn't as engaging as I remembered it. Interestingly, my recollection of this book was that it was entirely fantasy, when in fact the "fantasy" portion is actually the real children's make believe and is a very small portion of the story. Apparently over time my mind substantially over-inflated the part I liked best. Consensus: I think I'll keep my love for The Velvet Room a much cherished memory.

Know all the questions, but not all the answers

Look for the different instead of the same

Never walk when there’s room for running

Never do anything that can’t be a game

I enjoy Snyder's stories because they handle the spaces in between so gently and lovingly. Martha and Ivy have to navigate a world of adults with rules that don't make much sense, but they find each other and spaces in between school and home - the stable, the trees - that give them a chance to be themselves, try out new selves, to imagine new worlds. The book takes them from age 7 through high school, and especially the transition between the innocence of not knowing that there are bad things in the world and the discovery of them when they touch you.

Interesting

Overall this was an engaging read about belonging (or not) and finding people who help cultivate your individuality instead of trying to mold you. The ending was a little underwhelming. The author had dropped a lot of interesting bread crumbs throughout the book that I was hoping she would explore more. Overall, though, I enjoyed this story about a friendship between two very different girls who supported each other when their (also very different) families did not. Parts of it definitely reminded me of Anne of Green Gables, especially the relationship between young Anne and Diana. Enjoyable, quick read.

I'm not sure I knew about this book as a kid, and I wonder how I would have read it as a child. [ For example, I'll have to reread Tuck Everlasting and see if I enjoy it now.] As an adult, I loved the portrayal of trying to find a place in one's family, spending hours and days outside unsupervised where anything could be imagined, and the challenges of making and keeping friends.

HI
I read the book in one night.

This is my 1st time to read one of Zilpha Keatley Snyder. In some ways it reminde another book: "Afternoon of the Elves" by Janet Taylor Lisle.

Like Janet Taylor Lisle, Snyder also giving a different meaning tothe word "different" and like her it has almost magical meaning.

Snyder also, open a window to other worlds in her magical way. She also have carckters: one poor and burning with imaganation and other who came from a "good" family but a meek kind. The influence that they have on each other personality is great one.

But unlike and "Afternoon of the Elves", which it's end cut unexpectly by the adults and we only can hope that things will end in a good way, here Snyder give us a good finish.

MOST RECOMMENDED!

This was my favorite book as a young girl and it is still wonderful. It is out of print and I couldn't remember the author's name so I couldn't find it for a long time. I love the power of imagination. My teen daughter and her friends create Alternate Universes with wonderful complex story lines - it reminds of Martha and Ivy and the Tree People. So glad I refound this.