October 7, 2013
Klickstein (Rag Doll: A Horrotica Novel) compiles an oral history of the famous kid-oriented TV channel that started in the late 1970s as Pinwheel Network and became Nickelodeon. The oral history approach allows for unmediated stories and encompasses a diverse set of opinions without prioritizing one voice more than others. Actors open up about going through puberty while on TV and the musician Mark Mulcahy, from the late-80s band Miracle Legion, talks about developing the theme song for the show The Adventures of Pete & Pete. The book contains a recipes for Nick's famed green slime, discussions of the concept behind the logo and missionâ"âhave fun' and⦠âwe like orange'"âand speculation about the effects of the network's success. In the words of Alan Goodman, a writer Hey Dude and Clarissa Explains It All, "Grown-ups took control of the slime and made it pretty." The book's strengthâit's grounding in oral historyâis also its biggest weakness. Klickstein provides little to no context, besides a who's who list at the back of the book, so it's very easy to get lost in interviews. There's a wealth of information, but it can be hard to parse. Agent: Janet Rosen, Sheree Bykofsky Associates, Inc.