Marino Family. (2015). Mrs Wobbles and the Tangerine House: Book 3: Switcheroo https://elmcip.net/node/9049
Switcheroo (2015) is the third story in a series of interactive fiction – Mrs Wobbles and the Tangerine House – for readers aged 7-11 years. Created by Mark C. Marino, in collaboration with his two children, with artwork by Brian Gallagher, the series is set in a magical foster home, where amusing, fantasy adventures take place. The reader is introduced to the Book of the Lost; a living, magical book and keeper of the tales of Mrs Wobbles, which is inclined to misbehave. This is a playful hook for young readers, and a nod to the academic discussions around digital fiction as “unruly objects” (Allan, 2017). Eight criteria will be applied to this evaluation, adapted from Kluver (as cited in Kucirkova, 2018), the University of Stavanger (2019), and Walsh (2013). The criteria – literary merit, aesthetic quality, representation, digital enhancements and extras, access, navigation, security and advertising, and authorship – relate to digital literature for children in primary schools.
Switcheroo performs well with regards to access, and security and advertising. Online safety is a key consideration for educators, when evaluating digital literature for children (Kucirkova, 2018, p.39). Switcheroo does not require readers to submit any personal information when reading the text (other than a name, which personalises the interaction), the privacy policy is transparent, and there are no distracting or inappropriate ads or pop-ups. There are some links to other websites, for example the author’s blog, however, content on these sites is also suitable for all ages. Marino’s digital fiction is free to access and read on various web browsers, across multiple platforms including Microsoft, Android and iOS.
In terms of aesthetic quality and navigation, Switcheroo has an uncluttered layout and easy to read text. Visually, Switcheroo is quite understated, a book-like interface which appears to mimic a children’s novel, with black font on a cream coloured background, which may support young readers to focus on the story (University of Stavanger, 2019). The text can easily be enlarged on Android or iOS devices. The minimal black and white illustrations support the story, are skilfully drawn and effectively depict the emotion of the protagonist.
Switcheroo involves a relatively complex plot, character development which supports the reader to empathise with diverse characters, humour, and new vocabulary. These are all key features of quality children’s literature (University of Stavanger, 2019; Walsh, 2013). Consequently, the text performs fairly well in regards to literary merit and representation. Switcheroo explores themes of identity, adoption, ability/disability, and gender stereotypes, in an age-appropriate way, without being moralistic or laboured. The reader is situated as the protagonist, Derik, a foster boy who wakes up to find he has the body of a girl; mysteriously, he also no longer needs to use his wheelchair. Derik then identifies as Denise, and is adopted under false pretences. At the conclusion of the story, the reader has to make a significant decision, which requires the young reader to engage with the character dilemma. This is a strength of the narrative, enhanced by the interactive format that enables reader choice.
Developed using Undum and HTML format, the platform of Switcheroo enables branching and reader interactivity. Hypertext fiction, or interactive fiction, has been a technological trend in publishing for more than 30 years, pre-dating the internet (Walsh, 2018). While this trend in literature empowers readers to have control over elements of the story, some young readers/players may become disorientated in non-linear narratives of the genre (Lamb, 2011, p.15). Switcheroo is fairly linear, which is appropriate for the target audience. An example of effective literary and technological synergy in Switcheroo, occurs when the reader chooses what Derik/Denise should do with their adoptive parents. Each choice results in the reader/protagonist learning something about one of the adults which challenges gender stereotypes.
There are also some shortcomings with regards to the hyperlinked narrative structure of Switcheroo, which interferes with the literary and technical integration. Most of the hyperlinks function as a ‘click to continue’ feature, and the actual choices the reader makes are quite limited. Many of the choices in Switcheroo contribute to the ‘Character chart’; a gaming component connected to the narrative, which may promote sustained engagement (Hassinger-Das et al., 2020). This also includes a scoreboard for ‘Page points’ and ‘Poem powers’. The ‘Character chart’ is a changeable summary of who the reader/player is acting like. This adds a playful layer of intertextuality, referencing popular children’s book characters, such as Hermione Granger or Percy Jackson. This is a fun literary feature which provides readers with immediate feedback, which also supports motivation (Hirsch-Pasek et al. 2015). However, this component of the text isn’t followed through in the narrative. The subsequent text and actions of Derik/Denise are not actually altered by the readers choice. Other hyperlinks allow the reader to unlock a hidden poem, or find extra sections of text, which contributes to their ‘Page points’ or ‘Poem powers’. Unfortunately, these points and powers are arbitrary, as they don’t enable the player to do anything extra with the text.
Overall, Switcheroo is a sound example of interactive fiction appropriate for middle-upper primary school students, without being overly fragmented and disorientating. While some of the text’s digital enhancements and extras aren’t always integrated and executed as fluently as they could be, these are points for discussion within classrooms and libraries. A suitable text for reading for pleasure, the text could also be used in school contexts for literature circles, reading groups and book clubs, to engage with the themes identified. It would be great to see an audio option of Switcheroo, to support readers with developing literacy skills.
References
Allan, C. (2017). Digital fiction: ‘Unruly object’ or literary artefact? English in Australia, 52(3), 21-27.
Hassinger-Das, B., Brennan, S., Dore, R.A., Golinkoff, R.M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2020). Children and Screens. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2(1), 69-92.
Hirsh-Pasek, K., Zosh, J.M., Golinkoff, R.M., Gray, J.H., Robb, M.B., & Kaufman, J. (2015). Putting education in ‘educational’ apps: Lessons from the science of learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 16(1), 3–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100615569721
Kucirkova, N. (2018). How and Why to Read and Create Children’s Digital Books: A Guide for Primary Practitioners. UCL Press.
Lamb, A. (2011). Reading redefined for a transmedia universe. Learning & Leading with Technology, 39(3), 13-17.
University of Stavanger. (2019). Best practice design. Children’s Digital Books. https://www.childrensdigitalbooks.com/design/
Walsh, K. (2018). Interactive fiction: A fun approach to gamifying learning. EmergingEdTeach. https://www.emergingedtech.com/2018/12/interactive-fiction-a-fun-approach-to-gamifying-learning/
Walsh, M. (2013). Literature in a digital environment. In L. McDonald, A Literature Companion for Teachers (pp. 181-185). Primary English Teaching Association.
