Written by Harry Allard and illustrated by James Marshall, Miss Nelson is Missing! features a youthful educator whose training has not quite prepared her for the realities of student behavior. Simply put, her class doesn’t respect her, and when Miss Nelson stops showing up for work, the students congratulate themselves on having driven her out.
But their joy is premature. Enter Miss Viola Swamp, the replacement teacher and Miss Nelson’s veritable opposite: a real whip-cracker. After silencing the unruly children with her witch-like demeanor, she forces them to obey her every command and sends them away each afternoon with piles of homework. Suddenly, Miss Nelson is looking pretty good.
Overall Story Structure
The principal action in Miss Nelson is Missing! consists of attempts by the children to track down their vanished teacher. After seeking help from an incompetent detective, they take it upon themselves to stake out Miss Nelson’s house, to no avail. They brainstorm strange ideas, including the possibility that Miss Nelson has been eaten by sharks or retired to the planet Mars. To their everlasting joy, Miss Nelson finally returns, but she refuses to say where she has been.
Although it has a compelling narrative, Miss Nelson is Missing! is episodic in nature and foregoes the use of a central protagonist. One can either view the entire class as the main character or assign that role to Miss Nelson, despite the fact that she only appears at the beginning and end. In actuality, she is present throughout the entire story, but mostly in a clever disguise. She and Miss Swamp, the reader discovers, are one and the same.
Themes Explored in Miss Nelson is Missing!
As noted above, the entire class could be considered the “hero” of the story. They learn the book’s valuable (and wonderfully subtle) lesson, which might be articulated as “Appreciate what you have,” or “Be careful what you wish for,” or perhaps “What comes around goes around.” Fortunately, none of these aphorisms are overtly stated. Allard and Marshall employ a light touch that leaves room for children to internalize concepts on their own.
Adults familiar with the frustrations of disciplining young children will admire Miss Nelson’s masquerade, and will probably find themselves wishing they could resort to the same drastic measure. It is worth noting the astonishing power which the Viola Swamp persona wields. Ultimately, it reveals only the most benevolent and edifying of intentions. If we wish our children to understand the need for boundaries, the book seems to say, a tender Jekyll-and-Hyde strategy is not beyond the pale.
Artwork and Design Elements in Miss Nelson is Missing!
Marshall’s beautiful ink-and-watercolor pictures create much of the book’s charm. Rendered in quick curves and gestures, the characters are full of humor and even a kind of glowing crudity, which lends itself to the overall deadpan tone. Each child resembles a particular species of troll. Miss Nelson radiates a deceptive sweetness, while Miss Swamp and the daft Detective McSmogg both shine as over-the-top caricatures.
One of the most pleasing aspects of Marshall’s art is his color palette. While nicely varied, it never comes close to overpowering the simple line drawings, and it imparts a moodiness that offsets the story’s goofy comedy. In addition, Marshall applies his watercolor in broken washes that evoke a warm, handmade feel all through the book. Illustration such as this is all too rare today.
Miss Nelson is Missing! Written by Harry Allard. Illustrated by James Marshall. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. ISBN: 0395252962.
Scott Fogdall - Scott's expertise focuses on both written and visual communication. As an undergraduate he studied drawing and painting, subsequently ...
