Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful?
Happy, Troubled, Hopeful
You can feel the happiness in Cassie's words and see it in the colors on every page.
Just beneath the surface, though, there are hints of trouble. Daddy's having a hard time at work, and he left the family—maybe for good. Mommy's been crying a lot. Cassie's old enough to sense when things are wrong.
But at the same time, she's hopeful about the future. She knows she can do anything and go anywhere. She knows how to fly.