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What: Moomintroll and the other Moomins are odd creatures living among a cast of equally odd characters: the Snork Maiden, the Fillyjonk, the Hemulen. The books need not be read in consecutive order. There’s quite a few of them, including Comet in Moominland, Finn Family Moomintroll, Moominpappa at Sea, Moominsummer Madness, Moominvalley in November, Moominland Midwinter and Tales from Moominvalley, some of which are available in cartoon form as well.
Who: Again kids as well as those who love literature written for kids will love these. There is a quiet charm and gentle oddness to the Moomin books that is enthralling.
Why: Read these for enjoyment, or to take apart and see how Jansson has rendered our world in charmingly fractured form. Read them to see an example of children’s books that knock your socks off with charm.
When and where and how: Read Moominland Midwinter when it’s snowy and solitary outside and you want to imagine the lonesome Groke wandering in search of warmth. Really it’s not so much a question of when to read them as when they’ll return to you, at odd moments on the ferry or seeing a wave crest.
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What: The Chronicles of Narnia is the creation of C.S. Lewis. The seven books can be read in chronological order (starting with The Magician’s Nephew) or as Lewis wrote them (starting with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Children from our world find entrance into another, filled with talking animals and mythological creatures. The parallels with Christianity are strong, and intentional, but do not damage the book.
Who: Kids will love these, particularly avid readers, but scholars of both children’s fantasy and Christian literature will also want to read at least the first book, if not the series overall.
Why: Read these because they’re a chance to explore a classic fantasy landscape and books which influenced so many others to come, such as Lev Grossman’s The Magicians, Guy Gavrie l Kay’s Fionavar Tapestry series or Joy Chant’s Red Moon and Black Mountain.
When: Read these when you want a ripping good fantasy with no intrusion of complicated sexuality (other than the usual Freudian overtones). But read it also for a look at how female characters have been treated, and when you’re done, read this excellent reflection on Susan.
Where and how: Anytime, really. These are comfort books for me, particularly The Silver Chair, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Last Battle.
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"(On the writing F&SF workshop) Wanted to crow and say thanks: the first story I wrote after taking your class was my very first sale. Coincidence? nah….thanks so much."
(science fiction, story)
Decades later the music was what really tipped Glen off. He heard a song on the radio, a brand new release, and remembered the day he’d first heard it, twenty years earlier. Everything began to fall together then. Or maybe that was when it really started to shatter.
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