It’s a rather recent development that fantasy is getting widespread critical acceptance. It’s strange, though. Fantasy isn’t something that should be dismissed as mere children’s work, and yet it seems that some of the most influential pieces have started as and/or are intended to be entertainment for children and young adults. Even The Lord of the Rings began that way. Still, some stigmatization exists, perpetuated by veins of literary snobbery, but that shouldn’t consign anything meant for children to a proverbial ghetto. So that’s where I’ll be looking today. These are some of the most respected modern children’s authors of fantasy, although I wouldn’t assume that it’s definitive. More modern masters will probably find their way onto this blog eventually, but for now, enjoy these names.
ALAN GARNER (1934- )
He insists that his work was never meant to be children’s fiction, but he got labeled as such regardless. Drawing on the folklore and history of his native Cheshire, Garner made a name for himself with The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, set in the town of Alderley Edge, in which two children must help a wizard retrieve a mystic pendant stolen ages ago before the minions of a dark spirit find it; this was followed by a sequel, The Moon of Gomrath. Then came Elidor, an otherworldly tale of four children entrusted with sacred treasures, and The Owl Service, an adaptation of the Welsh legend of Blodeuwedd set in modern times. One more fantasy followed – Red Shift, which spans a thousand years in the history of Cheshire – before moving on to contemporary fiction. However, only recently, he turned out the long-awaited third installment of his Alderley Edge trilogy, Boneland.
Offsite resource:
The Unofficial Alan Garner Website
LLOYD ALEXANDER (1924-2007)
One of the most acclaimed writers of children’s fiction, Alexander is best known for The Chronicles of Prydain, in which elements of Welsh mythology are appropriated to tell the life story of Taran, an impetuous Assistant Pig-Keeper. His other series include the Westmark trilogy of European fantasies and the globetrotting exploits of Vesper Holly. His other single novels shouldn’t be disregarded, either, ranging from animal tales (Time Cat), picaresques (The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian), and foreign cultures such as Greek (The Arkadians), Chinese (The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen), Hindu (The Iron Ring), and Arabian (The First Two Lives of Lukas-Kasha, The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio).
Offsite resource:
MADELEINE L’ENGLE (1918-2007)
Although she has quite a number of books to her name, most of them being young adult stories of adolescent life, Mrs. L’Engle is known primarily for her “Kairos” science fantasy series of novels regarding a group of siblings and their friend discovering the phenomenon of folding space and time and the consequences that such actions bring. The series is chronologically divided into two “generations,” the first under the Murry name (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters) while the second follows the O’Keefes (The Arms of the Starfish, Dragons in the Waters, A House Like a Lotus), and the two come together in the last book (An Acceptable Time).
Offsite resource:
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
SUSAN COOPER (1935- )
One can only wonder what may have gone through people’s heads when Over Sea, Under Stone appeared in 1965. The novel tells of three children who, under the supervision of their wise uncle, discover the hidden location of the Grail, so essential to the Matter of Britain. It’s a suspenseful mystery with fantastic subtext…but eight years later, Susan Cooper would continue the story into full blown fantasy, detailing the struggle of the mystic Old Ones, servants of the Light, against the forces of the nebulous Dark. The four books that followed – The Dark Is Rising, Greenwitch, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree – would gain critical recognition and place Mrs. Cooper in the minds of many a fan.
Offsite resource:
The Lost Land: The Official Site of Susan Cooper
DIANA WYNNE JONES (1934-2011)
Not many fantasy writers known today can claim to have attended lectures by either Lewis or Tolkien. Diana Wynne Jones sat under both of them. Something of a precursor to J. K. Rowling, Jones’s work mixes traditional fantasy with warm humor and sharp social criticism. Important works of note include the Chrestomanci series (Charmed Life, The Magicians of Caprona, Witch Week, The Lives of Christopher Chant, Mixed Magics, Conrad’s Fate, and The Pinhoe Egg), the Dalemark Quartet (The Spellcoats, Cart and Cwidder, Drowned Ammet, and Crown of Dalemark), the Moving Castle series (Howl’s Moving Castle, Castle in the Air, and House of Many Ways), the short Derkholm series (Dark Lord of Derkholm and Year of the Griffin) and many single novels such as Dogsbody, Eight Days of Luke, Power of Three, The Time of the Ghost, Archer’s Goon, Fire and Hemlock, A Tale of Time City, A Sudden Wild Magic, and Hexwood.
Offsite resource:
ROBIN McKINLEY (1952- )
Wife of the late Peter Dickinson (writer of the “speculative natural history” The Flight of Dragons), Mrs. McKinley’s goal has been to provide an alternative for female readers where there previously were none (but, of course, I don’t mean to insinuate that she has nothing left to offer). She is well known for her two novels set in the mythic land of Damar (The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown), as well as retellings of classic fairy tales with feminist perspectives (Beauty, Rose Daughter, and Spindle’s End).
Offsite resource:
With this entry, I’m completely caught up on my contributions to the forum topic; everything from here on out is new material. That doesn’t mean anything is going to change, I’m just giving you all a head’s up. And I’m not yet done with children’s works. Though other individual authors will appear over time, my next big list will be some of the authors who have most shaped the history of children’s literature, let alone fantasy. Until then, the forum topic can be found here: http://www.lostpathway.com/tavern/index.php/topic,16.0.html