Interview With the Winner, Connor Gordon:
"We're looking for an exciting new character -- who can show the gang in Elwood City that children come in all shapes, sizes, and abilities." That's the challenge that
Arthur creator Marc Brown issued to kids ages 6-12 for the
"ARTHUR/All Kids Can Character Search." Some 8,500 young artists answered the call, and the winner was 11-year-old Connor Gordon of Savage, Minnesota, who created a basketball-loving, wheelchair-using character named Lydia Fox. I asked Connor a few questions about his inspiration for Lydia, his friends with disabilities, and his message for kids with special needs.
How did you come up with the idea for Lydia?:
The Arthur characters are mostly forest animals, and a fox just wasn't taken. She is a girl fox because I think foxes look feminine. I chose her to be in a wheelchair because people are not always born paralyzed. I wanted to show kids that people can get to be in wheelchairs other than just being born with a disability. Lydia dove into the shallow end of a pool when she was seven and it paralyzed her from the waist down.
Did you think about any other kinds of disabilities?:
Yes, I thought of mental disabilities and other physical ones, but this disability seemed to be easier for younger kids to maybe understand.
Do you know anybody who uses a wheelchair?:
My friend's uncle is in one.
Do you know anybody with any other kind of disability?:
I know a girl with only three fingers on one hand. I know some boys with Down syndrome and a little girl with Rett syndrome, and one of my friends has cystic fibrosis.
If you could write an episode of "Arthur" for Lydia, what would the story be?:
It would be about Lydia being new to the school, and how the kids talk behind her back because they think she is different. She makes friends with Francine because Lydia can play sports, especially basketball, really good and Francine never knew that someone in a wheelchair could even play sports. Francine is blown away.
Who is your favorite "Arthur" character?:
Buster.
What was the best thing about meeting Marc Brown?:
Asking him questions about drawing and him telling me about his experiences as a cartoonist.
Is there any message you'd like to send to children with disabilities?:
I want people to know you and like you for who you are and not think you are different from them. I do want people to understand you and know what it is like to have a disability. You are special just like every other person.
Meet the Other Finalists:
I was honored to be part of the panel that narrowed 30 contest semifinalists to 10 finalists. All the kids involved did a good and thoughtful job that honors children with disabilities and the peers who befriend them. You can see all the artwork for the top 10 on the Character Search site, but here's a look at what each of these creative youngsters wrote about their characters:
Emily Glaze of Birmingham, Alabama, based her character of Grace Davis on a friend with Down syndrome. "Grace and D.W. have similar personalities because they both like to be the life of the party."
Shane Kearney of Lexington, Virginia, created Carlos, a dwarf giraffe who uses a cane and sometimes a wheelchair. "Carlos likes to take pictures and play with his friends. He speaks Spanish and English."
Joseph Kesting of Yardville, New Jersey, writes of Sammy Gato, a cat who stutters, "Sammy never gives up! He has a great attitude and doesn't let stuttering stop him from having fun!" Karate helps him speak more slowly.
Meaghan Pannasch of Morganville, New Jersey, also created a character who stutters, seven-year-old Arianna Petals. "She likes to cook and dance and take singing lessons. When she sings she doesn't stutter at all."
Emily Pruitt of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, imagined a character called Bubby, who has autism just like her twin brother. "Bubby doesn't talk much, but he can sing very well. He has a service dog named Aubrey."
Meg Sheeran of Worcester, Massachusetts, writes that Preston McPanda "was born profoundly deaf and has undergone cochlear implant surgery. When his implants are off, he signs." Preston's hobbies include gardening and Tai Chi.
Amy Solov of South Easton, Massachusetts, created Kristy Star, who has "synesthesia, meaning every letter and sound is associated with a color." Horseback riding helps her forget her feelings of being different.
Eliana Yopp of Santee, California, thought up Alana Smith, "a girl who is deaf and dances ballet." Alana's best Elwood City friend would be Sue Ellen, and the dancer would be the object of Binky's first crush.
Charlie Zimmerman of Delaware, Ohio, came up with Frankie Salvador as a tribute to his friend Ian, who has juvenile arthritis. "Frankie in his spare time plays accordion and plays chess. Frankie knows a lot about cars."
