Little Willow ([info]slayground) wrote,
@ 2007-02-25 10:41:00
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Entry tags:anne, booklists, books, tink

Sassy Sidekicks of Children's Literature
They are the best friends. The siblings. The next-door-neighbors.
They help solve mysteries. Stand up to bullies. Run student council campaigns.
They are the Sassy Sidekicks of Children's Literature.

They don't have to be sassy, mind you. I just like that word. However, they do have to be true sidekicks. For example, the members of The Baby-Sitters Club are main characters, not sidekicks, because each member has books written from his or her point of view. By contrast, in Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, Anne Shirley is definitely the protagonist, with Diana Barry as her best buddy and loyal sidekick.

Add your suggestions to the list by posting a comment with the book or series title followed by the name of the sidekick(s). I will add the suggestions of others and mark the books I haven't read with an asterisk. I put my own favorite sidekicks in bold.

The List (70 sidekicks so far)
An Abundance of Katherines: Hassan
Alice McKinley series: Liz and Pam
Anatopsis: Uno
Anne of Green Gables series: Diana Barry
Artemis Fowl series: Butler
Bartimaeus trilogy: Kitty
The Bermudez Triangle: Parker
Betsy and Tacy series: Tacy and Tib
The Book Thief: Rudy
Casson Family series*: Sarah
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Grandpa Joe
Coraline: The unnamed cat
Edgar and Ellen: Pet
Emily of New Moon trilogy: Ilsa
Enthusiasm: Ashleigh
Escape to Witch Mountain: Winkie the Cat
Freaky Friday: Boris
The Great Brain series: J.D.
Green Knowe series: Grandmother Oldknow
Gregor the Overlander*: Luxa and Boots
Harriet the Spy: Janie and Sport
Harry Potter series: Hermione and Ron
Heidi: Peter and Clara
Henry Huggins series: Ribsy
His Dark Materials trilogy: Pantalaimon
Inkspell*: Farid
Jimmy Coates series: Felix Muzbeke
Johnny Dixon series: Fergie
Keys to the Kingdom series: Suzy Turquoise Blue and Leaf
King Matt the First: Klu-Klu
A Little Princess: Becky
Little Women: Laurie
The Lone Ranger stories*: Tonto
May Bird trilogy: Somber Kitty
M.T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales: Lily and Jasper Dash
My Side of the Mountain trilogy: Frightful
Nancy Drew series: Bess and George
The NeverEnding Story: Falkor
Nina Tanleven trilogy: Chris
Penny from Heaven: Frankie
Percy Jackson & the Olympians series: Annabeth and Grover
Peter Pan: Tinker Bell
Pippi Longstocking trilogy: Mr. Nilsson the monkey
Prydain Chronicles*: Eilonwy
Sabriel: Mogget
Series of Unfortunate Events: Duncan and Isadora Quagmire
Silverwing trilogy*: Kate de Vries
The Sisters Grimm series: Puck
Swallows & Amazons series: Captain Flint
Then There Were Five*: Mark Herron
To Kill a Mockingbird: Dill
Trixie Belden series: Honey
Un Lun Dun: Deeba
Under the Lilacs: Phebe
Voyage of the Dawn Treader: Reepicheep
Winnie-the-Pooh: Piglet
What Katy Did*: Clover
What Katy Did At School*: Rose Red

This list was inspired by Jen Robinson's Cool Girls from Children's Literature and Cool Boys from Children's Literature and Journey Woman's Great Antagonists of Children's Literature.


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[info]kidslitinfo
2006-09-23 06:28 pm UTC (link)
For me, Hermione is the best "sassy sidekick" ever!
I also love Kitty in the Bartimaeus Trilogy

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[info]slayground
2006-09-23 06:31 pm UTC (link)
Added and added.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

[info]kidslitinfo
2006-09-23 06:30 pm UTC (link)
Um, that last comment was from me--Kelly at Big A litte a (http://kidslitinformation.blogspot.com/)

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]slayground
2006-09-23 06:32 pm UTC (link)
Three cat-like characters in a row. What are the odds?

(Reply to this)(Parent)

[info]kimexclaimation
2006-09-23 06:40 pm UTC (link)
LW, I hate to barge in on this post, but I need your help! I know you've posted young adult lit lists before, but my copy is on my laptop, which is currently on it's way back to HP. Can you repost or email me YA lit lists? I have a few 8th grade boys who absoutely refuse to read. I want to give them some options. Also, a couple of parents asked for suggestions.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]slayground
2006-09-24 03:53 am UTC (link)
You have email.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

[info]abbichicken
2006-09-23 06:43 pm UTC (link)

Clover, from What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge.

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]tornyourdress, 2006-09-23 06:47 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]abbichicken, 2006-09-23 06:48 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-23 07:02 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ozlady, 2006-09-23 07:13 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-23 07:20 pm UTC

[info]tufted
2006-09-23 07:22 pm UTC (link)
Ilsa from the Emily of New Moon series.

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]tufted, 2006-09-23 07:24 pm UTC
Sassy!
(Anonymous)
2006-09-23 07:59 pm UTC (link)
"Fergie" from John Bellairs' "Johnny Dixon" mysteries is the perfect lovable punk.

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Re: Sassy! - [info]slayground, 2006-09-23 08:00 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2006-09-23 08:02 pm UTC (link)
How about Pet from Edgar and Ellen? [He doesn't really DO much until Pet's Revenge, but still...]

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]morganlight, 2006-09-23 08:02 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-23 08:03 pm UTC

[info]morganlight
2006-09-23 08:10 pm UTC (link)
I was also always rather fond of Charlie Bucket's grandfather.

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-23 08:13 pm UTC
Sassy Sidekicks of Children's Literature
(Anonymous)
2006-09-23 09:19 pm UTC (link)
Gregor the Overlander--Luxa and Boots

M.T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales--Lily and Jasper Dash

Airborn and Skybreaker--Kate de Vries

From Gail @ Original Content (who is not a sidekick, but not Anonymous, either)

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Re: Sassy Sidekicks of Children's Literature - [info]slayground, 2006-09-23 10:16 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2006-09-23 11:49 pm UTC (link)
Winnie-the-Pooh: Piglet
Charlotte's Web: Wilbur (and possibly Templeton)
A Little Princess: Becky
Heidi: Peter (and probably Clara, too)
Freaky Friday: Boris
Under the Lilacs (Louisa May Alcott): Phebe
Harriet the Spy: Janie and Sport
The Great Brain (and series): younger brother J.D.
My Side of the Mountain: Frightful
Pippi Longstocking: Mr. Nilsson the monkey

Becky at Farm School (http://farmschoolathome.blogspot.com)

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-24 12:15 am UTC
Daisy
(Anonymous)
2006-09-24 12:25 am UTC (link)
Little Women: Laurie

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Re: Daisy - [info]slayground, 2006-09-24 12:32 am UTC
brilliant list...
(Anonymous)
2006-09-24 12:28 am UTC (link)
How about Eilonwy from the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander - LOVE her.

And I could probably go through each of the Narnia Chronicles and find a different sidekick from each one, but I'll just name my very fave: Reepicheep from Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

~eisha (http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings)

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Re: brilliant list... - [info]slayground, 2006-09-24 12:31 am UTC
Re: brilliant list... - (Anonymous), 2006-09-24 05:40 am UTC
Re: brilliant list... - [info]slayground, 2006-09-24 04:38 pm UTC
Re: brilliant list... - [info]rclementmoore, 2007-02-25 07:00 pm UTC
Sassy Sidekicks
(Anonymous)
2006-09-24 01:42 am UTC (link)
Sabriel--Mogget
The Lightning Thief--Grover (there's also a girl whose name I can't remember or find)

Gail @ O.C.

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Re: Sassy Sidekicks - [info]slayground, 2006-09-24 01:50 am UTC

[info]elswhere1
2006-09-24 05:49 pm UTC (link)
The Casson family series (Saffy's Angel, Indigo's Star, Permanent Rose, Caddy Ever After), by Hilary McKay--Sarah (though she may yet have her own book; I'm not the only one who'd be happy if she did)

Then There Were Five, by Elizabeth Enright--Mark Herron

Nightbirds on Nantucket, by Joan Aiken-- I suppose Dido Twite doesn't count, as she gets several of her own books later, but she's a very sassy sidekick in this one!

--elswhere, here via Big A Little A

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-24 05:52 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2006-09-24 07:13 pm UTC (link)
Klu-Klu from 'King Matt the First' (a recent read for me).... -- jules (http://www.blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings)

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-24 07:24 pm UTC
What a neat idea!
[info]jensbookpage
2006-09-25 01:58 am UTC (link)
How about Calvin O'Keefe from A Wrinkle in Time? I'm not sure if you want to have overlap between sidekick and (future) spouse, but he's a sidekick in that book. Also...

- Ashleigh from Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman.
- Rudy from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
- Uno, Barnaby's dog, from Anatopsis from Chris Abouzeid.
- Farid from Inkspell (Dustfinger's sidekick) by Cornelia Funke.
- Puck from The Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley.
- Cousin Frankie from Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm.
- Winkie the Cat from Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key.

Thanks for linking back to the cool girl and boy lists, too. I think that this one is an interesting twist - the sidekicks don't get enough attention, but they can make a huge difference in the texture of a book. I'm sure that I'll be back for more.

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Re: What a neat idea! - [info]slayground, 2006-09-25 02:07 am UTC
Re: What a neat idea! - [info]jensbookpage, 2006-09-25 02:10 am UTC
Re: What a neat idea! - [info]slayground, 2006-09-25 02:50 am UTC
Re: What a neat idea! - [info]jensbookpage, 2006-09-25 05:05 am UTC
Re: What a neat idea! - [info]slayground, 2006-09-25 02:33 pm UTC

[info]lisayee
2006-09-25 02:52 am UTC (link)
Dill. Did anyone say Dill yet?

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-25 02:53 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]lisayee, 2006-09-25 02:54 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-25 02:55 am UTC
Dill - [info]beckylevine, 2006-09-28 02:50 am UTC
Sidekicks
(Anonymous)
2006-09-25 12:44 pm UTC (link)
Arthurian Legends-Lancelot
Lone Ranger Stories-Tonto
Frog & Toad books-Frog and Toad

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Re: Sidekicks - [info]slayground, 2006-09-25 02:31 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2006-09-25 09:43 pm UTC (link)
Swallows & Amazons series: Captain Flint
Green Knowe series: Grandmother Oldknow


RM1(SS) (ret)

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-25 09:49 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2006-09-26 02:43 pm UTC (link)
What a great idea!
Can I suggest the sidekick from my own series of books?

I write the Jimmy Coates series, published by HarperCollins. The first in the series is 'Jimmy Coates: Assassin?' and it's just out in paperback in the US. (It's already a year old in the UK, where I'm pleased to say it's won awards and some great reviews.)

Anyway, I'll stop plugging my book and tell you that Jimmy's sidekick throughout the series is his friend, Felix Muzbeke.

Thanks!
Joe Craig

www.joecraig.co.uk

(Reply to this)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]slayground, 2006-09-26 02:51 pm UTC
VERY cool list!
[info]nrkii
2006-09-27 01:03 am UTC (link)
Just back from vacation and need to rack my brain on this as my initial thoughts are already listed....

From the Trixie Belden series: Honey
From the Harry Potter series: Ron
From Eight Cousins: Phebe
From the Series of Unfortunate Events: Duncan and Isadora Quagmire

That's all my brain can cough up for tonight. Be back with more later!

(Reply to this)
Ooh, another one
[info]nrkii
2006-09-27 01:05 am UTC (link)
This one actually came from Daisy, but I'm using her computer now:

From the Artemis Fowl series, Butler

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Re: Ooh, another one - [info]slayground, 2006-09-27 01:28 am UTC
Re: Ooh, another one - (Anonymous), 2006-09-27 06:20 pm UTC

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