Review by Booklist Review
When Jones learned she had only a few months to live, she and her agent, Laura Cecil, began gathering together a sampling of her essays. They run the gamut: an interview with Charles Butler (author of Four British Fantasists, 2006); her own fascinating Something about the Author entry; a succinct day in the life of an author making school visits (educators take note she is not complimentary!); and her son's eulogy at her funeral. With an introductory explanation of why it was chosen, each selection reveals Jones in one of her charming guises much-loved children's fantasy author, cuddling mum reading bedtime stories, unlucky traveler, reluctant author of adult books, and perceptive philosopher on writing, especially fantasy, and especially for children. It's a collection that belongs in every children's literature and writing course and on every library shelf. A serious, sometimes humorous, always perceptive tutorial on how to write, why to write, and most importantly how and why to write fantasy for children, the book achieves Jones' self-effacing and understated goal: It is my hope that some of these items will be of use to people. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Jones' career spanned four decades and, in that time, she wrote more than 40 fantasy books for young people. Fans of the legendary author, who passed away in 2011, will be eager to glean her advice.--Bradburn, Frances Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Putting her papers together in the face of her impending death, Jones chose and arranged these lectures, articles, and reviews written between 1978 and 2008 to encapsulate her beliefs about writing, writing for children, and fantasy. Ranging from literary criticism to autobiography, the 28 pieces illustrate her insight, her humor, and the mastery of her craft. She describes how magic and humor work, discusses the nature of heroes, the uses of mythology, and the value of learning Anglo-Saxon. Other selections reflect on the magic of the "Narnia" books, the nature of "Real Books," and the orchestration of a narrative. Because this volume is a gathering of pieces written over many years, topics and episodes are repeated, like recurring melodies in a long piece of music. One of the most important themes is that humans-children and adults-need fantasy. In some ways, her entire oeuvre is a reaction to a childhood in which fantasy literature was denied, as revealed in the long essay she wrote for Something About the Author and included here. An interview with the book's editor, Charlie Butler, and reminiscences by two of her sons wrap up the collection. Readers who have known and loved the author's vast body of work will nod and laugh, rejoice that they can return to works like the "Chrestomanci" series, and mourn the fact that there will be no more.-Kathleen Isaacs, Children's Literature Specialist, Pasadena, MD (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In more than thirty entries, the author of such groundbreaking fantasies as Dogsbody (rev. 6/77) and Howl's Moving Castle (rev. 5/86) explores her art and her peculiar childhood. As Jones told interviewer Charlie Butler shortly before her death in 2011, her books did not so much "lay" to rest things that troubled her as "overlay" them, like translations. Here are such lectures for adults as "The Heroic Ideal," a splendid analysis of Fire and Hemlock (rev. 1/85), perhaps her greatest novel. "Characterization: Advice for Young Writers" might profitably be taken to heart by authors of any age. Journal articles, reviews, and other published pieces round out a selection beautifully supplemented by a foreword from Neil Gaiman; by Butler's preface; and with lovingly incisive appreciations by Jones's two sons. There's some repetition amongst the entries, especially in accounts of a childhood marked by World War II with its emergency moves and miscellaneous terrors and by parents whose parsimony with material necessities and affection left not only emotional scars but a wealth of comical-in-retrospect stories -- and, presumably, the author's extraordinary resilience and literary resourcefulness. Whether sharing an ironic take on early "Rules" for science fiction or a scathing analysis of recent "sword and sorcery" conventions; celebrating the rewards of playing with ideas; or recounting humorous experiences that her son Colin understands were rooted in "profound sadness" -- each engrossing piece is a window into the imagination of a brilliant and treasured author. Several family photos, notes, a bibliography of Jones's books, and an index are included. joanna rudge long (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
