AustLit

'In this chapter, I analyse Specky Magee, a contemporary sports children’s narrative written by Garry Lyon and Felice Arena. This novel, published in 2002, is part of the larger homonymous series Specky Magee. Through a Neuro Lit Crit perspective, I close read selected passages from this book. It is proposed that Specky Magee could be employed in a narrative-persuasion-in-health context, the discipline dealing with the persuasive effects of narratives on people’s wellbeing. In particular, it is suggested that reading this novel could serve to encourage Australian children, who are at high risk for obesity, to exercise. To perform this analysis, I examine the potential of corporeal descriptions in Specky Magee, highlighting the possible influence exercised on its young readers by the characters’ successful engagement in football.'

Source: Abstract.