Beloved children’s author Brian Jacques (pictured, via) passed away this week at 71-years-old. He wrote chapter novels, picture books, and short story collections during his long career.
According to BBC News, the author sold more than 20 million books internationally. Jacques is best-known for his Redwall fantasy series. Before Jacques died, 21 chapter books, three picture books, a graphic novel adaptation, and an opera were all published about the Redwall series. In June 2010, the author’s blog announced that the 22nd book in the series will be published this year.
Here’s more from BBC News: “Some critics compared [Jacques' books] to J.R.R. Tolkien‘s Lord Of The Rings and Watership Down by Richard Adams. Even as a child he showed literary talent. He was caned by a teacher who could not believe that a 10-year-old could write so well when he penned a short story about a bird who cleaned a crocodile’s teeth.”
2 comments:
Pre Harry Potter Redwall was a huge seller in the children's literature field. We would regularly order 60 of each new Hardback, and have fans in the door within minutes of their phone call. They were particularly popular with boy fans of fantasy.
Interest in the series has faded over the last 10 years, there is only so much action you create for talking badgers and foxes, and as other writers took over the genre, but in the 90's they were huge.
Jacques was, by all accounts, an interesting character- and not always easy. One of my former staff (Holly Robinson, now at Harper Collins in Auckland) told me of a promotional in-store visit from him whist working in a bookshop in the U.K, where he wouldn't get out of the car until they put his books in the window of the shop.
He also wrote a couple of non-Redwall books that were duds in the midldle of the series,(The Flying Dutchman),and fans turned off. This was just as he switched publisher from Red Fox to Penguin, and I'm sure his former publisher must have been quietly very relieved that the downturn didn't happen on their watch.
I also met N.Z based family of his, nieces and nephews I think, who were astounded to hear that he was a successful author.
Still, the first 10 or so of the Redwall series were great books, and still ideal for those 11-15 year old looking for a series.
But for 10 years in the 90's he was at the top of his game, and is responsible for turning many children onto reading.
Not a bad legacy.
John McIntyre
The Children's Bookshop
Kilbirnie
I enjoyed reading Redwall to the boys as their bedtime story last year, and it spurred them to get more of his books. In fact Mr Nine-Year Old just started reading Rackety Tam a few days ago. They will be saddened to hear Jacques had died. They are wonderful books.
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