35 pages • 1 hour read
Abby HanlonDory Fantasmagory
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Authorial Context: Abby Hanlon’s Authentic Narration
Dory Fantasmagory is the second book by Brooklyn-based author-illustrator Abby Hanlon. Before beginning her career as an author-illustrator, Abby Hanlon was a first-grade teacher in the New York City public school system, working with kids the same age as Dory, the title character from Dory Fantasmagory. Known for her unique ability to capture the voice and perspective of children, Hanlon discusses in interviews how she pulls from her own life to give her characters a sense of realism. Hanlon references a conversation with her siblings that clarified something about their dynamic and planted the seed for Dory’s creation. She describes how her older brother followed her older sister, and both considered Hanlon, the youngest, immature. Hanlon digs into the feeling of being the youngest sibling, yearning to be included but always brushed off as a nuisance.
Hanlon talks about the way she gathers inspiration for her dialogue, listening in on her kids’ conversations and documenting the way they talk. She captures elements of their cadence, the way they blur fantasy and reality, and specific imaginative games they have created. She also involves kid perspectives in her writing and editing process, reading passages from Dory Fantasmagory to her kids while she edits. Hanlon states that she considers Dory a kind of family project where they all participate in its creation. Outside of her family, Hanlon engages with her fans, asking them to send youthful anecdotes that she could potentially incorporate into future Dory books. There have been seven Dory novels published or announced to date.
Hanlon didn’t have a background in art before she began writing and illustrating her novels. She began learning to draw at age 28 (Hanlon, Abby. “Interview with Abby Hanlon.” Cybils, 5 Apr. 2016). She describes taking inspiration from her students and the way they used pictures to tell their stories. By studying other children’s books, she developed her signature scribbly style and her own method for integrating the art with the story.
Critical Context: Dory Fantasmagory, A New Classic
Dory Fantasmagory was highly acclaimed upon its publication and continues to be a popular and beloved children’s book series. It has been translated into 25 languages and has sold over 1.5 million copies. The series’ popularity grew slowly over time, through word of mouth and particular enthusiasm from book-sellers and librarians who loved how kids connected with the book. It wasn’t until the fourth book was published that any Dory novel received a review in The New York Times.
Hanlon originally received pushback from publishers about the form of the book. They didn’t believe that children as young as six would read a chapter book, but Hanlon knew from her own experiences with children that they would appreciate it as long as there were enough pictures to keep them engaged (Smith, Genevieve. “Kid Brain: Abby Hanlon’s Dory Fantasmagory Series Is Some of the Best Children’s Literature in Years.” Vulture, 2023). Many critics consider Dory to be a new addition to the canon of classic children’s literature. New York Magazine describes how Dory contains hints of other beloved characters in children’s books like Calvin, from Calvin and Hobbes, and Ramona Quimby. Dory’s imaginative personality might also remind the reader of Max from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, and the scribbly, hand-drawn art references Quentin Blake’s illustrations for Roald Dahl’s popular novels. As many critics have pointed out, Dory Fantasmagory exists in a lineage with these classic works, paying homage to the characters, narratives, and art styles, while also carving out an entirely new niche built around a unique character. Critics describe that what truly makes Dory so unique is the childlike logic that cleaves so closely to the way kids actually play and captures kids’ way of thinking.
