This is why I'm going to attempt a series of posts sharing my thoughts on a few books we've read in recent years, starting with those I recommend most highly... so you can look at your library bag (or box or wagon or, as one mother I know once confessed, rolling suitcase) without cringing.
This series contains five books, beginning with The Book of Three, and I cannot say enough in praise of Lloyd Alexander's work here. Alexander promotes the values - humility, courage, faithfulness, love, honor - that I long for my children to cherish. He does so blatantly at times -
“Long ago I yearned to be a hero without knowing, in truth, what a hero was. Now, perhaps, I understand it a little better. A grower of turnips or a shaper of clay, a Commot farmer or a king--every man is a hero if he strives more for others than for himself alone.
Once you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain.” (The High King)
- but never does he come across as preachy. His writing is nothing short of exquisite.
His characters, too, are exquisite. Taran is probably my favorite hero of any tale I've read. Perhaps the best thing about him, in an age of Harry Potters, Percy Jacksons, and Greg Heffleys, is that he isn't a punk, for lack of a better word. Taran is an Assistant Pig-Keeper who longs to be a Hero and who respects those in authority over him. Do not think for a moment that he is a perfect young man. He struggles as much as the rest of us do to make sense of the world around him, to discover his place in that world, and to strive to live nobly. He is everything we should hope for our boys to be. And I think that's the highest praise a mom can give any character - to wish for his good character to influence her children. As much as I enjoyed some of the characters mentioned above, I can't say I want my boys to be like them.
And Elionwy... What can I say of dear Eilonwy of the red-gold hair except that I wish I were as clever as she is?
Alexander's characters will charm you, inspire you, and remain with you as dear, dear friends. They are, without doubt, friends worth sharing with your children.
A few words of almost caution regarding Lloyd Alexander...
First, he doesn't play around with evil. As in, the black cauldron from which the second book takes its name transforms, in gruesome fashion, unwilling human beings into undead warriors. There is an aspect of the cauldron, though, not to be shared here for fear of spoiling the story, that is beautifully reminiscent of what Christ did for humanity when he hung on the cross.
The books also contain prophecies, wizards, witches, and the like. For some, that's an automatic disqualification. I personally think it depends upon how it is done. Never in the books did I feel like these things were glorified. Rather, the lines between good and evil were clear without making the story predictable.
The long - and sorry, nothing is short about this - of it is that while I felt I ought to issue the above cautions, I personally do not find those elements deal-breakers - at least not in the case of this series. On the contrary, I feel they add richness to the story, in that they enhance the conflict, up the stakes, and show good and evil (and ultimately good's triumph over evil) in much clearer terms than might otherwise be possible in a narrative. You may feel differently - and that's fine, but I believe that in dealing with literature, we do well to look at the whole story, rather than single elements. Honestly, if you're going to dismiss a book on the basis of "unchristian elements," you might want to keep the Bible on the shelf, too. (Baal worship, anyone?)
Another word of caution: Do not assume all of Alexander's books are appropriate for your upper elementary child. I heartily recommend The Chronicles of Prydain, but would have reservations recommending The Westmark series to children in this age group. While excellent, the Westmark books are for a more mature audience, as they deal more graphically with war and complex political situations. Read and enjoy them yourself, but you'll probably want to wait a few years to pass them on to the kiddos.
The Chronicles of Prydain, though... Those you should acquire ASAP, before your kids get their grubby hands on them and you have to wait till the kids are in bed to immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Prydain!
(Yes, I did fight with Andrew over these books. If you need any further endorsement, let me tell you that he devoured this series and went back for seconds, maybe thirds...)
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