Where's the Whimsy?

 by Charlotte Bennardo

What is whimsy?

Miriam Webster dictionary defines it as:

1- whim, caprice

 2- the quality or state of being whimsical or fanciful

3-a fanciful or fantastic device, object, or creation especially in writing or art.

Something like this, I would think: 

Photo by Kathleen Sullivan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mad-hatter-cosplayer-1398560/

This is whimsy on several levels: the character (the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, the epitome of whimsy), the makeup and dress with its color and outrageousness, and the reference to the story itself, which is full of unconventional writing devices like made-up words: "Curiouser and Curiouser!"

There's a certain talent I think people have who use whimsy. Picture book writers and illustrators have an abundance of it. One of my favorite pictures books that I loved reading to my kids is Moosetache by Margie Palatini. I mean, a moose with a too big mustache, hence, moose-tache. 

In movies, I think The Nightmare Before Christmas is whimsy for older viewers and readers, although it appeals to kids too. 

Whimsy reminds us of the silly, I-refuse-to-be-serious, I-want-to-have-fun time in our lives. It's hard to recapture that sense when we're older. To help me keep that sense of whimsy, I have this in my office:

Yes, those are a rubber duck and spiders. No, I don't like bugs, but my sister bought the larger one for me when she lived in NYC. It used to have an air tube and bulb. When you squeezed the bulb, it would make the spider leap. The salesman walked along, calling, "Get your jump-ing spi-ders here!' Every time either of us said that, we'd crack up laughing. Silly. Whimsy. 

Do I use whimsy? My middle grade trilogy, Evolution Revolution has whimsy, I think. A squirrel who learns how to use simple machines like the wheel to stop construction machines, and then teach it to the other animals?

If that's not whimsy, what is?

Charlotte writes MG, YA, NA, and adult novels in sci fi, fantasy, contemporary, and paranormal genres. She is the author of the award-winning middle grade Evolution Revolution trilogy, Simple Machines, Simple Plans, and Simple Lessons. She co-authored the YA novels Blonde OPS, Sirenz, and Sirenz Back in Fashion. She also has short stories in several anthologies. Having finished her MFA, she's applying what she learned and is revising several children's and adult novels. She lives in NJ with her family and her floofy cat. When they trimmed the backyard tree, the crazy squirrel couple had to move out, but she is happy to report she has a new squirrel tenant.