Interview with Denise Lewis Patrick about Melody
With the release of Melody's journal, American Girl interviewed her author, Denise Lewis Patrick, about Melody!
Why is Melody’s story important?
One reason is that she shows how a young person can have really big feelings about what’s going on around her. Melody speaks out about what she feels when she sees something that’s unfair, or when she’s curious and has questions. Her story shows other children that it’s okay to express what you’re feeling inside, and that there are grownups who will listen and who will help and encourage you to look for answers to some of those big questions that you have.
How are you like Melody? How are you different?
I’m like Melody because I’m interested in my community. I am very curious about the world, and the things that are happening in it, and what I might do to make it better. Another way we’re alike is I grew up in a large extended family. I’m different than Melody because I’m not a “take charge” kind of person. I have a lot of ideas about things, but Melody is different. She’s not just sitting around thinking about what needs to change, or what to do about it. She believes in action. And I actually like that a lot about Melody. Oh, and one huge difference between myself and Melody is that I cannot sing! I like singing, I love listening to music, but I really don’t sing very well at all. So I only sing at home—mostly when everyone else is out of the house!
How was it different telling Melody’s story as a first-person illustrated diary versus a third-person novel?
Writing in a first-person diary format was a neat challenge. I had to do more than imagine Melody’s actions and reactions to people and events. I couldn’t write the diary as just a writer describing a ten-year-old girl’s feelings. I had to think about every situation in a totally different way— I had to be Melody, describing her own feelings!
What a lovely interview about Melody. I enjoyed learning how much care goes into her story and design. For anyone wanting to make custom stickers from a favorite character photo, this photo to Sticker tool can turn one image into a sheet of twelve.
The part where Denise Lewis Patrick says she had to actually become Melody rather than just describe her really stood out to me, especially since that diary format makes the voice feel so immediate. It reminds me of how separating out a single element from a dense mix—like using an ai vocal remover to isolate a track—can change the whole way you hear something. That kind of shift in perspective is exactly what makes Melody's story land so differently from the novels.
Wow, when Denise Lewis Patrick talks about having to be Melody to write her diary, not just describe her, that really hit me. It's cool how she emphasizes Melody's action-oriented spirit, like in a 7-0 juego, making me think about my own writing process during a coffee break, totally different muscles needed!
That detail about Denise only singing at home when no one else is around made me laugh because honestly same. What I love most is how she describes stopping being the author and actually becoming Melody. That's such a meaningful distinction and it comes through in the books. My niece has had her Melody doll since she was seven and is completely obsessed. Last month she uploaded a selfie to Pixlio's Bratz doll generator just for fun, switched it to Boxed Doll mode, and put her own name on the packaging. She carried that printout around for a week. Melody's message about speaking up even when things feel big and scary is exactly what kids carry with them well past the…
I love how the author called out Melody's belief in action as astro.com extended chart a point of difference. It makes the character feel more real—some people are natural doers, while others (like me favorite pokemon selector and maybe the author!) are more idea people. It's a good reminder that my natal chart both types are needed, and stories need characters who actually go for it.