When I was a little girl growing up in the country, my love of animals and the outdoors was eclipsed only by my love of books. One day I was given a copy of Mariel of Redwall by Brian Jacques, the story of a mouse maiden in search of her father. I was utterly entranced by the tale of the Abbey dwellers, woodland creatures of all kinds, as they lived, loved, cooked, and defended their home against rat pirates. I quickly devoured the other books in the Redwall series, each one as delightful as the last. I loved the characters’ peaceful lives in their red stone Abbey in the middle of the woods, the elaborate feasts they held, the games they played, and the friendships they held. They were brave, truthful, daring, peaceful, and wise. They sang, unraveled mysteries and riddles, went on quests, and vanquished villains, all the while protected by the spirit of their guardian and founder, the warrior mouse, Martin.
As a child with a vivid imagination, these books were perfect. Living in the country gave me the opportunity to live out my own little Redwall fantasies. I collected berries and dandelions and made cordials and cakes from them. I ran around with a stick, playing warrior maiden, yelling Redwall battle cries and lopping the heads off of particularly tall weeds. Even today, the influence of both the morals encompassed in the books and the British lexicon are evident in my beliefs and manner of speech.
As I grew out of my wild childhood, I continued to read each new release, loving every one for its characters, adventures, and ideals. So I was deeply saddened when I heard of their author, Brian Jacques’, death on February 5th from a heart attack. Thankfully, as a last gift to his fans, one last Redwall novel awaits release in May this year, and his body of work—both his Redwall stories and other independent works—remain for all to enjoy for years to come. Jacques was a truly gifted writer who made his world as real and vivid as our own. His contribution to children’s books was monumental, and he will be sorely missed.
Read a full obituary at http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-brian-jacques-
Learn more about the Redwall series and Jacques at http://www.redwall.org/
Find books by Brian Jacques on bookshopsantacruz.com
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Mariel of Redwall is one of the greatest stories ever written about adventure and heroism on the grandest of scales. This is my all-time favorite book.