Karen Wojtyla's letter to Robert Cormier 12 March 1996
This five-page, single-spaced editorial letter concerning <em>Tenderness</em> from the editor, Karen Wojtyla (Bantam Doubleday Dell), constructively critiques the work in progress. She asks him to mention "monster" only sparingly, to reconsider how much backstory Jake is given, increase Lori's ambivalence rather than cast her as a willing accomplice to murder and reconsider his choice to close the book with Walter Clayton's suicide. Karen also mentions Craig Virden, Cormier's former editor, in redemptive ways and reveals that he had read and communicated with Cormier about <em>Tenderness </em>previously. Karen agrees with Craig on certain points, including removing Miss Kentall's lesbianism.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Karen+Wojtyla">Karen Wojtyla</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
12 March 1996
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
<a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/23" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Craig letter to Robert Cormier 16 February 1996</a><br /><a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/21" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert Cormier's letter to Craig 28 February 1996</a><br /><a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert Cormier's letter to Karen 9 April 1996</a><br /><a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/17" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tenderness draft with editor's comment</a>
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Karen Wojtyla's letter to Robert Cormier 9 April 1996
In this one page typed, Cormier's Bantam editor Karen Wojtyla confirms receipt of his revisions to <em>Tenderness.</em> She encourages Cormier on his progress with the novel and informs him of the timeline for bound and unbound galleys.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Karen+Wojtyla">Karen Wojtyla</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
9 April 1996
Annamary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
<a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert Cormier's letter to Karen 20 May 1996</a><br /><a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robert Cormier's letter to Karen 9 April 1996</a><br /><a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/18" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karen Wojtyla's letter to Robert Cormier 12 March 1996</a>
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Kellee Rich's letter to Robert Cormier 14 July 1994
This three-page typed letter was sent to Cormier by Kellee Rich, a sixteen-year-old student in England. After recounting her horrible experience with Thomas Hardy's <em>The Return of the Native</em>, she thanks Cormier for inspiring her to write and tells the story of discovering his novel <em>I Am the Cheese</em>. She talks about the emotional investment and response she had to his work.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Kellee+Rich">Kellee Rich</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
14 July 1994
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Worcester Phoenix Tenderness review
This review explores Cormier's novel <em>Tenderness</em>. It touches upon the terrifying realism of the plot and the characters. Later, it quotes Cormier's discussion regarding character development; specifically the ways that characters come alive for him through the writing process. It closes with Cormier's thoughts about Eric, and the mix of humanity and evil he represents.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Keri+Smith">Keri Smith</a>
The Worcester Phoenix
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
11 Paril 1997
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Newspaper+review">Newspaper review</a>
"Sex, Serial Killers, And Suicide" <em>Brill's Content</em>
Kimberly Conniff's article situates Cormier's novel <em>Tenderness</em> in the changing landscape of teen fiction. She uses the adjectives "gritty, immediate, and brazenly hardcore" to describe Melvin Burgess's <em>Smack</em>, but they could just as easily pertain to Cormier's work. Conniff also points to works like <em>Tenderness</em> exceeding publishers' sales expectations. She calls the move towards the hardcore subject matter a ploy to bring in older teens to the young adult market and marks the prevalence of YA specific imprints at large publishing houses, YA reading lists on bookstore websites, and YA specific book prizes. Conniff makes a passing mention of the Columbine shooting as a point to reference to remind readers of how teenagers do face real problems that literature written for and about them should reflect if we are to be honest about our reality.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Kimberly+Connie">Kimberly Connie</a>
<em>Brill's Content</em>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
September 1999
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
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English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Magazine+article">Magazine article</a>
Lara Langweiler's letter to Robert Cormier 13 December 1999
In this 2-page letter to Cormier, middle-school student Lara praises Cormier's realistic and socially-relevant novels, and among other things thanks him for making her "less self-centered". She mentions the potential for all people to be bad people, especially when provoked by fear. She recognizes the value of respect and the realism of his work, comparing his topics to those typically found in the news.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Lara+Langweiler">Lara Langweiler</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
13 December 1999
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
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English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
"Writer pens tough teen stories" <em>Middlesex News</em>
In this portrait of Cormier for the <em>Middlesex News</em>, Lisa Alcock touches on the highlights of Cormier's career and explores the gritty realism that helps Cormier's work connect with young readers. She devotes considerable space to the newly-released <em>Tenderness </em>and the differences between its two main characters, Lori and Eric.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Lisa+Alcock">Lisa Alcock</a>
<em>Middlesex News</em>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
18 April 1997
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
JPG, 8.5x11
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Newspaper+article">Newspaper article</a>
"Try a Little Tenderness" <em>Boston Magazine</em>
This profile of Cormier investigates his life and work, with a specific focus on his recent visit to Judge John J. Connelly Youth Service Center, a Roslindale youth lockdown for boys. Keeping his interactions with troubled youth to the fore, the piece also brings in the characters of Cormier's recent novel, <em>Tenderness</em>, which students at the facility recently read. Cormier shares his concerns about how realistic his depictions of the juvenile detention center will appear to this audience and the students struggle to feel sympathy for Eric or accept Lori's sad fate. Also included is a background of Cormier's early writing career.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Lisa+Gerson">Lisa Gerson</a>
<em>Boston Magazine</em>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
December 1997
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
JPG, 8x11 glossy magazine
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Magazine+article">Magazine article</a>
"Children's Writers Plumb the Depths of Fear" <em>Publisher's Weekly</em>
This 1995 <em>Publisher's Weekly</em> article examines the rise in popularity of suspense and horror books among middle-grade readers. "But it's all fear, isn't it?" Cormier says succinctly at a panel dedicated to the subject, referring to the everyday fears and anxieties that plague adolescents. The panel included John Peel, Erika Tamar, David Wiesner, and Ellen LiBretto and their conversion built on the theories of psychologist Bruno Bettelheim.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=M.P.+Dunleavey">M.P. Dunleavey</a>
<em>Publisher's Weekly</em>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
27 March 1995
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Magazine+article">Magazine article</a>
Mark Nardini's letter to Robert Cormier 8 December 1998
In this single-page typed letter, a teacher of Murdock Middle/High School introduces his school's short film adaptations of <em>Tenderness</em> and <em>Heroes</em> and extends an invitation for Cormier to visit since his books feature heavily in the senior curriculum.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Mark+Nardini">Mark Nardini</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
8 December 1998
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
JPG, 8.5x11
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Michael Antoniak's letter to Robert Cormier April 1986
In this one-page letter, young reader Michael Antoniak identifies the theme of injustice in Cormier's work and asks the author if he experienced teasing and injustice as a child. He also notes the depressing tone of Cormier's endings. Handwritten in ink at the bottom are the words "postcard answer 4/5/86".
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Michael+AntonkiakRobert+E.+Cormier+Collection+at+Fitchburg+State+University%27s+Amelia+V.+Gallucci-Cirio+Library%0D%0A">Michael AntonkiakRobert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
April 1986
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
<a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span>"Meet The Bully" John Fitch IV Column</span></a>
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>
Mike Gubbins's letter to Robert Cormier 18 February 1998
In this 2-page letter to Cormier, Mike, a student in Knoxville Tennessee, asks about Cormier's writing process and education, along with specific questions about <em>Heroes</em> and <em>I Am the Cheese</em>. Mike is especially interested in Cormier's inspirations and potential connection between his personal experiences and his writing.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Mike+Gubbins">Mike Gubbins</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
18 February 1998
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
<a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/12" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span>Robert Cormier's letter to Mike Gubbins 6 March 1999</span></a>
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<em>Tenderness</em> Grade Level Defense
This piece presents a detailed rationale for teaching Cormier's <em>Tenderness</em> at or above the sixth-grade level. The defense includes a summary of the novel, a biography of Cormier, teaching objectives, suggested teaching methods, potential essay questions, and suitable alternative books. The rationale for the book's value cites its potential to teach students about antisocial behavior and life's perils, of thinking critically about their own identity formation, and of the adolescent experience given "inadequate parenting".
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Nancy+Phol">Nancy Phol</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
JPG, 8.5x11
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Grade+level+defense+and+analysis+for+the+book%27s+use+in+schools">Grade level defense and analysis for the book's use in schools</a>
Delacorte Books for Young Readers Reading Group Guide
This draft version of Delacorte Press's reading guide for Robert Cormier's novel <em>Tenderness</em> presents the final 16 discussion questions and five others that were not selected for the publisher's Reader's Companion. The questions range from fairly straightforward, plot-driven questions to deeper questions of theology, morality, and literary themes in the novel. The five questions not selected address morality, sociopathology, the nature of love, the use of the term "monster," and the novel's adaptability to film. The draft includes the introduction to the novel, a list of other books by Cormier, and a short biography of the author.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Patty+Campbell">Patty Campbell</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
<a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/103" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span>Tenderness Reader's Companion Packet</span></a>
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Typescript+guide">Typescript guide</a>
"The Sand in the Oyster So What Really Happened?" <em>Horn Book Magazine</em>
This article explores the increased presence of ambivalence and ambiguity in young adult novels. While the article discusses Cormier's work heavily, Patty Campbell also references YA authors Walter Dean Myers, Lois Lowry, Terry Trueman, and David Almond. The author considers how rising use of ambiguity could come from the unreliable narrative voice of an adolescent. While the author praises the complex ambiguities inherent in the ending of <em>The Chocolate War</em>, she criticizes the novel's follow-up for lacking that ambiguity itself and undermining the ambiguity of <em>The Chocolate War</em>. Campbell also asks readers to consider if increasing the ambiguity in fiction makes the fiction more realistic and if such a goal is even desirable.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Patty+Campbell">Patty Campbell</a>
<em>Horn Book Magazine, </em>2005, Vol. 81, No. 4, pp. 503-207.
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
July/August 2005
Annamary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
JPG, 8.5x11
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Magazine+article">Magazine article</a>