Antecedents for Unwise Child range from science fiction to detective fiction.

The "wise child" tradition of science fiction is used along with the "wise guy" tradition of detective fiction. The "wise child" is an old archetype, an innocent but preternaturally clever figure, often a savior. The "wise guy" is a clever fellow who gets himself into trouble and the plot into motion by being clever once too often.

The "wise child" motif is often seen in science fiction stories featuring robots. Often in such stories the robot is more potent than its creator, which is not too difficult if its creator is more ingenious than he is sensible, like young Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818), the progenitor of many science fiction horror stories. The title Unwise Child indicates that Garrett is working a deliberate reversal of the child-as-savior theme, for while Snookums does save the...