Week 1, Storybook Favorites

The first storybook I chose is called Indian Horror Story: Tales of the Lingering Souls. This title popped out to me because I watch the TV show it is inspired by. After reading the poorly labeled introduction to the story, I noted the authors creative use of language and descriptive words and phrasing. Being a biology major, any papers I write are usually lab reports or other scientific research that does not benefit from highly ornate description. Using descriptive language for our blog posts this semester is going to be difficult for me. Also, the layout and design of the webpage reflects the eerie tales. 

Because I found the title intriguing, I chose The Four Elements: Birth and Death Stories as my second storybook. I am not familiar with the birth and death stories of the Indian Epics characters, but I am familiar with the concept of the four elements: earth, wind, water, and fire. The title is descriptive enough to inform the reader of the contents of the story, while also being intriguing. Descriptive words and compelling sentences are used throughout the introduction here as well. In comparison with the previous storybook, the layout and design of this webpage could have included more references to the four elements with a background design or colorful text. Although clean looking, the design does not intrigue the reader nearly as much as the story itself. 

Told in first person, I chose To Sumitra, With Love as my final storybook. The moment I noticed the introduction was told in the first person, I was hooked. I imagine first person storytelling is the most enjoyable and compelling way to hear a story. The title did not reflect what the story is about, but I think that it is an appropriate title. A bit overly detailed, the introduction seemed to drag on until the final paragraph when the character made a reference to how a daughter always cherishes the stories of her father. I love my dad more than I can explain, I get teary eyed just thinking about how much I love him, so that final sentence was the hook for me. The overall design was not the most impressive, nor did it reflect the story all that well, but the fonts were good.

After looking through those three storybooks, I have more ideas for the design and content of my own story.