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Brian Jacques, Adored ‘Redwall’ Series Author, Dies at 71
Brian Jacques' "Redwall" books sold over 20 million copies worldwide
While beauty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder, it only takes a few minutes of browsing at a children’s library to know that it can seem sometimes as if there are more bad books out there than good ones. Which is why when you find a good one (or two or three or a dozen), you cling to them and pray to the book gods to send more like them your way.
It was with great sadness that I read about the passing of beloved British children’s author Brian Jacques over the weekend at age 71 from a heart attack. But not because I’d ever heard of him or read his books. It was upon seeing that millions (20 million, in fact) of his books for kids were read around the world in 29 languages, I immediately had an immense amount of respect for him. It’s not easy to write quality, compelling tales that can be universally appreciated.
My daughter is a voracious reader (or listener, since, at age two-and-a-half, she thinks all 26 letters in the alphabet are A, B and C). We’ve inherited books from my sister’s kids, been given many as gifts, and spend several hours a week at the library. We try to add new ones to our repertoire as often as we can because otherwise she wants the same one read over and over (I can recite “Good Night Moon” backwards in my sleep). And when she clings to a bad one, I’d rather give myself paper cuts on the pages than read it again.
Jacques’ “Redwall series” of over 20 novels, which were generally centered around woodland creatures such as mice, otters, squirrels and the like, were known as epic tales of good over evil, and it was said that he never spoke down to his young audience. Jacques was known among many as one of the world’s great children authors.
I’ll look forward to reading his books with my daughter when she gets a bit older.
Image: Wikipedia
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Freelancing Job, Meredith C. Carroll. Meredith C. Carroll said: Brian Jacques, "Redwall" children series author, dies at 71. http://su.pr/2sjxU6 [...]
Tweets that mention Brian Jacques, 'One of the Best Children's Authors in the World,' Dies at 71 | Strollerderby -- Topsy.com commented on Feb 08 11 at 4:44 amMamazee commented on Jun 16 11 at 4:36 pmWas there no one at Babble who had read these gorgeous children’s novels?
Brian Jacques has said in interviews that he wrote outside in the summertime, and my children cherished that thought as they reread the magnificent mouthwatering details of medieval feasts at Redwall Abbey or held their breath as good faltered and all looked lost, before evil was vanquished.
Brian Jacques was unique in his ability to emphasize the spiritual aspect of life without preaching or offending, and his goodhearted nature didn’t talk down to children or ignore the darkness that even children have an awareness of.
His books were universally loved because they were great reads for adults, teens, children, and even as read alouds for toddlers.
The world is a smaller, dimmer, and shabbier place without Brian Jacques and the only consolation is in the bright shelf full of novels that are still to be enjoyed by my youngest children.
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